Full-Time
Head of Legal & Compliance
Pacific
Posted on 7/3/2025
WTW
10,001+ employees
Global risk management, insurance brokerage, consulting
No salary listed
Sydney NSW, Australia
Hybrid
Hybrid working style with a mix of in-person and in-office interactions.
 Legal & Compliance (2) |
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- Proven experience as a senior lawyer with over 15 years in private practice and/or in-house roles. Must be licensed and in good standing as an active member of the bar in at least one relevant jurisdiction.
- Knowledge and understanding of regulatory compliance in Australia and New Zealand is required, with deep knowledge and understanding strongly preferred. Direct experience providing regulatory compliance support, or managing others who have provided such support, is also strongly preferred.
- Solid track record of handling complex and sophisticated legal matters in an efficient and commercial-friendly manner.
- Deep knowledge and experience in financial services laws and regulations are required. Some experience with the insurance sector is required, with deep experience preferred.
- Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills, with the ability to engage effectively at all levels to provide strategic legal advice and promote an effective and business focused compliance culture.
- Ability to handle confidential information and opinions with discretion. Ability to remain calm under pressure.
- Ability to see the big picture in terms of the Company’s legal and ethical obligations for the protection of its reputation.
- Commercial awareness – a commercial and pragmatic approach to managing legal and compliance risks.
- Ability to support legal and compliance aspects of M&A (including due diligence), and to identify potential issues.
- Ability to evaluate and advise on the impact of regulatory changes and to support the Company’s businesses and functions in addressing those changes.
- Manage the provision of general legal, transactional, and regulatory advice to the Pacific business leadership teams.
- Oversee and manage the overall compliance program for the Pacific sub-region.
- Serve as trusted adviser and resource on legal and compliance matters for the above-mentioned business teams.
- Meet all the Pacific sub-region commitments within the Annual Compliance Plan and identify areas of opportunity and improvement going forward.
- Develop any revisions to the compliance program due to regulatory change management or the introduction of new products.
- Drive functional projects and improvement initiatives aligned to OGC and WTW business objectives.
- Lead, motivate, and manage a professional team, including the monitoring of colleague wellbeing and progress against inclusion and diversity objectives.
- Undertake and oversee effective engagement with the company’s business clients, government regulators, vendors, outside lawyers, trade bodies and other parties.
- Manage legal and compliance issues effectively and efficiently in line with WTW objectives and values and within company and entity risk appetites.
- Manage external legal and other expenditures according to the OGC budget and Outside Counsel Guidelines.
- Work with the broader global OGC teams as a high-functioning and collaborative group.
- Ensure effective use of management information and timely reporting of key issues and recommendations to the Compliance Director or General Counsel, including matters for external and internal board, committee, and regulator reports.
- Some experience with the insurance sector is required, with deep experience preferred.
- Experience in advising professional services businesses is preferred.
- Experience giving legal advice throughout the Pacific region is preferred.
- Experience working in a global business is preferred.
- Effective team management skills preferred. Respected for expertise and work ethic, inspiring others as a role model.
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
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- North America growth leadership now targets pipeline development, RFP adoption, and execution discipline.
- Spike Lipkin's AI mandate should improve service productivity and internal operating efficiency.
- Cushon expands UK workplace pensions scale and strengthens LifeSight cross-sell opportunities.
What critics are saying
- WTW faces margin pressure after Q1 2026 showed softer organic growth.
- Securities investigations raise disclosure risk and could distract management through 2026.
- North America growth initiatives depend on execution against retention, recruitment, and conversion targets.
What makes WTW unique
- WTW combines brokerage, consulting, and administration across risk and people services.
- Its two-segment model links Corporate Risk & Broking with Health, Wealth & Career.
- The firm serves 140-plus countries and markets with specialized industry teams.
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Company News
Willis Towers Watson has launched Digital Infrastructure Protector, an end-to-end solution for data centre owners, operators, contractors and hyperscalers. The product combines integrated insurance coverage for construction and operational phases with tailored risk management. The solution offers over $3 billion in capacity through collaboration with Zurich, allowing clients to consolidate building, operational property, marine and cargo exposures under a single policy. It employs an eight-point digital infrastructure risk framework to assess systemic and emerging risks as projects develop. Clients gain access to the Global Digital Infrastructure Group, led by Alastair Swift, which integrates experts from construction, energy, climate, cyber and supply chain sectors. The offering uses evidence-based broking and analytics to identify coverage gaps and prevent overinsurance.
