Consultants Forum Advertise
Subscribe
Close

  • Free for qualified executives and consultants to industry

  • Receive quarterly issues of Area Development Magazine and special market report and directory issues

Subscribe Now
Renew

Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Willis Group Holdings Locates Operational Center of Excellence In Tampa, Florida

12/21/2015
Willis Group Holdings PLC, a global risk advisory and insurance brokerage firm, will locate its new Operational Center of Excellence in Tampa, Florida. The new center will create 157 new jobs and serve as a southeast regional hub for Willis.

The Operational Center of Excellence will feature teams of insurance professionals providing dedicated support to Willis’s property/casualty business across North America. Additionally, the state-of-the-art facility offers employees a modern work space to innovate and collaborate. Willis’s estimated $9.05 million capital investment will include renovation costs for their office space as well as furniture, fixtures, and computer/IT equipment.

“We are thrilled to establish Willis’s Operational Center of Excellence in Tampa and work together with the State of Florida to drive business development in the professional services industry. After an extensive search, Tampa was carefully selected to provide geographical diversity for our operations. It’s also home to a large insurance community from which to draw talent,” said Jeff Elliott, Director of Operations, Willis North America.

“As global risk advisors, we are committed to helping organizations protect their people, property and business assets. We look forward to building on our world class customer service capabilities through our expansion in Tampa,” he added.

Governor Rick Scott said, “We are excited to announce the creation of 157 jobs for families in Tampa. Willis could have chosen any location for their new Operational Center of Excellence, but they knew that Florida was the best place to grow their business and create new jobs. In order to keep creating these new opportunities, we will stay focused on making sure we diversify Florida’s economy by cutting $1 billion in taxes and creating the Florida Enterprise Fund next year.”

Bill Johnson, CEO and President of Enterprise Florida, said, “companies like Willis Group expanding in Tampa is a continued sign of Tampa’s success as a financial services hub. By investing in Florida and creating over 150 new jobs, Willis recognizes how great Florida is for business. I look forward to seeing great things from them in the future.”

The project was made possible through strong partnerships between the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation, Hillsborough County, the City of Tampa, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity and Enterprise Florida.

“Willis’s choice to expand its presence in Tampa echoes the experiences of other global financial and professional service organizations such as Citi and DTCC,” said Colleen Chappell, Chair of the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation and President/CEO of ChappellRoberts. “Once they discover the strengths of the local workforce and location, it makes sense for them to grow in this market. We couldn’t be more pleased to see Willis planting deeper roots in Hillsborough County.”

Exclusive Research