By Ryan Hewlett
July 4 - (The Insurer) – Guy Carpenter has launched legal action against Willis Re and several senior Willis Group executives over the recent attempted mass raid on its London and Bermuda operations.
Guy Carp and Marsh file in London after Willis Re June team raids
Suit names former GC specialties exec Summers and Bermuda head Fletcher
WTW president of Risk & Broking Lucy Clarke also named
WTW’s Bain Capital-backed reinsurance JV unveiled in December
The claim was filed at London’s High Court on July 3. Guy Carpenter and its sister Marsh McLennan-owned broker Marsh are sueing rival Willis’ new start-up reinsurance broker alongside seven other named defendants.
The lawsuit names Guy Carpenter and Company, Marsh Services, Marsh and Guy Carpenter Bermuda as claimants and also targets Martino UK Operating Company and Martino Holdings alongside Willis, Willis Group and Willis Re Bermuda, according to information from legal data provider Solomonic.
UK’s Companies House disclosures show Martino Holdings to have been incorporated in September 2024 as a private limited company involved in “non-life reinsurance”. Directors of the business include WTW president of Risk & Broking Lucy Clake and Bain Capital Partner and Global Head of Insurance Matt Popoli.
WTW confirmed in December that it was re-entering treaty reinsurance broking through a joint venture with private equity house Bain Capital.
The London legal claim, filed with the King’s Bench division of the UK’s commercial court, also lists Clarke, Guy Carpenter’s deputy CEO of global specialties James (Jim) Summers and Guy Carpenter Bermuda CEO John Fletcher as named defendants.
The Insurer was first to report in early June that Summers had resigned alongside at least five senior members of his team to join Willis Re, in a raid which fired the starting gun for further team moves.
This publication later revealed that WTW’s new Bain-backed reinsurance venture had attempted to raid Guy Carpenter’s Bermuda office to hire senior team members including CEO Fletcher.
The moves prompted Guy Carpenter to issue a statement on June 12 in which it said it would “vigorously pursue" its rights and consider legal action in response to the departure of senior staff members.
The particulars of the claim have not yet been filed, and the specifics on which the legal action is based were not immediately clear.
The Guy Carpenter and Marsh claimants are represented by Stephenson Harwood LLP. Counsel information for Willis, Willis Re and the other named defendants was not immediately available.
Marsh, Guy Carpenter, Willis and Willis Re were contacted for comment.