Marsh has appointed Josh Roach, who joined the company in Hong Kong more than a decade ago, as President of the Pacific region. 

Mr Roach started with the broker in 2009 and led its private equity and mergers and acquisition practice across Asia for three years before moving to Australia. He was Head of Marsh Specialty Pacific before taking up his current position as CEO of Marsh McLennan in New Zealand, President of Marsh New Zealand and Chairman in Fiji. 

The Pacific role, effective from January, encompasses insurance and risk advisory services across Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Papua New Guinea. He succeeds Nick Harris who will be taking up a senior role in the UK.  

Mr Roach says he looks forward to harnessing the extensive industry expertise of colleagues to build greater resilience for clients and communities. 

“Organisations across the Pacific are facing an increasing range of threats, including cyber risks, climate and weather-related hazards, supply chain vulnerabilities, and the cost-of-living crisis, which is compounded by rising inflation,” he said. 

“Using our analytics and unique insights, I am confident that we will help our clients quantify and manage these risks and better plan for the future.”  

Mr Roach, a civil engineer before joining the firm, will be based in Sydney and report to Marsh McLennan Pacific CEO David Bryant. 

“Under his leadership, Marsh will be well-placed to support clients across the Pacific in this rapidly changing and often volatile risk landscape,” Mr Bryant said. 

Mr Harris, Pacific CEO for the past four years and previously head of JLT Australia and New Zealand, returns to London to become Marsh UK Retail CEO from the start of next year. 

In other changes in recent months, Marsh in June announced the resignation of Head of Risk Management for Asia Pacific Scott Leney after 37 years with the business. Mr Leney is taking up an appointment as Everest Insurance Head of Asia Pacific for its International Division in November. 

Marsh says Damian Schinck, Head of Risk Management for Marsh Australia, will continue in this role as part of the Pacific executive team leading the risk management practice.