Willis has announced a series of senior leadership appointments across North America to support growth and the integration of Newfront, the San Francisco-based specialty insurance broker it recently acquired.
The moves are intended to strengthen regional capabilities, enhance client service and accelerate growth in key US markets.
WTW completed its acquisition of Newfront on Jan. 27, 2026. Newfront, founded in 2017 and headquartered in San Francisco, focuses on middle-market and growth-stage clients and has developed proprietary client dashboards and automation tools to modernize commercial insurance and benefits placement.
Rod Sockolov has been appointed Northern California market leader, reporting to Chuck Shay, Willis West region leader. He will be responsible for driving business growth, refining client service, strengthening carrier relationships and developing talent in Northern California.
Linde Hotchkiss has been named West growth leader, also reporting to Shay. Hotchkiss will lead the execution of regional growth strategies and producer development initiatives across the western US, with a focus on organic expansion and sales effectiveness.
Tom Whitenight has been appointed Northern California client partnerships leader, reporting to Sockolov. He will mentor producers on growth strategies while continuing to serve a substantial portfolio of technology and life sciences clients, reflecting Willis’ emphasis on sector‑specialist advice in a major innovation hub.
On a broader North American basis, Brian Hetherington has been appointed strategic growth leader, North America. Reporting to Paul Graziano, chief growth officer for Willis in North America, Hetherington will work with regional and product leaders to develop and execute growth strategies, expand mentorship and development programs, and support revenue generation and carrier relationships.
In the digital space, Frannie Epps has been named digital engagement leader, North America. Epps, who will report to Mike Giacobbe, chief commercial officer for Willis in North America, will lead efforts to increase awareness and use of Willis’ digital tools and capabilities among clients, prospects and internal teams, as WTW looks to leverage Newfront’s client‑facing platform alongside its own analytics and broking systems.
In addition, Deirdre Finn has been appointed head of FINEX Capital Markets. Reporting to Mike Machin, head of FINEX North America, Finn will lead a new national team focused on supporting high‑growth, high‑potential companies as they move from early‑stage, venture‑backed status through to public market readiness. The team will concentrate on capital‑markets‑related risk and insurance solutions for fast‑growing businesses.
“I’m excited to welcome Rod, Linde, Tom, Brian, Frannie and Deirdre into their new roles,” said Pat Donnelly, head of Risk & Broking, North America for WTW. “Their expertise and collaborative approach will strengthen our presence across key U.S. markets, support our clients and colleagues and be instrumental as we continue to unify our growth strategy and deliver value to our clients.”
The leadership changes follow WTW’s push to expand in the US middle market and in high‑growth sectors such as technology, life sciences and private equity, where Newfront has built a presence with a digital‑first model.
The acquisition, valued at up to $1.3 billion according to public disclosures, is one of the larger recent US retail brokerage deals and illustrates how global brokers are using M&A to secure technology platforms and specialized talent.
The appointments indicate that WTW plans to embed Newfront’s technology, data and sector expertise into its broader North American franchise rather than run it at arm’s length. The creation of roles focused on growth, digital engagement and capital markets also reflects broader competitive dynamics, as large brokers seek to differentiate on analytics, client experience and access to specialty markets in a middle‑market segment where buyers increasingly expect digital capabilities alongside traditional advisory support.
