Towers Watson Expands Investment Services for Insurers and Reinsurers With Acquisition of WellsCanning

NEW YORK--()--Towers Watson (NYSE, NASDAQ:TW), a leading global professional services company, today announced that it has acquired the business of WellsCanning, an investment advisory firm specializing in the insurance industry. The principals and consulting staff of WellsCanning have joined Towers Watson’s Investment business in New York.

WellsCanning’s expertise in enterprise-based asset allocation solutions for insurance and reinsurance companies -- as well as the development and implementation of risk management strategies to protect capital -- make it a natural, complementary fit for Towers Watson’s Investment business, according to Christopher DeMeo, Head of Towers Watson’s Investment business in the Americas.

“The WellsCanning team adds to Towers Watson’s insurance industry and investment resources that span both sides of the business -- asset and liability -- and strengthens our ability to provide investment advice to our clients at a time of unusual market volatility and regulatory change,” said DeMeo. “We are extremely pleased to welcome the WellsCanning team to Towers Watson.”

Founded in 1995 by Karen Wells and Andrew Canning, the Valhalla, N.Y.-based firm is a registered investment advisor providing investment consulting to U.S.-domiciled, offshore and international insurance companies. In addition to its work with property & casualty (P&C) and life insurers, the WellsCanning team adds depth in various industry sectors, including health care and hospital groups, as well as workers compensation and state insurance funds.

“We are pleased to join a global company that has such a strong position in the insurance industry,” said Wells. "WellsCanning clients will gain access to Towers Watson’s consulting and analytical capabilities, and extensive research capabilities for asset managers, asset classes and regulations, among other areas.”

Wells noted that the WellsCanning team shares Towers Watson’s commitment to offer independent, objective investment advice.

About WellsCanning

WellsCanning is a registered investment advisor providing investment consulting to a diverse client base of life, health and P&C clients ranging from $50 million to $7 billion in assets, located both in the U.S. and offshore. The company’s clients range from mutuals, to stock companies, to captives, and write a wide variety of business, including life P&C, reinsurance, health, medical malpractice and workers compensation.

About Towers Watson Investment

Towers Watson’s Investment business is focused on creating financial value for the world’s leading institutional investors through its expertise in risk assessment, strategic asset allocation and investment manager selection. It is a division of Towers Watson’s Risk and Financial Services business, has over 700 associates worldwide and assets under advisory of over US$2.1 trillion. In the United States, investment advisory and investment consulting services are provided by Towers Watson Investment Services, Inc., a subsidiary of Towers Watson & Co. Towers Watson Investment Services, Inc., is a registered investment advisor with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

About Towers Watson

Towers Watson (NYSE, NASDAQ: TW) is a leading global professional services company that helps organizations improve performance through effective people, risk and financial management. The company offers solutions in the areas of employee benefits, talent management, rewards, and risk and capital management. Towers Watson has 14,000 associates around the world and is located on the web at towerswatson.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This document contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these statements and other forward-looking statements in this document by words such as “may,” “will,” “would,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “plan,” “intend,” “continue,” or similar words, expressions or the negative of such terms or other comparable terminology. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of Towers Watson’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements: the risk that the Towers Perrin and Watson Wyatt businesses will not be integrated successfully; the risk that anticipated cost savings and any other synergies from the merger of Towers Perrin and Watson Wyatt may not be fully realized or may take longer to realize than expected; the ability to successfully make and integrate profitable acquisitions; the risk that the acquisitions of EMB or Aliquant Corporation are not profitable or are not otherwise successfully integrated; the ability to successfully address issues surrounding the number of company shares that will become freely tradable on January 1, 2012; our ability to respond to rapid technological changes; the ability to recruit and retain qualified employees, particularly given the company’s recent changes in employee compensation plans; and the ability to retain client relationships, particularly in the executive compensation business, given recent Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and other regulatory actions; and the risk that a significant or prolonged economic downturn could have a material adverse effect on Towers Watson’s business, financial condition and results of operations. Additional risks and factors are identified under “Risk Factors” in Towers Watson’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed on August 29, 2011.

You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events because these statements are based on assumptions that may not come true and are speculative by their nature. Towers Watson does not undertake an obligation to update any of the forward-looking information included in this document, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed expectations or otherwise.

Contacts

Towers Watson
Michael McNamara, +1 212 309 3669
michael.mcnamara@towerswatson.com
or
Paul Deane-Williams, +44 1737 274397
paul.deane-williams@towerswatson.com

Contacts

Towers Watson
Michael McNamara, +1 212 309 3669
michael.mcnamara@towerswatson.com
or
Paul Deane-Williams, +44 1737 274397
paul.deane-williams@towerswatson.com