Senior Director - Enterprise Data Strategy & Transformation
About the job
- Significant experience in enterprise strategy, data and analytics leadership, management consulting, business transformation or technology strategy.
- Demonstrated success operating in large, complex and highly federated organizations.
- Proven ability to drive alignment, influence senior leaders and build consensus across organizations with competing priorities.
- Experience leading large-scale cross-functional initiatives involving multiple business units, geographies and stakeholder groups.
- Strong understanding of modern data, analytics and artificial intelligence capabilities, including data platforms, data products, governance, architecture and operating models.
- Experience evaluating strategic investments, developing business cases and driving value realization.
- Strong commercial acumen, including experience with vendor strategy, investment prioritization or enterprise sourcing decisions.
- Ability to navigate ambiguity, simplify complex problems and move fluidly between strategic thinking and practical execution.
- A bachelor's degree or equivalent experience is required.
- Partner with the Global Head of Data to define, evolve and operationalize the enterprise data strategy.
- Maintain an enterprise-wide view of data, analytics and artificial intelligence initiatives across businesses and functions, identifying opportunities for alignment, reuse and collaboration.
- Translate strategic objectives into actionable roadmaps, investment priorities and measurable outcomes.
- Help shape the enterprise data operating model, including engagement models, decision rights and accountability across central and business-aligned teams.
- Identify and resolve strategic gaps, overlaps and dependencies across business portfolios.
- Partner with business-aligned data and technology leaders to identify opportunities to accelerate value realization through data, analytics and artificial intelligence.
- Advise business leaders on modernization priorities, data strategy, operating models, platform evolution and organizational capabilities.
- Facilitate sharing of successful approaches, capabilities and lessons learned across businesses.
- Support capability and maturity assessments to identify opportunities for improvement, modernization and strategic alignment.
- Connect businesses with enterprise capabilities, expertise, vendor relationships and reusable assets that accelerate delivery and reduce duplication.
- Lead cross-business strategic initiatives where enterprise coordination creates greater value than individual business execution.
- Drive enterprise efforts related to data products, data sharing, interoperability, artificial intelligence readiness, metadata, business context and other strategic priorities.
- Establish and maintain a portfolio view of strategic initiatives, helping prioritize investments and manage dependencies across businesses.
- Develop recommendations and implementation plans for complex enterprise challenges that span organizational boundaries.
- Identify opportunities to optimize data, analytics and artificial intelligence investments across the enterprise.
- Lead strategic assessments of technology, data and vendor investments, including rationalization, consolidation and enterprise sourcing opportunities.
- Partner with business and procurement leaders to maximize enterprise buying power and improve commercial outcomes with strategic vendors.
- Develop business cases and value frameworks that connect investments to measurable business outcomes and long-term enterprise value.
- Serve as a trusted advisor to senior executives, helping leaders navigate complex strategic and organizational decisions.
- Build alignment among diverse stakeholders without relying on direct authority.
- Develop executive-level communications, strategy presentations, investment proposals and leadership updates.
- Clearly articulate priorities, trade-offs, progress and value realization across a broad range of stakeholders.
- An advanced degree is preferred.
About the company
Willis Towers Watson helps organizations manage risk and people programs by offering advisory, brokerage, and technology-based solutions. It operates in two segments: Risk & Broking, which identifies, quantifies, and places insurance coverage for clients from small businesses to large corporations; and Health, Wealth & Career, which provides consulting, technology, and administration services for health benefits, retirement plans, and talent management. The company differentiates itself by combining advisory services, technology platforms, and brokerage capabilities under one umbrella to deliver integrated risk management and people solutions globally. Its goal is to turn risk into a path for growth by aligning risk management with health, retirement, and talent strategies to support organizational success.
Company Size
10,001+
Company Stage
IPO
Headquarters
London, United Kingdom
Founded
1828
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Q2 2026 revenue reached $2.47 billion, up 9% year over year.
- Propel targets roughly 30% adjusted operating margin by 2028, announced July 30, 2026.
