Aon Names Two Co-Presidents, Retires Remaining Sub-Brands

Aon plc named two of its veteran executives to become co-presidents, and the global broker/consulting firm also retired its remaining business unit brands in a bid to promote more product innovation and dynamic client service.

Eric Anderson, CEO of Aon Benfield, and Michael O’Connor, CEO of Aon Risk Solutions, have been named co-presidents, effective immediately. Both will continue to report to Aon Chief Executive Officer, Greg Case, whose contract was recently extended by the Board of Directors until April 2023.

Andersen first joined Aon in 1997, through its acquisition of Minet, and has held various leadership positions at Aon since then. O’Connor, a part of Aon since 2008, has also taken on a number of leadership positions at Aon over his tenure, and previously was a partner at McKinsey & Company.

Aon Risk Solutions, Aon Benfield Brands Retired

With those two executive promotions, Aon said it will retire the brands they both ran – Aon Risk Solutions and Aon Benfield, something it did previously with its Aon Hewitt business unit brand in 2017.

Aon has created an integrated global Operating Committee co-led by Anderson and O’Connor, which, along with retiring the respective brands they ran, is designed to boost innovation across Aon and make it easier for colleagues to collaborate.

Aon previously announced a single P&L structure, which is part of an ongoing effort to increase colleague connectivity and accelerate reinvestment in innovation that serves clients. That effort is overseen by Aon’s global CFO Christa Davies, whose contract was also recently extended by the Board of Directors until April of 2023.

Case said that Aon’s new co-presidents gained their new positions due to the enormous contributions that they have made to the ongoing success of our firm.” He added that both have proven track records that prove they know how to use Aon’s various capabilities in to “best serve our clients.”

Case noted other related leadership changes at Aon, with Cary Grace, CEO of Retirement Solutions, John Zern, CEO of Health Solutions, and Chief Operations Officer John Bruno each expected to add new responsibilities.