Willis Reshapes Cyber Leadership in FINEX North America With Three Senior Appointments

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Willis, a WTW business (NASDAQ: WTW), has named three senior leaders to its FINEX North America cyber practice. The new Willis FINEX North America cyber leadership team was appointed to further strengthen cybersecurity efforts for clients. The announcements took effect on May 27. Together, they signal a deliberate push to sharpen the broker’s cyber strategy and deepen client relationships across the United States, Canada, and Bermuda. For CFOs and General Counsel evaluating broker relationships, the moves carry direct relevance. A strengthened cyber practice at one of the world’s largest brokers affects placement quality, risk advisory depth, and claims response.

Annice Ma Takes the Helm

Annice Ma becomes Head of Cyber for FINEX North America. She will set strategic direction for the practice and oversee day-to-day management across the full region. Ma brings more than a decade of cyber leadership experience from a prior role at a global brokerage. She most recently served as FINEX North America Growth Leader at Willis.

Her appointment places an experienced cyber specialist at the top of a major North American brokerage practice. Ma’s mandate spans three distinct markets with different regulatory environments and risk profiles. The role carries explicit regional authority across the entire FINEX cyber book.

Two New Positions Signal Strategic Intent

Willis created two new roles alongside Ma’s appointment. Both reflect specific gaps the firm chose to close.

Rob Barberi becomes FINEX North America Client Engagement Leader. Willis created the position for him. Barberi will lead client engagement efforts across FINEX and align strategic priorities across lines of business. He brings more than 20 years of industry experience to the role. He continues to serve as Chief Client Officer in the Willis Cyber practice. His dual mandate bridges broker strategy and direct client service.

A dedicated client engagement function at this level is notable. Large brokers often build strong technical practices while leaving client relationship coordination fragmented across business lines. Barberi’s role addresses that directly. For major corporate buyers of cyber insurance, a senior cross-practice point of contact has real operational value at renewal and at incident response.

Charles Leonard takes the role of FINEX North America Cyber Strategy and Execution Leader. He will work with regional leaders to implement the strategy across the client portfolio. He will also develop middle-market client solutions and help advance Willis’ cyber digital experience. Leonard most recently served as Southeast Region Cyber Leader at Willis. Before entering insurance, he spent ten years in the U.S. Marine Corps and began his insurance career in underwriting.

Leonard’s underwriting background gives him a view of risk that sits upstream of most brokerage work. That perspective matters when building middle-market solutions. Mid-size buyers often face underwriting scrutiny that enterprise accounts can negotiate around. A strategy leader who understands underwriting logic can build better client preparation and documentation programs.

Middle Market and Digital Experience in Focus

Leonard’s remit includes a specific focus on middle-market clients. That segment represents a significant growth opportunity for major brokers. Many mid-size companies carry substantial cyber exposure. Few have in-house risk management teams. A broker with a dedicated middle market strategy can provide the advisory support that those clients cannot build internally.

Leonard’s role also highlights Willis’ focus on improving its cyber digital experience. Brokers are using digital tools to make placements more efficient and improve risk analysis. CFOs and General Counsel now expect digital processes as well as expert advice. Having a senior leader focused on this shows Willis sees it as a key priority.

What the Appointments Mean for the Market

Mike Machin, Head of FINEX North America, put the rationale plainly. “These appointments reflect the strength of our cyber business,” he said.

Willis has been one of the more research-active voices in cyber risk analysis over the past year. The firm examined gray zone aggression as a growing threat to insurance buyers and the limits of traditional policy language. A 2025 survey on cyber risk strategy explored how organizations structure cyber governance at the board level. Willis data has also shown that executives consistently underestimate the full financial cost of a cyberattack when calculating risk transfer needs.

This research base now supports a practice with clear leadership roles. Ma leads strategy and regional oversight. Barberi manages client relationships and alignment across business lines. Leonard handles execution and middle market growth. This structure makes responsibilities clear.

Broker Competition for Cyber Talent Intensifies

The cyber brokerage market is highly competitive. Aon, Marsh, Gallagher, and others have invested in cyber practice leadership in the past two years. Appointing leaders to named roles reflects this trend. Large buyers are choosing fewer brokers who show real expertise. Willis is preparing for this shift.

These three appointments cover everything from winning new clients to ongoing service. Strategy, engagement, and execution each have dedicated leaders. WTW operates in 140 countries, and its FINEX North America practice is part of a global network with access to data and risk insights from many regions. This scale is important for multinational clients managing cyber risks worldwide.

All three appointments are effective immediately.

FAQ – Willis FINEX North America cyber leadership