When Russian forces invaded Ukraine in February 2022, many global businesses faced an unpredictable operational landscape, or in many cases a crisis to manage.
For WTW, the implications were immediate and personal. With longstanding insurance broking offices and staff in both Russia and Ukraine, the company was forced to make rapid, high-stakes decisions—balancing client service, employee welfare, reputational risk, as well as legal and compliance risks.
Pamela Thomson-Hall, CEO of international and head of risk and broking international at WTW, said the firm quickly realised this was not a typical disruption.
“On the 24th of February 2022, when Putin marched across the border of Ukraine, our own businesses in Russia and in Ukraine were under immense threat economically and the health and safety and welfare of our colleagues and their families and our clients became my number one priority,” she told attendees at this year’s Dubai World Insurance Congress (DWIC 2025).
Managing competing priorities under pressure
WTW had spent 26 years building a thriving Russian business, staffed by a loyal workforce. As the international crisis rapidly unfolded, safeguarding colleagues became the immediate focus.
Thomson-Hall described dual stark pressures: “Our Russian colleagues were terrified of what was to come for them personally… Our Ukrainian colleagues were terrified for their safety but stoically, in a very Ukrainian way, focused on sustaining our business to deliver outstanding client service at times when our clients needed it.”
Operationally, WTW moved quickly, she explained. Emergency support systems were activated including relocation programmes, financial assistance, and constant communication with staff. Simultaneously, the firm had to stay ahead of shifting international sanctions.
Despite initially being able to continue activities in Russia, market realities soon made a strategic exit almost inevitable.
As Thomson-Hall put it: “Despite the fact that we were able to continue to trade legitimately… our trading partners would not have an appetite to move money around that had any Russian lenses. So overnight, almost, we were forced to close a very meaningful business for ourselves and say goodbye to those very loyal colleagues.”
Leadership lessons from a live crisis
Reflecting on WTW’s experience, Hall identified a series of critical lessons that enabled on how to navigate geopolitical turmoil effectively.
Firstly, agility and decisiveness proved essential. “We learned that agility and pace are critical in moments of such crisis. You have to trust your instinct when you’re running at a pace,” Thomson-Hall explained.
Secondly, governance frameworks, not democracy, are essential during crises. Clear chains of authority, defined roles, and swift action replaced collaborative decision-making structures that might otherwise be too slow.
Expert advice also had to be leveraged strategically. Risk managers, sanctions specialists, and communications teams played central roles in shaping the firm’s response.
Stakeholder management became critical, given the diversity of parties involved, from employees and clients to regulators and business partners.
“It could be your shareholders, it could be your board, it could be your clients, it could be your colleagues. You need to manage the stakeholders,” Thomson-Hall said.
A deep understanding of local cultural dynamics was equally important. Decision-making had to reflect the realities on the ground, not assumptions from headquarters. But above all, communication was treated as non-negotiable: clear, regular, and transparent messaging was key to maintaining trust internally and externally.
Building future resilience
The Russia–Ukraine conflict has fundamentally reshaped how WTW views political risk management, she revealed, with a renewed focus on strengthening horizon scanning, scenario planning, and crisis leadership development.
Thomson-Hall said one of the most important takeaways was the necessity of embedding crisis thinking into everyday leadership, not just reacting when the unexpected strikes.
She concluded: “Preparation, preparation, preparation… thinking it won’t happen to you is not an option. Taking away the mentality of ‘that’s not for us’ is critically important.”
Lessons from WTW’s Russia–Ukraine crisis response
Act with agility and trust leadership instincts in fast-moving environments
Implement clear governance — define decision-makers, avoid slow consensus models
Leverage specialists in sanctions, risk, and communications
Proactively manage stakeholders across shareholders, boards, clients and staff
Respect cultural differences by engaging local teams
Communicate clearly, frequently and transparently to maintain trust
Embed horizon scanning and geopolitical scenario planning into operations
Accept that no business is immune: preparation must replace complacency