JLT continues raid on Willis aviation team

Jardine Lloyd Thompson (JLT) has furthered its recruitment drive in the aviation market by poaching a senior figure from Willis.

The broker has appointed Chris Clark, former deputy chairman of Willis’s aviation division, as a partner in JLT Aerospace.

It is the second time in recent weeks that JLT has raided Willis’s aviation team after it poached the division’s chairman Giles Wilkinson. JLT said Clark will join the company when his contractual restraints with Willis come to an end.

JLT Aerospace chairman Nigel Weyman commented: “Chris is another quality addition to our expanding aerospace operation. His knowledge and expertise brings further experience and added value to our growing platform as we continue to fulfil our ambitions for growth.”

JLT’s aviation arm has around 85 staff, but the company is looking to increase the teato 100. It has captured a number of staff from rival firms, including Aon. It is expected that more will follow later this year.

Elsewhere, Willis has hired a new chief executive for its specialist space division, Willis Inspace. Roger Bathurst, who was previously head of International Space Brokers, the space arm of Aon Benfield, will run the business with chairman Bill Lloyd, reporting to Philip Smaje, managing director of Willis’s aerospace arm.

Aon was itself boosted by the return of Clive Stoddart to head up the firm’s kidnap and random team. He was previously executive director for Aon’s crisis management team, after which he spent two years as managing director of Hiscox Asset Security Managers.