Willis Re has appointed Thomas Artmann (pictured) as CEO of Germany, effective immediately. The appointment came weeks after Artmann retired as chief executive of Munich Re Syndicates Ltd at the end of August.
Artmann spent 25 of his 36 years in the industry at Munich Re. He was appointed managing director of Munich Re Underwriting Ltd, the group's Lloyd's subsidiary, in 2015. He subsequently became CEO of Munich Re Syndicates Ltd, the managing agent for Syndicate 457 at Lloyd's. He will be based in Munich.
The appointment lands at a specific moment in Willis Re's development. The broker was relaunched in late 2024 as a WTW and Bain Capital joint venture, after WTW sold the original Willis Re to Arthur J. Gallagher for US$3.25 billion in 2021. The rebuild has been primarily organic, with Germany described in the announcement as a new operation rather than an expansion of an existing one.
That context shapes how Artmann's profile reads. Germany is not a market where a new entrant can simply open a door and expect business. Munich Re and Hannover Re, two of the world's largest reinsurers, are headquartered there. Broker relationships in the market are longstanding. Artmann ran the Munich Re group's Lloyd's platform for more than a decade, and that tenure gave him close knowledge of the Munich Re group and its senior leadership. A broker trying to establish treaty placement capabilities in that market needs people the counterparties already know.
Willis Re's German push also arrives as Germany has drawn attention from other brokers building out their continental European presence. Howden Re established a treaty reinsurance operation in the country in 2023 under a former Guy Carpenter managing director. It has since expanded with multiple senior hires in the region.
Lucy Clarke, board member of Willis Re, said Artmann's expertise and longstanding relationships make him well placed to lead the business through its next phase of growth in Germany.
Artmann said he looks forward to drawing on his experience and relationships to deliver innovative solutions and drive Willis Re's growth plans for Germany.
