JLT to restructure, merge with Agnew Higgins Pickering.

Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group plc, the largest publicly traded broker in the United Kingdom, has unveiled plans to change the structure and management of its London and international operations.

JLT Risk Solutions is to merge with Agnew Higgins Pickering to form Jardine Lloyd Thompson Ltd., which will be a combined business, according to the company.

The chairman of the new entity will be Andrew Agnew, with Mark Drummond Brady as deputy chairman and Martin Hiller as chief executive.

JLT's wholesale broker Lloyd & Partners now will specialize in giving independent retail brokers access to the London, European and Bermudian insurance markets. These particularly include those who are located in the United States, as well as JLT's operations in Latin America, Australasia, Asia and Canada.

Agnew Higgins Pickering's specialist marine and energy reinsurance operations will be transferred to JLT Re. Mark Drummond Brady also will step into the newly created position of international chairman of the JLT Group.

JLT Group's chief executive, Dominic Burke, said in a statement the U.S. sale enabled the company to reconsider the structure of its London specialty and wholesale businesses.

"By focusing these London market operations on two companies with distinct and clearly defined specialist strengths, we will be able to retain and build on our very strong position in the London and international markets," Burke said.