Willis launches $50 million London umbrella facility for US buyers. James Sallada (pictured above), head of casualty for North America at Willis, said securing meaningful umbrella insurance coverage has become "increasingly difficult" for US buyers. The facility, he added, brings together "global capacity to provide organizations with access to higher limits, streamlined placement, and tailored solutions." Willis (a WTW business) has launched a new $50 million umbrella insurance facility called WELL (Willis Excess Liability Lineslip) to address the tightening capacity in the U.S. casualty market. The facility, announced on March 30, 2026, is designed to provide organizations with access to higher liability limits at a time when domestic insurers are pulling back capacity due to rising claim frequency and severity. Here is a breakdown of the key details of the new WELL facility: | Feature | Details | | Facility Name | Willis Excess Liability Lineslip (WELL) | | Total Capacity | Up to $50 million | | Structure | $25M lead umbrella + $25M first excess coverage | | Target Clients | Organizations seeking larger limits, including those with complex or challenging risk profiles | | Underwriting | Lloyd's syndicate consortium; single policy with one lead insurer | | Key Features | Single policy form, one lead claims coordinator, built-in enhancements (disaster response, evacuation, joint venture protection) | | Policy Types | Claims-made, occurrence, or occurrence-reported basis | Why this launch matters. The launch of the WELL facility is a direct response to current market conditions. The U.S. casualty market is experiencing a hardening phase where traditional domestic insurers are limiting the amount of umbrella coverage they are willing to provide. By leveraging the capacity of the London market and a consortium of Lloyd's syndicates, Willis aims to offer a streamlined solution for clients who need to secure protection against catastrophic liability claims that exceed their primary insurance limits. Who it's for and how to access it. The WELL facility is available exclusively to Willis clients and is intended for a broad range of industries that are placing complex casualty risks. It is specifically tailored for organizations that require larger lead umbrella limits than are typically available in the traditional retail market, including businesses that may have been finding it difficult to secure appetite from domestic insurers. The facility simplifies the process for clients by offering a single policy form covering the full $50 million limit, with one lead underwriter coordinating claims across all participating markets. This structure is designed to provide a more efficient and streamlined placement process compared to traditional methods of stacking multiple excess policies. I hope this summary is helpful. Are you interested in a more detailed comparison of how this facility differs from traditional umbrella insurance structures?
WTW expands wealth team with new hire. Sophia Sednaoui joins from CG Asset Management 26 March 2026 Willis Tower Watson (WTW) has appointed Sophia Sednaoui as a senior director in its GB wealth and retail investment team. In her new role, Sednaoui will be responsible for expanding the firm's presence in the UK wealth market and developing new relationships across the sector. Prior to joining the WTW team, Sednaoui served as head of investor relations at CG Asset Management for more than a year. Before that, she spent six years in senior roles at Carmignac and almost two years on the JO Hambro sales team. Sednaoui said: "WTW's deep institutional expertise presents a unique opportunity to deliver high-quality investment solutions and products to a broader range of end investors." Ben Leach, head of GB wealth and retail investments, said: "Her impressive track record and deep knowledge of the UK wealth sector will be instrumental as we continue to invest in and expand our wealth offering." MORE ARTICLES ON
Aon appoints commercial director to global benefits team. Aon has appointed Carl Nordling as the commercial director for the UK and Nordics within its global benefits team. Nordling joins Aon from WTW where he worked as director of health and benefits, overseeing business development across healthcare, wellbeing, risk and benefits technology in the UK market. He has almost 20 years expense working in across employee benefits, risk and technology. In this new role Nordling will work closely with Aon's enterprise client group, human capital and risk capital leadership teams to support multinational clients in managing their insurance employee benefits risks and navigating the complexities of global benefits programmes. He will report to Matt Duffy, chief commercial officer, global benefits for Aon, and will be based in the UK. Duffy says that Nordling will be helping drive further growth in the business. He adds: "Corporate Adviser is seeing significant momentum across its global benefits offering. "By leveraging Aon's market-leading, AI-enabled data and analytics capabilities, [Nordling] will support clients in making more informed decisions and help them to make the most of their global benefits programmes."
Willis, part of WTW, has partnered with Circle Asia to launch an insurance facility for art collectors and galleries across Asia. The initiative combines Willis' fine art insurance expertise with Circle's digital platform to provide simplified coverage for artworks, jewellery and valuable collections. The facility offers a lower entry premium and allows clients to insure multiple assets—including art, jewellery, home contents and buildings—under one policy. Terms and premiums are tailored to individual requirements, with policy management handled by Willis' Fine Art team through Circle's platform. The digital approach aims to improve communication and speed up processes compared to standard practices. The facility also accommodates short-term needs such as single exhibitions or transit events, providing quick responses and comprehensive protection for Asia's rapidly growing fine arts market.