Aon signs agreement to sell the firm's retirement and investment business in Germany to Lane Clark & Peacock LLP (LCP)

DUBLIN, May 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Aon plc (NYSE: AON), a leading global professional services firm providing a broad range of risk, retirement and health solutions, today announced the firm has signed a definitive agreement to sell its pensions consulting, pension insurance broking, pensions administration and investment consulting business in Germany to Lane Clark & Peacock LLP (LCP).

The agreement resolves questions raised by the European Commission with respect to the markets in which these businesses are active. Aon and Willis Towers Watson continue to work toward obtaining additional regulatory approval in all relevant jurisdictions, including the United States, where regulators are conducting an independent review of the proposed combination.

"This agreement demonstrates further momentum on the path to close our proposed combination with Willis Towers Watson," said Greg Case, Aon's CEO. "We recognize the significant contributions these colleagues have made on behalf of our clients during their time with Aon. LCP shares with us a culture of innovation and excellence and we know these colleagues have a positive future at LCP."

LCP is the leading independent, owner-managed pensions, investment and insurance consultancy in the UK and Ireland. The acquisition builds on a period of growth for LCP, which posted record income of £126.5 million during FY 2019-2020, an increase of 10.1 percent driven by success across a wide range of sectors. With a significant market share in Germany, the acquisition gives LCP a leading market position in this important market for pensions consulting and related services.

"A key part of LCP's strategy is diversifying the business into different markets with long-term growth potential," said Aaron Punwani, LCP's CEO. "The German pensions consulting market is the third largest in the world, after the U.S. and the UK, which makes it a natural place for LCP to achieve a leading position, mirroring what we have achieved in the UK in recent years."

Punwani added, "We see a meeting of minds with the knowledgeable and dynamic people who lead the business in Germany. We are truly excited about welcoming this fantastic team as part of LCP and achieving great things together for the benefit of our people and our clients."

The retirement and investment business LCP will acquire includes 350 colleagues across five offices in Germany and will be rebranded as LCP upon close of the transaction. The transaction with LCP is contingent on the completion of the pending Aon and Willis Towers Watson combination, as well as other customary closing conditions.

ENDS

About Aon
Aon plc (NYSE: AON) is a leading global professional services firm providing a broad range of risk, retirement and health solutions. Our 50,000 colleagues in 120 countries empower results for clients by using proprietary data and analytics to deliver insights that reduce volatility and improve performance.

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About LCP
At LCP, our experts provide clear, concise advice focused on your needs. We use innovative technology to give you real time insight & control. Our experts work in pensions, investment, insurance, energy, health and analytics.

Media Contacts
Aon - Nadine Youssef, [email protected], +1 833 751 8114 
LCP - Lauren Keith, [email protected], +44 (0) 20 3922 1319

Statements Required by the Irish Takeover Rules
The directors of Aon accept responsibility for the information contained in this announcement. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the directors of Aon (who have taken all reasonable care to ensure that such is the case), the information contained in this announcement for which they accept responsibility is in accordance with the facts and does not omit anything likely to affect the import of such information.

No statement in this announcement is intended to constitute a profit forecast for any period, nor should any statements be interpreted to mean that earnings or earnings per share will necessarily match or be greater or lesser than those for the relevant preceding financial periods for Aon as appropriate. No statement in this announcement constitutes an asset valuation.

Safe Harbor Statement
This communication contains certain statements related to future results, or states Aon's intentions, beliefs and expectations or predictions for the future which are forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from either historical or anticipated results depending on a variety of factors. These forward-looking statements include information about possible or assumed future results of Aon's operations, the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, Aon's pending combination with Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company (the "Combination"), and divestitures to be made in connection with the Combination. All statements other than statements of historical facts that address activities, events or developments that Aon expects or anticipates may occur in the future, including such things as its outlook, future capital expenditures, growth in commissions and fees, changes to the composition or level of its revenues, cash flow and liquidity, expected tax rates, business strategies, competitive strengths, goals, the benefits of new initiatives, growth of its business and operations, plans, references to future successes, and expectations with respect to the timing, closing and benefits of the Combination, including divestitures made in connection with the Combination, are forward-looking statements.

