Real Estate Roundup Oct 3, 2009
Willis of Oregon Inc., part of global insurance broker Willis Group Holdings Ltd., signed an eight-year lease for 13,367 square feet at KOIN Center, 222 S.W. Columbia St. Willis will consolidate three Portland area offices at the building and plans to move in by November. Tom Usher, Doug Deurwaarder and Mark Carnese of Cushman & Wakefield of Oregon Inc. brokered the deal. (Portland Business Journal, OR)
Texas financier Stanford requests new prison Jul 28, 2009
The lawsuit claims that Willis Group Holdings Ltd. - the company for whom Chicago's Sears Tower was recently renamed - and its U.S. subsidiary provided letters from 2005 to 2008 that gave investors a misplaced sense of security regarding certificates of deposit offered by Stanford's bank in the Caribbean island of Antigua. The letters claimed that insurer Lloyd's of London provided guarantees for Stanford's operations and that 0000327A its finances had been independently audited. (Fresno Bee -- Nation)
Calling it 'Big Willie' fine with Willis CEO Jul 17, 2009
Mr. Plumeri, chairman and CEO of Willis Group Holdings Ltd., warmed up for Thursday morning's ceremony officially renaming the 110-story skyscraper Willis Tower by doing a round of interviews with the news media. In the next 45 days, the London-based insurance brokerage plans to consolidate several Chicago offices about 500 employees into the 3. (Crain's Chicago Business)
Insurance Regulators Need Options to Ratings Firms, New York's Brooks Says Jul 13, 2009
and Willis Group Holdings Ltd.. Do we need to take a look at those settlement agreements and see where we stand with those. (Bloomberg -- US)
Stanford Clients Sue Insurance Broker Willis Group Jul 4, 2009
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Several Mexican clients of Stanford Financial Group have sued insurance broker Willis Group Holdings Ltd , contending it was a willing participant in a $7 billion fraud at the Texas-based investment company. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Dallas, said Willis "crossed the line from being mere insurance brokers" to essentially acting as sales agents for Stanford. (ABC News -- Wire)
Stanford Clients Sue Willis Group Claiming Insurer Aided $7 Billion Fraud Jul 4, 2009
The case is: Troice v. Willis Group Holdings Ltd., 09-cv-01274-L, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas (Dallas). To contact the reporter on this story: in Paris at. (Bloomberg)
Sears Tower hotel proposed Jun 25, 2009
This summer, the building will be renamed after London-based insurance broker Willis Group Holdings Ltd.. The proposal comes as the Chicago market is suffering through a deep slump, and construction financing for major projects has dried up. (Crain's Chicago Business)
Willis seeks TIF subsidy for Sears Tower move May 12, 2009
(Crains) Willis Group Holdings Ltd. is seeking a $3. 8-million city subsidy to pay for build-out of its new headquarters at , which will soon be renamed Willis Tower after the London-based insurance brokerage. (Crain's Chicago Business)
Sears Tower owners bristle at Willis Mar 13, 2009
(Crains) Just hours after Willis Group Holdings Ltd. announced a deal to move to the , the buildings ownership group is disputing who got the better of a transaction that would rename the iconic skyscraper. In a news release issued Thursday morning, the London-based insurance brokerage said it will consolidate five local offices into more than 140,000 square feet in the 110-story story structure at 233 S. Wacker Drive, which will be renamed Willis Tower. (Crain's Chicago Business)
Willis could get Sears Tower naming rights Mar 12, 2009
(Crain's) Willis Group Holdings Ltd. has focused its search for a new local office on , which could be renamed after the London-based insurance broker if a deal is reached. How much Willis would pay for the name is an obstacle to any agreement, sources familiar with the talks say. (Crain's Chicago Business)
