Retail & Distribution Industry Leader

Role Overview: 

Retail & Distribution (R&D) Industry Leader 

This is a high-impact leadership role responsible for driving Willis’ strategic vision across the retail, wholesale and distribution sector. The R&D Industry Leader will serve as a key architect of growth, client service excellence, and investment strategy; working in close partnership with senior leaders across the organization to shape and execute our industry agenda.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Collaboration
  • Champion the firm’s industry strategy, aligning cross-functional teams and regional leaders to deliver on growth, client engagement, and innovation goals.
  • Lead and inspire a high-performing team, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous development.

• Community Building & Value Proposition
  • Cultivate and expand both internal and external communities of practice, reinforcing our position as a trusted advisor in the retail, wholesale and distribution space.
  • Evolve and articulate our value proposition in the sector, ensuring it reflects market needs, emerging trends, and differentiated capabilities.
  • Promote innovation as a core pillar—encouraging new ideas, solutions, and approaches that elevate client outcomes.

• Industry Engagement & Thought Leadership
  • Spearhead thought leadership initiatives, including:
    • Industry newsletters and whitepapers
    • Social media campaigns and marketing collateral
    • Webinars, seminars, and speaking engagements
    • Annual conferences or symposiums—curating topics, speakers, and event strategy
    • Industry forums (i.e. Client Advisory Boards) to foster dialogue and insight-sharing

• Commercial Impact & Client Advocacy
  • Actively support business development through participation in RFPs, client meetings, and strategic pursuits.
  • Partner with broking teams to ensure industry-leading coverage and policy terms tailored to client needs.
  • Provide expert guidance on emerging risks, market dynamics, and service excellence to internal teams and clients.
  • Promote Client Advocacy excellence through supporting account assignment decisions and engaging in client feedback loops for growth opportunities and improved engagement.

• Client Relationship Management
  • Build and deepen relationships with key industry stakeholders, including top-tier clients and a diverse portfolio across North America.
  • Drive whitespace growth and new logo acquisition in alignment with Willis North America’s broader commercial strategy.

• Industry Expertise
  • Serve as a subject matter expert in the industry sector, with deep knowledge of sub-segments such as automotive, grocery, food distribution, personal care and apparel retail and/or wholesale and distribution.

The Requirements

• Degree from an accredited college or university or equivalent work experience
• 15 years’ experience in leading, marketing or servicing major accounts and organizations/groups
• Management experience required
• Licensed broker
• Ability to diagnose complex client issues, comprehend the full breadth of Willis’s services, blend them into practical solutions that meet our clients’ needs
• Strong track record of being highly collaborative across multiple disciplines, and guiding wide-ranging teams toward successful sales and client-service efforts 
• Experience articulating complex, technical issues and solutions to C-Suite buyers across multiple disciplines and then navigating internally to assemble the right team of people to deliver the work 
• Ability to successfully direct multiple projects and ensure quality deliverables on time and within budget
• An executive presence with polished and well developed oral and written communication skills
• Availability to travel on an as needed basis

At WTW, we trust you to know your work and the people, tools and environment you need to be successful. The majority of our colleagues work in a ”hybrid” style, with a mix of remote, in-person and in-office interactions dependent on the needs of the team, role and clients. Our flexibility is rooted in trust and “hybrid” is not a one-size-fits-all solution.

We understand flexibility is key to supporting an inclusive and diverse workforce and so we encourage requests for all types of flexible working as well as location-based arrangements. Please speak to your recruiter to discuss more.