Also, when Aon uses words such as "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "plan", "probably", "potential", "looking forward", or similar expressions, it is making forward-looking statements. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ from those set forth in or anticipated by the forward-looking statements: general economic and political conditions in different countries in which Aon does business around the world, including the UK's withdrawal from the European Union; changes in the competitive environment or damage to Aon's reputation; fluctuations in exchange and interest rates that could influence revenue and expenses; changes in global equity and fixed income markets that could affect the return on invested assets; changes in the funding status of Aon's various defined benefit pension plans and the impact of any increased pension funding resulting from those changes; the level of Aon's debt limiting financial flexibility or increasing borrowing costs; rating agency actions that could affect Aon's ability to borrow funds; volatility in Aon's tax rate due to a variety of different factors, including U.S. tax reform; changes in estimates or assumptions on Aon's financial statements; limits on Aon's subsidiaries to make dividend and other payments to Aon; the impact of lawsuits and other contingent liabilities and loss contingencies arising from errors and omissions and other claims against Aon; the impact of, and potential challenges in complying with, legislation and regulation in the jurisdictions in which Aon operates, particularly given the global scope of Aon's businesses and the possibility of conflicting regulatory requirements across jurisdictions in which Aon does business; the impact of any investigations brought by regulatory authorities in the U.S., Ireland, the UK and other countries; the impact of any inquiries relating to compliance with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and non-U.S. anti-corruption laws and with U.S. and non-U.S. trade sanctions regimes; failure to protect intellectual property rights or allegations that Aon infringes on the intellectual property rights of others; the effects of Irish law on Aon's operating flexibility and the enforcement of judgments against Aon; the failure to retain and attract qualified personnel, whether as a result of the Combination, divestitures made in connection with the Combination or otherwise; international risks associated with Aon's global operations; the effects of natural or man-made disasters, including the effects of COVID-19 and other health pandemics; the potential of a system or network breach or disruption resulting in operational interruption or improper disclosure of personal data; Aon's ability to develop and implement new technology; the damage to Aon's reputation among clients, markets or third parties; the actions taken by third parties that perform aspects of Aon's business operations and client services; the extent to which Aon manages certain risks created in connection with the services, including fiduciary and investments, consulting, and other advisory services, among others, that Aon currently provides, or will provide in the future, to clients; Aon's ability to continue, and the costs and risks associated with, growing, developing and integrating companies that it acquires or new lines of business; changes in commercial property and casualty markets, commercial premium rates or methods of compensation; changes in the health care system or Aon's relationships with insurance carriers; Aon's ability to implement initiatives intended to yield, and the ability to achieve, cost savings; Aon's ability to realize the expected benefits from its restructuring plan; the possibility that the Combination, or divestitures made in connection with the Combination, will not be consummated in the expected timeframe, or at all; failure to obtain necessary regulatory approvals, to comply with the requirements related to such approvals, or to satisfy any of the other conditions to the Combination or divestitures made in connection with the Combination; adverse effects on the market price of Aon's securities and/or operating results for any reason, including, without limitation, because of a failure to consummate the Combination or the divestitures made in connection with the Combination; the failure to realize the expected benefits of the Combination (including anticipated revenue and growth synergies) in the expected timeframe, or at all; the failure to effectively integrate the combined businesses following the Combination; significant transaction and integration costs or difficulties in connection with the Combination, or divestitures made in connection with the Combination, and or unknown or inestimable liabilities; litigation associated with the Combination; the potential impact of the consummation of the Combination and divestures made in connection with the Combination on relationships, including with suppliers, customers, employees and regulators; and general economic, business and political conditions (including any epidemic, pandemic or disease outbreak, including COVID-19) that affect the combined company following the consummation of the Combination.

Any or all of Aon's forward-looking statements may turn out to be inaccurate, and there are no guarantees about Aon's performance. The factors identified above are not exhaustive. Aon and its subsidiaries operate in a dynamic business environment in which new risks may emerge frequently. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the dates on which they are made. In addition, results for the year ended December 31, 2020 and the quarter ended March 31, 2021 are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for any future period, particularly in light of the continuing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Further information concerning Aon and its businesses, including factors that potentially could materially affect Aon's financial results, is contained in Aon's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). See Aon's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 and its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2021 for a further discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties applicable to Aon and its businesses. These factors may be revised or supplemented in subsequent reports filed with the SEC. Aon is not under, and expressly disclaims, any obligation to update or alter any forward-looking statement that it may make from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE Aon plc

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