Towers Watson changes the guard

Roger Urwin has stepped down from his position as head of Towers Watson’s think tank, the “thinking ahead group”, to take up a two-day a week advisory position at MSCI Barra. He will continue in his role as head of global investment content at Towers Watson.

Fellow founding member of the thought leadership group, Tim Hodgson, will take over as head of the group which over the past eight years has explored pension fund issues such as risk budgeting, extreme risks and governance.

While focusing on broad investment research, Hodgson’s papers include investment efficiency, and he is a member of the global investment committee.

“The industry has so many interesting dimensions to it, to be able to operate with several different perspectives is fascinating,” Urwin said. “People who know me know that this is not a winding down taking this particular challenge. Risk management is at a fascinating point, it needs to become more sophisticated.”

Urwin has been head of investment content since he handed the global head of investment consulting baton to Carl Hess in July 2008. Urwin previously held that position for 13 years and has been with Watson Wyatt, now Towers Watson, for 20 years.

His position as head of investment content is an “individual” or “free-ranging” role and external to Towers Watson, Urwin is also a member of the CFA board.