WTW Launches Global Defense and Security Initiative to Tackle Evolving Geopolitical Risks

Willis, a WTW business, has launched a global Defense and Security initiative to address the complex risk landscape of a sector facing unprecedented investment and technological disruption. For insurance professionals, this coordinated platform signals a shift toward specialized, sector-led risk advisory and capacity management as defense organizations navigate geopolitical volatility and AI-driven warfare.

What was announced

The new initiative is a coordinated, sector-led platform designed to connect Willis’ capabilities across specialties and geographies. Led by Jennifer Caldarella, the Global Defense Lead, the platform aims to help defense and security organizations manage interconnected risks and strengthen operational resilience. It provides clients with integrated expertise in risk transfer, advisory and analytics, cyber and data security, crisis management, claims, and capital advisory.

The launch comes as the defense sector experiences rapid growth and significant pressure. The world’s 100 largest arms-producing companies generated $679 billion in revenue in 2024, while global military expenditure reached nearly $2.9 trillion in 2025. Projections suggest this could rise to between $4.7 trillion and $6.6 trillion by 2035.

However, Willis notes that capital alone does not equate to capability. Major US defense acquisition programs currently average over 12 years to deliver initial capability. The initiative addresses the "readiness gap" caused by cyber threats, supply chain vulnerabilities, and constrained insurance capacity. It specifically targets the risks associated with new technologies, including drones, autonomous maritime systems, and AI-enabled warfare, which traditional risk management frameworks often struggle to cover. The service is available across Willis’ global network, spanning 140 countries.

"The defense and security sector plays an increasingly important role in national resilience, economic stability and technological innovation. Organizations are making critical decisions against a backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty, rapid change and evolving regulation. Our Defense and Security initiative is a long-term commitment to the sector. It brings together the breadth of Willis' expertise and global market access to meet clients’ priorities, challenges and ambitions, helping them better understand, quantify and mitigate their risks and secure the most appropriate insurance and capital solutions available."

Alastair Swift, Head of Global Specialties and the Global Digital Infrastructure Group at Willis.

The companies involved

Willis operates as a core business within WTW (NASDAQ: WTW), a global advisory, broking, and solutions company. WTW provides data-driven, insight-led solutions in the areas of people, risk, and capital, maintaining a presence in more than 140 countries and markets. The firm has historically positioned itself as a bridge between complex industrial risks and global capital markets, often focusing on specialized sectors where traditional underwriting requires deep technical expertise.

As a major player in the global brokerage landscape, Willis has undergone significant organizational alignment under the WTW brand to streamline its specialty offerings. The firm’s focus on the defense and security sector reflects its broader strategy of integrating risk engineering and workforce risk with traditional insurance placement. By leveraging its global reach, Willis competes with other major international brokers to provide bespoke coverage for high-stakes, long-tail projects, such as large-scale defense acquisitions and the deployment of advanced digital military infrastructure. The company continues to evolve its service model to address emerging liabilities in the technology and autonomous systems space.

What FF News has reported before

FF News has recently covered WTW’s expansion of its technological and underwriting capabilities. In October 2026, the firm enhanced its RiskAgility Financial Modeller with advanced agentic AI capabilities, demonstrating a commitment to integrating artificial intelligence into core risk assessment tools. This technological push was mirrored in its talent acquisition, with the appointment of Darrel Beaton as Director of Underwriting to scale North American P&C operations. Additionally, the firm has explored new distribution channels, such as the partnership between WTW Egypt and Kanoo Travel. Market analysis from the firm also highlighted shifting dynamics in the broader industry, with a WTW report noting the sharpest decline in commercial property insurance rates in a decade.

What this means from an insurtech perspective

This move highlights a critical tension in the insurance market: the widening gap between massive capital investment in defense and the actual availability of insurance capacity to cover it. For carriers and MGAs, the emergence of AI-enabled warfare and autonomous systems creates a "valuation vacuum" where historical loss data is non-existent. Willis is positioning itself to bridge this gap through specialized analytics, putting pressure on incumbent vendors who rely on generic risk models. The initiative suggests that the next frontier for insurtech isn't just distribution, but the creation of high-fidelity digital twins and operational assurance models that can satisfy reinsurers' appetite for increasingly volatile geopolitical and technological exposures.