People Power: Redesigning HR for Global Impact

Client Overview

Our client is a leading global insurance brokerage, risk management, and consulting firm serving communities worldwide. With operations in over 100 countries, they help businesses and individuals manage risk, protect assets, and recover from losses. Their comprehensive offerings include property and casualty brokerage, employee benefits consulting, actuarial services, and HR consulting. Headquartered in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, and founded in 1927, the organization has grown into one of the largest and most respected insurance brokers globally. Their diversified services ensure that clients can operate confidently in an ever-changing world.

The Challenge / Mandate

The client engaged us to identify a seasoned HR organizational design consultant to conduct a full evaluation of their current HR structure and recommend a future state design. As the company continues its rapid global expansion, leadership recognized the need to align HR capabilities with business strategy and evolving workforce needs. The consultant was tasked with assessing the current HR organization, evaluating spend, benchmarking against industry best practices, and identifying areas for efficiency and scalability. The mandate included designing a modern HR operating model that could support a diverse, global workforce while improving service delivery, enabling strategic talent management, and optimizing costs. Additionally, the consultant was expected to provide a roadmap for implementing changes and ensure alignment with corporate priorities.

Search Strategy

Our search focused on identifying senior HR consultants with extensive experience in organizational design, particularly within large, complex organizations. We prioritized candidates with a blend of corporate and consulting backgrounds and expertise in HR transformation, shared services, and talent management strategy. Ideal profiles included 3–7 years at top-tier firms such as McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Mercer, or EON, combined with practical experience implementing HR operating models in multinational corporations. Preference was given to individuals with a strong understanding of financial services or insurance industries, although experience in similarly regulated environments was also considered valuable. We targeted professionals with strong analytical skills, change management expertise, and the ability to facilitate collaboration across global stakeholders.

The Placement

We placed a highly experienced HR organizational design consultant and former principal at a leading human resources consulting firm. With over 20 years of experience across corporate and consulting roles, he brought deep expertise in HR strategy, transformation, and operational improvement. His background included senior leadership positions in HR and finance within global corporations, as well as extensive consulting engagements focused on designing and implementing HR operating models. Known for his strategic mindset and ability to translate theory into actionable plans, he had led global projects in HR service delivery transformation, talent management, and HR technology implementation.

The Outcome

The consultant successfully delivered a comprehensive assessment of the client’s HR organization, including detailed benchmarking, cost analyses, and capability mapping. He designed a future-state HR operating model that streamlined service delivery, improved global consistency, and positioned HR as a strategic business partner. His roadmap included a phased implementation plan and change management framework to ensure successful adoption across the organization. As a result, the client is now equipped with a scalable, efficient HR structure aligned with their global business strategy and prepared to support continued growth in a competitive market.