Joe Plumeri

Joe Plumeri is a former CEO of Willis Group, Citibank North America, and Primerica, known for his dynamic leadership and ability to transform company operations. Under his direction, Willis reinforced its position as a premier global insurance broker through innovative growth strategies and a commitment to excellent client service. Appointed in October 2000 when Willis was privately owned by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, Plumeri guided the firm back to public ownership with its 2001 IPO and in 2008, led the $2.1 billion acquisition of Hilb Rogal & Hobbs (HRH), marking the decade's largest insurance brokerage deal.

During his leadership, Plumeri fostered a culture of unity and team collaboration called the One Flag culture, centered on the Willis Client Advocate model and Glocal service. This approach leveraged Willis' global resources through over 400 local offices in nearly 120 countries, including significant landmarks like The Willis Building in London and Willis Tower in Chicago, which was renamed in 2009 and stands as the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere.

Prior to his tenure at Willis, Plumeri had a distinguished 32-year career with Citigroup and its predecessors. As CEO of Citibank North America, he was pivotal in the $70 billion merger of Travelers Group with Citicorp in 1999, which created Citigroup. He also held roles as Chairman and CEO of Travelers Primerica Financial Services, Vice Chairman of the Travelers Group, and President and Managing Partner of Shearson Lehman Brothers. His leadership extended to advocating for more transparency within the insurance industry, leading to Willis becoming the first insurance broker to stop accepting contingent commissions for retail clients in 2004, a practice that could create conflicts of interest.

Outside of corporate leadership, Plumeri is a motivational speaker and best-selling author of "The Power of Being Yourself," focusing on emotional authenticity as a career strategy. His influence as a speaker is recognized, including his inclusion on National Public Radio’s list of "Best Commencement Speeches, Ever." Plumeri has also spoken at numerous esteemed venues, including an engagement at Talks at Google, and delivered a notable commencement address at the College of William & Mary.

Currently, Joe Plumeri serves as Vice Chairman of the First Data Board of Directors and is a senior advisor to KKR, continuing to impact the corporate world with his extensive experience and innovative approaches. His contributions to finance and leadership have been acknowledged in Treasury & Risk magazine's list of "100 Most Influential People in Finance" in both 2009 and 2010, and he was honored as the Insurance Leader of the Year in 2006 by St. John’s University School of Risk Management. His philanthropic efforts are evident in his board memberships at organizations like the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse and the Mount Sinai Medical Center.