Regulator to give Aon-WTW nod ahead of deadline – reports

Merging giants have been offloading a variety of units

Regulator to give Aon-WTW nod ahead of deadline – reports

Insurance News

By Terry Gangcuangco

In less than a month, ahead of the European Commission’s (EC) decision deadline, the regulator is said to be set to approve the mega union between Aon Plc and Willis Towers Watson (WTW).

Citing people familiar with the matter without providing further details, a Reuters report noted that the deal is expected to be greenlit by the EC either in early July or later this month.

A nod by the watchdog – which has been closely examining the transaction under the European Union’s merger regulation – within the next few weeks will be days ahead of the EC’s new August 03 deadline.

To ease regulators’ competition concerns, including those in the US, Aon and WTW have been offloading certain units – a necessary move before the insurance broking giants could cross the finish line as a combined company.

Operations being sold include Willis Re (to Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.), Aon’s retirement and investment business in Germany (to Lane Clark & Peacock LLP), and the US retirement business of Aon (to Aquiline).

Aon and WTW are present in more than 120 and 140 countries, respectively, both maintaining headquarters in the UK capital while domiciled in British neighbour Ireland.

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