Willis Towers Watson buys Acclimatise to create climate resilience powerhouse

Broker Willis Towers Watson has acquired Acclimatise, a climate change adaptation advisory and analytics services, in a move that is set to create what it describes as a "global powerhouse for climate resilience services".

The transaction aims to further strengthen the broker's climate resilience leadership to meet growing demands from corporates, governments and financial institutions. It expands WTW's scope to help clients address the challenges of climate and related Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues across physical, transition and legal liability risks.

Acclimatise, based in the UK with teams in France, the US and India, has developed a unique platform to assimilate and apply climate model and earth observation data to support risk analytics and on-line applications.

Rowan Douglas, head of Willis Towers Watson’s Climate and Resilience Hub, said: “By combining Acclimatise’s market leading climate modelling and adaptation capabilities with Willis Towers Watsons’s deep experience in natural catastrophe modelling, risk management, re/insurance and investment markets we have a unique range of expertise to help clients manage climate exposures, seize adaptation opportunities and build more resilient societies and economies.”

John Haley, CEO of Willis Towers Watson, added: “This acquisition is very much in line with our goal to help clients navigate an increasingly complex world and to achieve climate resilience through the provision of market-leading solutions. Acclimatise’s capabilities and proven success in the area of climate risk, provide significant opportunity for us going forward. I am excited about what this means for Willis Towers Watson.

"In addition, combining the skillsets and capabilities of both companies will further strengthen our company’s efforts in addressing climate resilience for wider society, for example our work with the Coalition for Climate Resilient Investment (CCRI).”

John Firth, CEO and co-founder of Acclimatise, commented: “Climate change risk is fast becoming a central part of government, corporate and financial decision making and planning. Meeting growing client demand will require increasingly sophisticated approaches to climate risk assessment and management. This is why I’m hugely excited by the potential that Willis Towers Watson’s acquisition of Acclimatise brings.”