Employers around the world report optimistic hiring outlooks in Q2 2018, according to the latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey. Employers in 43 of 44 countries say they plan to add staff, with hiring confidence strongest in Croatia, Taiwan, Japan, Hungary and the U.S., followed by 17 countries including Canada, France, Germany and the UK. Employers in Italy, Switzerland and the Czech Republic report the weakest hiring prospects. “We are

Tax partner Michael Bussa has been named the national leader, U.S., for the Global Reward Services (GRS) practice of audit, tax and advisory firm KPMG. Bussa has more than 30 years’ experience advising organizations on the structuring, implementation, and tax and regulatory compliance of their global reward programs to his new position. According to him, “Globalization, technological advances, regulatory changes, the future of retirement, the shifting landscape of health

In March 2018, Dag Zwikker joined ASN, Advisory Services Network in Zurich, Switzerland, as Sales Area Manager and Business Development Advisor. Founded in 1995, ASN is a boutique consultant and licensed broker in Switzerland and Europe specialized in cross-border benefits advice to organizations that employ an internationally mobile workforce, to individual globetrotters and digital nomads. Dag’s broad experience in international employee benefits – in particular in group risk and

The Conference Board Employment Trends Index (ETI) for the U.S. increased sharply in February 2018, after also increasing in January. The index now stands at 107.74, up from 106.50 (a downward revision) in January. The change represents a 5.6 percent gain in the ETI compared to a year ago, “suggesting that strong job growth is likely to continue in the coming months,” according to Gad Levanon, Chief Economist, North

Zurich Insurance Group in March 2018 accelerated the growth of Cover-More Group, its specialist global travel insurance and assistance solutions business, by entering into agreements to acquire providers of traveler assistance in Latin America. These acquired businesses operate under the Travel Ace and Universal Assistance brands. The transaction incorporates 19 legal entities operating throughout Latin America, most notably in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Mexico. Under Zurich’s ownership, the

Global health care benefits provider Aetna International in March 2018 announced that it has acquired Canadian Insurance in Hong Kong, and is now licensed to offer health insurance in Hong Kong. The license allows Aetna International to market its products and services solely under the Aetna brand. Aetna’s history in Asia started in 2007 as a specialist health insurer in Hong Kong, via its acquisition of Goodhealth. Hong Kong

IBIS Academy organizer Gallagher in March 2018 published updates to the conference agenda, particularly significant to the IBIS Mobility track running 7-9 May 2018. Three sessions are of particular interest to global mobility managers. Important Updates in the World of Mobility Tax Managing Risk, Managing Compliance Roundtable “I don’t know – Send it to HR:” Employment Essentials for the Global Mobility Professional

In an assessment of the business costs of Brexit published in March 2018, Oliver Wyman and Clifford Chance have calculated the impact of tariffs and non-tariff barriers on companies if the EU27 and U.K. revert to a World Trade Organisation (WTO) trading relationship with each other. The cost of Brexit in red tape alone could total around £31 billon for EU exporters and around £27 billon for U.K. exporters,

In a year deemed by many to be both one of global economic growth and geopolitical uncertainty, Hong Kong-headquartered Crown World Mobility (CWM) in March 2018 announced the launch of its 2018 Global Mobility Trends report. According to CWM, “This year, we expect millennials to have an even greater influence on mobility trends. Talent has arguably never been more globally mobile than it is today, and millennials are hungry

Roger Ibbotson, economist and creator of the “Stock, Bonds, Bills, and Inflation” (SBBI®) chart, in March 2018 unveiled his latest research that analyzes the emerging potential of Fixed Indexed Annuities (FIA) as an alternative to bonds in retirement portfolios. Researched and written by Ibbotson and his team at Zebra Capital Management, the white-paper, Fixed Indexed Annuities: Consider the Alternative, suggests bond returns in today’s historically low interest rate environment

Efforts to increase workforce productivity have focused on upgraded technology, process improvement and better governance. A white paper released in March 2018 by Morneau Shepell suggests that it is now time to tackle the most complex element of improving workforce productivity: ensuring commitments to total health from employers and employees. Total Health: the last piece of the workforce productivity puzzle, by Dr. Bill Howatt, explains that workforce productivity, or

GBV: Please tell us about your appointment as Chairman of WBN, what does this entail? Jim Watt: I am going to be assuming the chairmanship of Worldwide Broker Network in April of this year (2018) and I’m excited about the opportunity because I really believe in the network and in the global aspects of business commerce.

The inaugural meeting of the Cross-Border Benefits Alliance (CBBA) on December 6 could be described as a classic meeting of the minds, featuring such authorities as the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) and other private and public-sector organizations coming together to promote cross border pensions as well as find a way to address the legislative and judicial issues that surround them.

