Aon, a global professional services firm focused on risk, health and wealth solutions, has announced a series of leadership changes affecting its EMEA and Latin America (LatAm) businesses, including the appointment of Kai-Frank Buechter and Tracy-Lee Kus as co-CEOs of EMEA, effective June 1.
Under the revised structure, Buechter will be responsible for the business in continental Europe and North Africa, while Kus will lead the business in the UK, Ireland, South Africa and the Middle East.
Insurance and reinsurance broker Aon also confirmed that Pedro Penalva will serve as CEO of Latin America from July 1. All three executives will report to President and CEO Greg Case and join the company’s Executive Committee.
In addition, Alfonso Gallego de Chaves will become deputy CEO of Europe, the Middle East and Africa, reporting to Buechter, effective June 1, while Andrea Parisi will serve as chairman of the continental Europe region effective January 1, 2027. Aon added that leadership arrangements for North America and Asia Pacific will remain unchanged, led by Anne Corona and Jennifer Richards.
Case commented: “As we continue to accelerate Aon’s joint strategy to deliver exceptional service to our clients as their needs continue to grow, we are pleased to announce new regional responsibilities for Kai-Frank, Tracy-Lee and Pedro to help advance the way we serve clients within and across the region.”
Aon highlighted Buechter’s more than 26 years of business experience, most recently as CEO of the company’s DACH region, covering Germany, Austria and Switzerland. His previous leadership roles at Aon include CEO of Aon Risk Solutions, Chairman of the Management Committee of Aon Holdings plc, and Chief Commercial Officer of Aon Risk Solutions.
“Customers across Europe, the Middle East and Africa face rising volatility and complexity,” Buechter added. “I am excited to partner with Tracy-Lee to build on our momentum in providing clients with actionable insights, differentiated venture capital and human capital capabilities, and leading expertise.”
Kuss has over thirty years of industry experience spanning underwriting and brokerage roles in South Africa, the UK and Asia. Most recently, she led Aon’s global brokerage center, focusing on market strategy, strengthening the acquisition of global capabilities and developing tailored client solutions.
The company confirmed she will continue in the role until a successor is named. Earlier in Aon’s career, Kus was head of commercial risk for Asia Pacific and held a number of senior leadership roles, including head of North Asia and leadership of the company’s UK financial and professional services division. She is also currently President of the London and International Insurance Brokers Association (LIIBA).
“It is an honor to lead Aon’s business in Europe, the Middle East and Africa alongside Kai-Frank,” said Kus. “I look forward to further advancing the work of our high-performing team to deliver market-leading capabilities and expertise to our clients.”
Aon said Penalva held various senior positions during his 15 years with the company. Most recently, he served as EMEA Enterprise Account Executive, overseeing support for more than 150 enterprise accounts in 10 countries.
Previous roles include CEO Iberia, Africa and Israel, Chief Commercial Officer EMEA Multinational Clients, Director EMEA Global Client Network and CEO Aon Portugal. The company added that Penalva will continue to support the transition of his current responsibilities until a replacement is appointed.
“I am deeply honored to lead Aon’s Latin America business and serve our colleagues and clients in the region,” said Penalva. “At a time when our clients face unprecedented complexity and volatility, our combined capabilities, depth of expertise and relevance across our globally connected firms have never been more important. I look forward to advancing our strategy by working closely with an outstanding team that defines what makes Aon unique.”
As part of the transition, Aon confirmed that Julie Page, currently CEO of Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Alejandro Galizia, CEO of Latin America, will continue to serve as regional chairs until 2026 and as senior advisors in 2027. The company also noted that Jane Kielty will support the transition of leadership responsibilities in the UK, Ireland and South Africa.
Case further added: “We are grateful for the leadership of Julie, Jane and Alejandro for their significant contributions in serving our clients and building our firm, and for developing the team that will drive our work forward.”
“I’m incredibly proud of what we accomplished together during the first phase of the 3×3 initiative,” said Page. “There has never been a better time for the next generation of leaders to drive the business forward, and I’m excited to support them in building on this strong momentum.”
Galizia said: “After more than 25 years at Aon, I look back with great pride on our journey together in Latin America. I have been privileged to witness and contribute to Aon’s transformation into the company it is today. Most importantly, our people, their values and passion have made this journey truly meaningful, and I am excited for the future of the Latin America region under Pedro’s leadership.”