FTC Approves Willis Purchase of HRH

The Federal Trade Commission said on Wednesday that number-three global insurance broker, Willis Group Holdings Ltd, can go ahead and buy rival Hilb Rogal & Hobbs Co (HRH).

Published on July 3, 2008

Willis valued the cash and stock deal at $1.7 billion when it was first announced on June 9.

The deal was on a list of approved mergers that the FTC puts out several times a week.

Willis, which has major offices in New York and London, gets 30 percent of its revenue from the United States. Hilb, the eighth largest U.S. insurance broker, has 140 offices throughout the United States and two in the United Kingdom.