Duty of Care is a generally accepted principle in many countries around the world. It’s an important factor in building trust and reinforcing commitment toward employees, and in some countries, it’s enshrined in legislation. An employer can be deemed to have breached its duty of care if it fails to do everything reasonable to keep employees safe from harm.

The current 2017-18 flu season is a bad one. Hospitalization rates are now higher than in recent years at the same point, and infection rates are still rising. The best line of defense is the seasonal influenza vaccine. But H3N2 viruses, like the one that’s infecting many people this year, are particularly hard to defend against, and this year’s shot isn’t very protective against H3N2.

Global insurance brokerage Hub International in March 2018 announced that it has acquired the assets of Spectra Management. Headquartered in Sandy, Utah, Spectra specializes in helping companies create employee benefits packages that ‘achieve the delicate balance between financial goals and company culture’. Through its retirement division, Spectra provides 401(k) retirement services, fiduciary risk management services, investment due diligence, plan and compliance review, provider services and benchmarking, and wealth management.

Middle East countries are making fast-paced regulatory reforms to the health insurance industry for half a decade, and healthcare sectors and insurance industries have seen a surge in mergers and acquisitions activity.

GBV: Let’s start our discussion with the highlights of your career, and your focus on global pensions. Thierry Verkest: Aon is the leading global professional services firm providing risk, retirement, and health solutions. I am based in Brussels; I’ve always worked in Belgium, and for more than 25 years I’ve helped international organizations manage the design and financing of their pension funds. We have offices all over the world

Three months after the December 2017 announcement that CVS Health had purchased Aetna, their respective shareholders on March 13, 2018 voted to approve the proposed $69 billion merger of the companies at special meetings. As discussed in an earlier post, the acquisition sets the stage for a new type of company that will include a health insurer, a retail pharmacy, and a pharmacy benefits manager that negotiates prescription drug

Global consulting and actuarial firm Milliman in March 2018 announced that Samie Moore is joining the company’s Health & Welfare group as a life, absence, and disability (LAD) consultant in the U.S. Moore, formerly of Mercer and Hewitt, is a nationally recognized expert in LAD with 14 years’ industry experience consulting to Fortune 500 companies, with deep subject matter expertise in Family Medical Leave (FML), vacation, Paid Time Off

A pioneering study from Source Global Research and published in March 2018 by Odgers Connect, shows evidence of a growing ‘professional gig economy’ of highly-skilled, independent workers that is flourishing in both the U.K. and Europe. This growth is driven by companies that have cut back on core staff and which increasingly rely on outsourced professionals. Brexit and new regulations are the two factors that favor independent consultants because

According to the OECD’s Interim Economic Outlook released in March 2018, the pace of expansion over the 2018-19 period is expected to be faster than in 2017, as robust investment growth, an associated rebound in trade and higher employment drive an increasingly broad-based recovery. At the same time, tensions are appearing that could threaten strong and sustainable medium-term growth. The OECD projects that the global economy will grow by 3.9

In a paper published in March 2018, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the UK’s anti-trust authority, has raised concerns about the level and nature of information provided by consultants and fiduciary managers, indicating that investment consultants and fiduciary managers are not clear enough about fees and performance, which suggests a lack of effective competition. The findings echoed those of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which initially referred the

Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company’s (MassMutual) international insurance holding company MassMutual International in March 2018 sold 85% of its wholly owned subsidiary MassMutual Japan to Nippon Life. MassMutual Japan, formerly known as Heiwa Life, was acquired by MassMutual in 2001. MassMutual will receive approximately USD 935 million in cash (JPY 104 billion) and retain approximately 15 percent ownership in MassMutual Japan. The transaction is expected to close in the first

Global insurance brokerage Hub International in March 2018 announced that it has acquired the shares of GMS Insurance. Based in Kitchener, Ontario (Canada), GMS Insurance is an independent benefit consulting firm that services clients in Southwestern Ontario and the greater Toronto area. GMS’s consultants address companies ranging from small start-ups to large national or international corporations. GMS Insurance will join Hub Ontario and Jonathan Shantz, President of GMS Insurance,

Generali Global Assistance in February 2018 published a white paper titled The Impact of Cybersecurity Incidents on Financial Institutions, which provides financial organizations with information on today’s cyber and identity threat landscape, the potential impact on those threats, and existing solutions that can mitigate risks and fallout from these threats. Financial institutions, including banks, credit unions, and credit card companies were among the most impacted in 2017, which was

The Pacific Research Institute in February 2018 released a study, Breaking Down Barriers, that examines the economic impact of duplicative licensing regulations for independent claims adjusters and underscores the need for increased licensing reciprocity among U.S. states. According to the study, the average claims adjuster holds between ten and twelve different state licenses, which can cost as much as $1,000 each. These burdensome requirements make it more difficult for