Aon is a step closer to completing its takeover of rival Willis Towers Watson (WTW) after shareholders in the broking giants voted for the deal last week at their respective extraordinary general meetings.

A special meeting of WTW shareholders ordered by the High Court of Ireland also saw resounding support for the merger.

The deal is expected to close in the first-half of next year, pending clearance of regulatory and other conditions, the two companies said in a joint statement.

Aon CEO Greg Case says the deal has taken on more strategic importance in light of the pandemic.

“Our combination, which will accelerate innovation and strengthen our capability to provide more relevant solutions for clients, has only become more important through the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.

“The events of 2020 are illustrative of the exact type of transformative long-tail risk our new organisation will be best positioned to address, creating significant value for clients, colleagues, and shareholders.”

The all-stock acquisition to create the world’s largest insurance broker was announced in March and valued at about $US29.9 billion ($41 billion) at that time.