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Nature of Operations
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2022
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Nature of Operations

Note 1 — Nature of Operations

Willis Towers Watson public limited company is a leading global advisory, broking and solutions company that provides data-driven, insight-led solutions in the areas of people, risk and capital. The Company has more than 44,000 colleagues serving more than 140 countries and markets.

We design and deliver solutions that manage risk, optimize benefits, cultivate talent, and expand the power of capital to protect and strengthen institutions and individuals.

Our risk management services include strategic risk consulting (including providing actuarial analysis), a variety of due diligence services, the provision of practical on-site risk control services (such as health and safety and property loss control consulting), advisory services, leading-edge technology solutions, and unparalleled analytical and modeling capabilities (such as hazard modeling). We also assist our clients with planning for addressing incidents or crises when they occur. These services include contingency planning, security audits and product tampering plans.

We help our clients enhance business performance by delivering consulting services, technology and solutions that effectively deliver valuable benefits and create an engaging employee experience. Our services and solutions encompass such areas as employee benefits, total rewards, talent, wellbeing and benefits outsourcing. In addition, we provide investment advice to help our clients develop disciplined and efficient strategies to meet their investment goals and expand the power of capital.

As an insurance broker, we act as an intermediary between our clients and insurance carriers by advising on their risk management requirements, helping them to determine the best means of managing risk and negotiating and placing insurance with insurance carriers through our unrestricted access to the global insurance market.

We operate a private Medicare marketplace in the U.S. through which, along with our active employee marketplace, we help our clients move to a more sustainable economic model by capping and controlling the costs associated with healthcare benefits. We also provide direct-to-consumer sales of Medicare coverage.

We are not an insurance company, and therefore we do not underwrite insurable risks for our own account. We help sharpen strategies, enhance organizational resilience, motivate workforces and maximize performance to uncover opportunities for sustainable success.

Segment Reorganization

On January 1, 2022, WTW realigned to provide its comprehensive offering of services and solutions to clients across two business segments: Health, Wealth & Career (‘HWC’), and Risk & Broking (‘R&B’). These changes were made in conjunction with changes in the WTW leadership team, including the appointment of a new chief executive officer who succeeded the prior CEO as the chief operating decision maker on that date. Prior to January 1, 2022, we operated across four segments: Human Capital and Benefits; Corporate Risk and Broking; Investment, Risk and Reinsurance; and Benefits Delivery and Administration. Following the realignment, the two new segments consist of the following businesses:

The HWC segment includes businesses previously aligned under the Human Capital and Benefits segment, the Benefits Delivery and Administration segment, and the Investment business, which was previously under the Investment, Risk and Reinsurance segment.
The R&B segment includes businesses previously aligned under the Corporate Risk and Broking segment, as well as the Insurance Consulting and Technology business, which was previously under the Investment, Risk and Reinsurance segment.

In addition, effective January 1, 2022, the Company manages its businesses across three geographical areas: North America, Europe (including Great Britain) and International.

Certain Investment, Risk and Reinsurance businesses that were part of the results from continuing operations in the prior-year period presented were divested during 2021. The revenue and income from operations for these businesses have been included as ‘divested businesses’ in the reconciliations between the total segment results and the consolidated results of the Company. However, the results of the divested Willis Re treaty-reinsurance business is presented as discontinued operations and is therefore excluded from the divested businesses presented in the segment reconciliations.

Segment results herein are presented on a retrospective basis to reflect the reorganization. See Note 4 Revenue, Note 5 Segment Information, Note 6 Restructuring Costs and Note 8 Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets for the Company's segment-based presentations.