R.J. Lehmann on the collapse of the WTW-Aon merger
PlanAdviser – ICLE Editor-in-Chief R.J. Lehmann was quoted by PlanAdviser about the breakdown in talks between insurance brokers Aon and Willis Towers Watson after the U.S. Justice Department challenged their proposed merger on antitrust grounds. The full story is available here.
“It’s very likely you’ll see more mergers,” says R.J. Lehmann, a senior fellow at the think tank International Center for Law & Economics. “There’s a lot of money moving around in the system and interest rates remain low. M&A is still very hot.”
…Other sources agree that the failed Aon–WTW deal may have little immediate impact on the benefits and insurance consulting industry.
“The main thing is that if you have a relationship currently with Aon or Willis, it’s not going to be disrupted,” Lehmann says. “Alternatively, if the deal had gone through, some accounts might have been shed, due to conflicts of interest. If you were dealing with them before, you’re probably happy you don’t have to concern yourself with a change now.”