Willis appoints Robert Staeheli as Head of Defense and Security, North America
NEW YORK, Nov. 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Willis, a WTW business (NASDAQ: WTW), today announced the appointment of Robert Staeheli as Head of Defense and Security, North America. Based in Washington, D.C., Staeheli will lead the company’s strategy and growth for defense and security clients across the U.S. and Canada, while continuing to serve as Metro D.C. Market Leader.
The appointment follows the launch of Willis’ global Defense and Security initiative on October 22, led by Jennifer Caldarella, Global Defense Lead at Willis, and reflects the scale of the opportunity in North America. With annual U.S. defense spending now exceeding $1 trillion, procurement reform opening the door to new entrants, and significant venture investment flowing into defense technology, the market is seeing rapid growth, consolidation and new forms of risk across every part of the ecosystem.
The initiative spans the defense and security landscape, including defense primes and strategic suppliers; manufacturing contractors; aerospace, aviation, cyber and space businesses; security, intelligence and dual-use technology providers; government services and critical infrastructure organizations; and private equity-backed defense technology platforms.
In this role, Staeheli will bring together Willis’ specialty, placement and client service teams across North America to deliver tailored risk advisory and broking solutions for defense and security clients, from large strategic primes to mid-market specialists and defense technology startups, helping them manage and reduce their total cost of risk as they grow, acquire and adapt to a shifting procurement and compliance environment.
“Robert has more than 25 years of experience and is responsible for some of WTW’s largest and most complex client relationships, including extensive work with clients in aerospace, defense and government contracting,” said Jennifer Caldarella, Global Defense Lead. “As these clients face increasingly interconnected risks, his leadership will help them build greater resilience by bringing the full strength of Willis to the sector.”
“Serving defense and security clients has long been a focus for us and for Robert’s team in the D.C. market,” said Mike Giacobbe, Chief Commercial Officer for Willis North America. “We are excited for Robert to bring together our full range of capabilities across North America and globally to deliver greater impact and value for clients in this sector.”
Staeheli has held various roles in defense and security since 1999, including as a management consultant advising U.S. national security and defense intelligence organizations. He joined WTW in 2014 and has led the firm’s Metro D.C. market since 2022, with responsibility for operations across Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia, including the Arlington, Baltimore, Potomac and Richmond offices.
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Media contact
Lauren Ryan
External Communication – Risk and Broking, North America
lauren.ryan@wtwco.com
(845) 598-4895