IFNY Free Enterprise Award Recipient Joseph J. Plumeri Chairman and Chief Executive Officer | Willis Group Holdings plc

Appointed to lead Willis in October 2000, when it was privately owned by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, Joe successfully returned the company to public ownership in 2001. In 2008, he spearheaded Willis’ $2.1 billion acquisition of Hilb Rogal & Hobbs (HRH), the largest insurance brokerage deal in the last decade.

During his tenure, Joe has cultivated a “One Flag” culture of teamwork centered on the Client Advocate® model and Glocal service, delivering the breadth of Willis’ global expertise through more than 400 local offices in nearly 120 countries. Those offices include The Willis Building in London, opened in 2008, and Willis Tower in Chicago (formerly known as Sears Tower), which was renamed in 2009. Willis Tower is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere.

Joe has been a leader in the insurance industry in an era of unprecedented change. Over the last decade, he has pressed for greater transparency, client service and innovation throughout the industry. He has led the fight against contingent commissions, the controversial year-end bonuses insurance companies pay brokers for increasing premium volume and profitability – payments which can lead to conflicts of interest. In 2004, Willis became the first and only insurance broker to abolish the practice of accepting contingent commissions for retail clients and the first to establish a Client Bill of Rights.

In recognition of these efforts, St. John’s University School of Risk Management named Joe 2006 Insurance Leader of the Year. In 2009 and 2010, Joe was named to Treasury & Risk magazine’s list of “100 Most Influential People in Finance.”

Prior to joining Willis, Joe had a 32-year career at Citigroup and its predecessor companies. As CEO of Citibank North America, Joe led the integration of the consumer businesses at Citicorp and Travelers Group. Joe also served as Chairman and CEO of Travelers Primerica Financial Services, Vice Chairman of the Travelers Group, and President and Managing Partner of Shearson Lehman Brothers.

An active and committed community leader, Joe has been honored by numerous civic and philanthropic organizations, including the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation in 2009 for his impact on the reputation of the insurance industry, and by the Jackie Robinson Foundation in 2010 for his career achievements. He also has been honored by the Sons of Italy Foundation, the Intrepid Foundation, the Boy Scouts of America, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, among others.

Among his many philanthropic endeavors, Joe funded the construction of the Samuel & Josephine Plumeri Wishing Place, the headquarters of the New Jersey Chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The facility was named in honor of his parents with a $2 million gift – the largest single contribution from an individual donor in the history of the organization. Joe also contributed more than $1 million to the College of St. Rose in Albany, New York, for the development of the school’s new sports complex, named in honor of his late son, Christian.

Joe currently serves on the boards of the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, Mount Sinai Medical Center, the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, the Jackie Robinson Foundation, Carnegie Hall and American Friends of the Churchill Museum in London. A sports fan and lifelong athlete, Joe was Commissioner of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority from 1997 to 2004. He also is co-owner of two New Jersey minor league baseball teams – the Trenton Thunder, the Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, and the Lakewood BlueClaws, the Single- A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Born in Trenton, NJ, Joe received his Bachelor of Arts degree in history and education from The College of William and Mary and also attended New York Law School.