LONDON - Watson Wyatt Worldwide is restructuring its international investment practice to better coordinate activities across the group's European, North American and Asia Pacific operations.
Roger Urwin, head of investment consulting in the United Kingdom and Europe for Watson Wyatt Worldwide, Reigate, will become global head of investment practice for the Watson Wyatt group when the restructuring comes into effect in January.
Previously, his job was to coordinate the global investment practices, but the new position is an executive one and the heads of the investment practices in each region - Nick Watts in Reigate, Phil Schneider in Chicago and Naomi Denning in Hong Kong - will report to him.
"Previously we had three regional business that were globally coordinated; now we will have one global practice," Mr. Urwin said.
Mr. Watts, currently deputy head of the U.K. and European practice, will succeed Mr. Urwin as head of that practice. He also has been appointed global head of manager research.
The investment practice will open a new office in New York, where Chris Ford, now a senior investment consultant in Reigate, will head the investment team. He will work alongside Carl Hess, who has been appointed head of global asset-liability management.
Other appointments include Sue Douse in Reigate, who will be head of global investment manager services; Brian Hersey, Atlanta, who will be in charge of a new research team looking at internal management issues for institutional investors; and Mark Beardell, Reigate, who will be head of global technology.
The new structure is intended to reflect the multinational nature of many of the group's clients and offer seamless investment consulting services across the world, added Mr. Urwin.
