Willis has launched a new defence and security offering.

Led by Jennifer Caldarella, global defence lead at Willis, the offering brings together risk advisory, insurance, cyber security, crisis management, risk engineering, workforce risk and capital advisory..

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, the world’s 100 largest arms-producing and military services companies generated a record £507bn in arms revenues in 2024. SIPRI calculates that global military expenditure reached nearly £2.17tn in 2025. The UN estimates that this could rise to between £3.51tn and £4.93tn by 2035. However, higher spending does not necessarily translate into operational capability, with lengthy procurement cycles, supply chain vulnerabilities and constrained insurance capacity creating challenges for the sector.

Technological advances, including drones, autonomous systems, artificial intelligence-enabled warfare and advanced digital capabilities, are also creating new cyber, liability, regulatory and operational risks.

Alastair Swift, head of global specialisms at Willis, said: "Organisations are making critical decisions against a backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty, rapid change and evolving regulation. Our defence and security initiative is a long-term commitment to the sector. It brings together the breadth of Willis' expertise and global market access to meet clients’ priorities, challenges and ambitions, helping them better understand, quantify and mitigate their risks and secure the most appropriate insurance and capital solutions available."

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