Willis, a WTW business, has appointed Scott Kirkwood (pictured) as head of natural resources for the Pacific region, a role overseeing the brokerage’s natural resources business for energy, mining, and power clients in Australia, New Zealand, and the wider Asia-Pacific market.

Role covers regional growth and alignment

In his new position, Kirkwood is responsible for expanding Willis’ natural resources portfolio in the Pacific and working with the firm’s specialty lines to design risk transfer and risk financing programs for sector clients. The remit includes upstream and downstream energy, power and utilities, renewable energy, and metals and mining across the region. The broker said the appointment is intended to strengthen links between the Pacific business and WTW’s global natural resources operations, including its analytics, risk engineering, and broking functions. Part of the role involves using international experience while adapting structures to local regulatory environments, loss histories, and asset profiles in markets such as Australia and New Zealand.

James Baum, head of Pacific at Willis, said the move is aimed at reinforcing the firm’s sector capabilities in the region. “This role is an important step in strengthening our Natural Resources capability for clients across Australia and New Zealand. With deep sector expertise and a strong track record of leadership, Scott will help us build on our market-leading mining proposition while further expand into adjacent Natural Resources segments, including Power and Renewable Energy, bringing greater insight, stronger alignment to global expertise, and even more tailored risk financing solutions to our clients,” Baum said.

Energy transition changes natural resources risk demand

Kirkwood’s appointment comes as natural resources companies across the region adjust strategies and asset portfolios in response to climate change, decarbonization targets, and energy security concerns. These changes affect coverage needs across property, casualty, specialty, and parametric programs. “Driven by climate change and energy transition, natural resources companies are evolving at pace. By tapping into our natural resources risk financing expertise across our global network, we’re able to utilise the very best future-led thinking to help companies in the Pacific prepare for what lies ahead. This approach allows us to deliver even greater insight and solutions to our clients locally and ensures we stay at the forefront of market trends and best practices,” Kirkwood said.

WTW’s natural resources segment uses in-house data, analytics, and sector-specific expertise to support decisions on risk retention, mitigation, and transfer. The global team focuses on issues such as climate-related physical risk, environmental regulation, the integration of renewables into existing grids, and the capital and operational exposures of mining and energy companies. For risk managers and insurance buyers in Asia-Pacific, this has meant increased use of catastrophe modelling, operational risk assessments, and coverage wording reviews, along with claims data used to shape renewal strategies and program structures.

Background in high-risk operations and regional markets

Before taking on the Pacific natural resources leadership role, Kirkwood served as general manager for Willis’ Queensland operations. In that role, he advised complex, asset-heavy organisations operating in high-risk settings, with a particular focus on natural resources, including mining. His work in Queensland involved helping clients address exposures linked to large physical assets, mobile equipment, business interruption, worker safety, and environmental liabilities. The firm said the Queensland business grew during his tenure and added staff with sector experience. Kirkwood’s background is expected to influence how Willis works with natural resources clients that are maintaining fossil fuel operations while investing in renewable projects, storage, and grid infrastructure, an issue that has become significant for Australian and regional energy markets.

WTW’s natural resources approach in Asia-Pacific

WTW’s natural resources segment globally uses data, sector specialist teams, and a regional and global service model across more than 140 countries and markets. In natural resources, WTW works with clients across upstream and downstream energy, renewable energy, power and utilities, and metals and mining, providing risk engineering support, analytics, and broking services. The firm uses a digital risk engineering approach intended to give clients direct access to risk information to inform mitigation strategies, retention levels, and insurance purchasing. Its claims teams focus on large and complex losses, with attention to valuation, documentation, and lessons learned that can be incorporated into risk management and program design.