- WTW signed a Sept. 30, 2026 Sapien partnership for mid-market M&A HR software.
What critics are saying
- WTW sued Lockton on Aug. 24, 2026 after 18 construction brokers defected.
- Q2 operating margin fell to 14.8%, and net income dropped 30%.
- Repeated team defections to Lockton hollow WTW’s brokerage franchise market by market.
What makes WTW unique
- WTW’s Radar platform powers Zurich’s global pricing rollout across retail lines, Sept. 21, 2026.
- Newfront added deep U.S. middle-market specialty broking and technology, Jan. 27, 2026.
- WTW combines consulting, broking, and software across 140 countries and markets.
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Benefits
Remote Work Options
Company News
WTW deepens commercial lines ICT bench with MGA underwriting veteran. Darrel Beaton joins from Effectus Insurance, where he served as chief underwriting officer for 16 years Oct 12, 2026 WTW has appointed Darrel Beaton (pictured) as director of underwriting within its insurance consulting and technology (ICT) business in North America, effective October 5. Beaton joins from Effectus Insurance Managers, a commercial lines managing general agent, where he spent 16 years as chief underwriting officer overseeing underwriting strategy, product development, and portfolio profitability across a broad range of commercial lines, according to his LinkedIn profile. Background and remit. Beaton brings more than 30 years of commercial underwriting experience, including earlier roles as senior director of product management at USAA and SVP of risk and product management at Advanced Insurance Management eSolutions, where he advised insurers, reinsurers, and MGA/MGUs on underwriting operations and product development. His career has run almost entirely through the program and specialty end of the market rather than standard admitted lines. The appointment is part of WTW's stated push to expand its ICT practice across commercial and specialty lines in North America, a segment the company has been building out alongside its more established personal lines advisory footprint. ICT advises insurers on underwriting strategy, pricing, portfolio management, and technology transformation, work that shapes how carriers select risks and structure their books across the commercial P&C market. Based in Austin, Texas, Beaton will report to Farah Ismail, head of commercial lines, North America at WTW, and will focus on expanding the firm's underwriting and product advisory propositions for commercial carrier clients. "His proven track record, technical underwriting expertise and deep understanding of specialist risks across the property and casualty market will be invaluable to our clients," Ismail said. WTW's ICT business operates across 35 markets with more than 1,700 staff, according to the company, serving over 1,000 insurers globally.
WTW names Darrel Beaton Director of Underwriting. The commercial insurance veteran joins WTW's North America Insurance Consulting and Technology business to support underwriting and product modernization. Anthony R. O'Donnell // October 12, 2026 (Image source: WTW.) WTW (London) has appointed Darrel Beaton Director of Underwriting within its Insurance Consulting and Technology (ICT) business, effective Oct. 5. Beaton brings more than 30 years of experience spanning commercial underwriting, product development, portfolio management, program design and underwriting leadership. He joins WTW from Effectus Insurance, where he served as Chief Underwriting Officer with responsibility for underwriting strategy, product development, portfolio growth and profitability across commercial lines. Based in Austin, Texas, Beaton will support the expansion of WTW's underwriting and product propositions, helping insurers modernize underwriting operations, improve portfolio performance and apply technology and analytics to business decisions. He reports to Farah Ismail, Head of Commercial Lines, North America, WTW. "We are delighted to welcome Darrel to our North America team," comments Ismail. "His proven track record, technical underwriting expertise and deep understanding of specialist risks across the property and casualty market will be invaluable to our clients." WTW says Beaton's appointment will support growth of its consulting and technology services for insurers across North America.
WTW has received regulatory approval from the Central Bank of the UAE and Central Bank of Bahrain to assume full ownership of Al-Futtaim Willis, its UAE-based joint venture. Al-Futtaim sold its 51% stake in the business, giving WTW complete control. The move strengthens WTW's regional presence alongside recent expansions in Saudi Arabia, where the company established insurance and reinsurance broking entities. WTW will now wholly manage operations in Dubai and Bahrain. The acquisition enables WTW to provide clients across the UAE and wider region with enhanced access to specialist expertise and global placement capabilities. The integration aligns with WTW's strategy to optimise its global portfolio and pursue scaled, high-growth broking businesses.
