http://www.watsonwyatt.com/news/pressreleases.asp Latest Watson Wyatt Press Releases en-us Copyright 2005 Watson Wyatt Worldwide http://backend.userland.com/rss091 7/4/2009 5:02:32 PM 20 The Trustees of the Massey Ferguson Works Pension Scheme have appointed Watson Wyatt to provide pension administration, accounting, pensioner payroll and trustee secretarial services effective from today, July 1, 2009. [Europe]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=21630Towers, Perrin, Forster & Crosby, Inc. and Watson Wyatt Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE, NASDAQ: WW) today announced that their respective Boards of Directors have unanimously approved a definitive agreement under which Towers Perrin and Watson Wyatt will combine in a merger of equals to form a new, publicly listed company called Towers Watson & Co. [Global]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=21599Combined Company Positioned for Sustainable Growth and Profitability with a Broader Portfolio and Wider Geographic Footprint STAMFORD, CT & ARLINGTON, VA, June 28, 2009—Towers, Perrin, Forster & Crosby, Inc. and Watson Wyatt Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE, NASDAQ: WW) today announced that their respective Boards of Directors have unanimously approved a definitive agreement under which Towers Perrin and Watson Wyatt will combine in a merger of equals to form a new, publicly listed company called Towers Watson & Co. Based on the closing price of Watson Wyatt common stock on June 26, 2009, the implied equity value of the transaction is approximately $3.5 billion. Watson Wyatt Chief Executive Officer John Haley will serve the combined company as Chief Executive Officer; Towers Perrin Chief Executive Officer Mark Mactas will serve as President. [Asia-Pacific]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=21641The Trustee of the Devonport Royal Dockyard pension scheme has become the first to enter into a longevity swap agreement, having signed a contract with Credit Suisse last night. Watson Wyatt was the lead adviser on the agreement, which protects the scheme against the risk of having to pay out more because its pensioners live longer than expected. [Europe]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=21593In today’s unpredictable market environment, even the “safest” investments such as stable value funds carry considerable risks that plan sponsors and participants alike might not be aware of, according to experts at Watson Wyatt, a leading global consulting firm. The firm suggests that plan sponsors review their existing stable value investments and wrap contracts to ensure they are prepared if the market suddenly changes again. [United States]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=21574The Pension Protection Fund has today announced that the amount it will aim to raise through levies in 2010/11 will be £700 million plus an allowance for wage inflation, while warning that the levy "may rise in future years". [Europe]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=21576WASHINGTON, D.C., June 22, 2009 — With signs that an economic recovery might be nearing, a majority of U.S. employers plan to reverse some, but not all, of the changes they’ve been making to their pay, benefits and other HR programs, according to the latest update to an ongoing series of surveys by Watson Wyatt, a leading global consulting firm. [United States]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=21528Asia Pacific, 22 June 2009 – Companies in Asia are ramping up their workforce planning activities in response to the current economic downturn, according to a survey by Watson Wyatt Worldwide, a leading global consulting firm. [Asia-Pacific]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=21594As many workers are being hit by large losses to their retirement funds, a significant number of older workers are planning to delay their retirement, according to a survey by Watson Wyatt, a leading global consulting firm. [United States]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=21512WASHINGTON, D.C., June 17, 2009—With Congress getting ready to scrutinize target-date funds (TDFs), the time is right for fund managers to take a closer look at the risks inherent in their funds and communicate these risks to plan sponsors, according to investment experts at Watson Wyatt, a leading global consulting firm. One way to do this is to adopt benchmarking policies that more closely reflect the long-term goal of saving for retirement that the funds are trying to achieve. [Global]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=21495Watson Wyatt has enhanced its replicating portfolio tool, Replica, to help insurers deal with the increased pressures they are facing from investors, rating agencies and regulators to use more sophisticated and embedded risk models. [Europe]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=21480One in five employees without alternative pension savings are likely to opt out of Personal Accounts according to two-thirds of the financial services industry experts at Watson Wyatts latest Debating Forum. [Europe]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=21471UK – June 11, 2009 – The uncertainty the financial crisis and recession is creating for the pensions industry and the economy will be the theme of the Watson Wyatt and Cass Business School lecture delivered by Dr Martin Weale, Director of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR), later this month. [Europe]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=21392UK - June 10, 2009 - The Committee of European Insurance and Occupational Pension Supervisors CEIOPS annual report, published this week, includes clear evidence that the European body of supervisory authorities supports the development of cost effective multi-country pension funds, according to Watson Wyatt. [Europe]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=21380GLOBAL, June 9, 2009 — While risk managers in the pharmaceutical industry typically focus on R&D, patent and other standard industry risks, pension risks also merit close attention. Pension risks pose a potential threat to their companies’ credit rating, loan covenants and dividend policy, despite the pharmaceutical industry’s secure cash position, according to the special pharmaceutical sector issue of Visions, a new Watson Wyatt global research publication. [Global]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=21389Organisations in the Middle East are managing costs tightly in response to the economic climate, but cost cutting efforts are changing focus in the second quarter of 2009, according to consultants Watson Wyatt. [Middle East]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=21381UK - June 5, 2009 - Employers should consider warning their higher-paid employees to be very careful if they wish to increase, or even vary, their level of pension contributions over the next two years or they could face severe tax penalties, according to consultants Watson Wyatt. [Europe]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=21349MOSCOW, June 4, 2009 - Watson Wyatt, a leading global consulting firm, announced today that it has opened an office in Moscow. [Europe]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=21328Asia Pacific, 4 June 2009 - Watson Wyatt Worldwide, a leading global consulting firm, has appointed Nigel Knowles as Head of Risk and Value Management, Asia Pacific, a newly created position within the Insurance and Financial Services Practice. [Asia-Pacific]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=21329Asia Pacific, 4 June 2009 – Pay rises are down by half what they were nine months ago. Salary increase rates budgeted for 2009 across Asia Pacific have been cut by an average of 52 percent, according to a recent survey conducted by Watson Wyatt, a leading global consulting firm. [Asia-Pacific]http://www.watsonwyatt.com/search/parser.asp?ID=21331