What’s New: In brief (January 31, 2006)

In a strategic move to continue strengthening its presence in key geographic markets across North America, global insurance broker Willis Group Holdings (NYSE: WSH) recently appointed Gilles Duclos to the senior management position of executive vice-president and chairman of Qubec operations. Duclos offers extensive industry experience including business expertise acquired by successfully running his own brokerage company, which he eventually sold to J&H Marsh McLennan. Duclos will serve as a member of Willis’ Canadian Advisory Board as well as a member of the Montral Management Committee, and as such will help drive the implementation of the Willis Client Advocate. Based in Montral where he will report to president and CEO, Willis Canada, Inc Wole Coaxum Duclos will focus his efforts on providing innovative thinking, products and services to all Canadian clients and prospects. Willis says the appointment of Duclos is reflective of its commitment to development within Canada and in anticipation of the new direction of the industry and the tremendous growth opportunities currently available throughout the region.

Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Company of Canada recently selected the information technology and business process services firm CGI Group Inc. (CGI)for a seven-year information technology services contract valued at $90 million. CGI will be responsible for infrastructure management services including mainframe and mid-range equipment, and data storage and recovery. Royal & SunAlliance will continue to maintain and develop all of its broker and customer programs and services. The deal will reduce Royal & SunAlliance’s Canadian infrastructure management costs. “By transferring our infrastructure management services to CGI, we are streamlining our operating platform so that we can focus on growing our business by providing innovative products and services to our brokers and customers,” Rowan Saunders, president and CEO of Royal & SunAlliance, says.

CGI Group Inc. (CGI) has appointed the current chairman of the board and CEO Serge Godin to the position of executive chairman of CGI. In addition, current president and COO Michael E. Roach has been appointed to the position of president and chief executive officer. Roach, now based in Montral at the Company’s head office, has more than 30 years of experience in the technology and services industry. He joined CGI eight years ago and became chief operating officer in 2002. CGI says that Michael Roach will continue to report to Serge Godin and adds that the composition of the CGI executive committee otherwise remains unchanged. In addition to Serge Godin and Michael Roach the ‘new’ executive committee includes, Andr Imbeau as executive vice-president and CFO, and Paule Dor, as executive vice-president and chief corporate officer. These executives will now report to Roach rather than Godin. “The purpose of this adjustment is to allow me to devote even more time to strategic initiatives,” Godin says. “I want to work at strengthening our partnerships with existing clients as well as fostering the necessary relationships that will lead to new large outsourcing contracts and accretive acquisitions.”