WTW has partnered with Sapien Software to deliver HR and deal intelligence solutions for mid-market companies navigating divestitures and M&A transactions. The collaboration integrates Sapien's human capital management software into WTW's Divestitures in a Box solution, providing HR management systems, payroll administration, international benefits administration and managed services. The partnership combines WTW's M&A consulting expertise with Sapien's technology platform to support both buyers and sellers. The solution aims to accelerate day one readiness, reduce reliance on Transition Services Agreements, and enhance corporate and employee experiences during transactions. Sapien's platform features AI-powered decision support and built-in managed services. The software is multi-lingual, multi-currency, and designed specifically for global mid-market companies undergoing divestitures.
WTW and Sapien Software partner to provide HR and deal intelligence for global mid-market divestitures and M&A. NEW YORK, Sept. 30, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - WTW (NASDAQ: WTW) a leading global advisory, broking and solutions company, today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Sapien Software, LLC, to provide global HR and deal intelligence software and solutions for mid-market companies involved in divestitures, mergers and acquisitions. The partnership between WTW and Sapien provides HR Management System, Human Capital Management System, payroll administration, international benefits administration and managed services as part of the WTW's Human Capital Divestitures in a Box (DIAB) solution. The DIAB solution is a one-stop, pre-packaged HR solution that's globally scalable and designed to support both buyers and sellers. It combines WTW's M&A consulting expertise in due diligence, deal planning, workforce integration and employee communication, with Sapien's market leading human capital management software solutions. Perry Papantonis, Senior Managing Director and Global M&A Leader at WTW said, "WTW's Divestitures in a Box solution enables companies to accelerate day one readiness across all HR plans, programs, and systems, reduce companies' reliance on Transition Services Agreements (TSAs), and enhance both corporate and employee experiences during transactions. Sapien's platform will help organizations to aggregate and model data to support the M&A sell-side process and buyer requests and serve as a full global Human Resources Information System HRIS following transaction close." Ryan Tweedie, Managing Partner of Sapien, said: "With people at the center of every corporate transition, our platform compliments WTW's solution to fulfill on the promise of a one-stop, pre-packaged, cost-effective solution that is globally scalable and enables both buyers and sellers to move with speed, precision and confidence." Infused with AI for easy decision support queries, and with built-in managed services that are already a part of every implementation, Sapien's technology will complement WTW's solution to help deliver a new level of speed, cost-effectiveness, and insights necessary to ensure success before, during and after divestiture or M&A activity. About WTW At WTW (NASDAQ: WTW), we provide data-driven, insight-led solutions in the areas of people, risk and capital. Leveraging the global view and local expertise of our colleagues serving 140 countries and markets, we help organizations sharpen their strategy, enhance organizational resilience, motivate their workforce and maximize performance. Working shoulder to shoulder with our clients, we uncover opportunities for sustainable success - and provide perspective that moves you. Learn more at wtwco.com. About Sapien Software, LLC Sapien is the most progressive and innovative provider of HR software and data intelligence for the global mid-market with unparalleled expertise in divestitures. Purpose-built to be a single source of truth for divestiture planning and to evolve from data ingestion to Day One stand-alone readiness, Sapien is intuitive, rapidly customizable and proven to deliver the functionality, versatility, and affordability that mid-market globals need while guiding organizations through the divestiture process with workforce insights for decision-making. Led by industry veterans and designed to be right for now and tomorrow, Sapien is multi-lingual, multi-currency, and payroll/benefits agnostic. Our proprietary Human Resources Augmentation (HRA) and built-in AI functionality accessed via Natural Language Processing offers an unparalleled layer of support and is available globally. For more information: www.sapiensoftware.com