sv8pos
As
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 4, 2010
Registration Nos. 333-63186
333-130605
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 4 TO FORM S-8 (No. 333-63186)
POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO FORM S-8 (No. 333-130605)
FORM S-8
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Willis
Group Holdings Public Limited Company
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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Ireland
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Applied For |
(State or other jurisdiction of
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(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
incorporation or organization) |
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c/o Willis Group Limited, 51 Lime Street, London, EC3M 7DQ, England and Wales
(Address, including Zip Code, of Principal Executive Offices)
1998 Share Purchase and Option Plan for Key Employees of Willis Group Holdings
Willis Award Plan for Key Employees of Willis Group Holdings
Willis Group Holdings 2001 Share Purchase and Option Plan
(Full title of the plan)
Adam G. Ciongoli
General Counsel
Willis Group Holdings Public Limited Company
One World Financial Center, 200 Liberty Street
New York, New York 10281
(212) 915-8899
(Name, address and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
with a copy to:
Jonathan B. Newton
Baker & McKenzie LLP
Pennzoil Place, South Tower
711 Louisiana, Suite 3400
Houston, Texas 77002
(713) 427-5000
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a
non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of large accelerated
filer, accelerated filer and smaller reporting company in Rule 12b2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer þ | Accelerated filer o | Non-accelerated filer o (Do not check if a smaller reporting company) | Smaller reporting company o |
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
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Proposed |
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Proposed |
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maximum |
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maximum |
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Title of each class of |
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Amount to |
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offering price |
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aggregate |
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Amount of |
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securities to be registered |
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be registered |
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per share |
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offering price |
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registration fee |
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Ordinary Shares, $0.000115
par value(1)
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(2) |
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(2) |
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(2) |
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(2) |
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(1) |
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These ordinary shares include ordinary shares that may be issued pursuant to the following
sub-plans of the Willis Group Holdings 2001 Share Purchase and Option Plan: (i) The Willis
Group Holdings 2001 Bonus and Share Plan; (ii) The Willis Group Holdings 2004 Bonus and Share
Plan; (iii) Rules of the Willis Group Holdings Sharesave Plan 2001 for the United Kingdom;
(iv) The Willis Group Holdings Irish Sharesave Plan; and (v) The Willis Group Holdings
International Sharesave Plan. |
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No additional securities are to be registered, and the registration fee was paid upon filing
of the original Registration Statements on Form S-8 (File Nos. 333-63186 and 333-130605).
Therefore, no further registration fee is required. |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXPLANATORY NOTE
This Post-Effective Amendment is being filed pursuant to Rule 414 under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the Securities Act), by Willis Group Holdings Public Limited Company, an Irish
public limited company (the Company), as the successor issuer to Willis Group Holdings Limited, a
Bermuda company (Willis-Bermuda). On December 31, 2009, Willis-Bermuda and the
Company completed
a scheme of arrangement pursuant to which Willis-Bermudas common shares were
cancelled and Willis-Bermudas common shareholders received, on a one-for-one basis, new ordinary shares of the Company for the
purpose of changing the place of incorporation of the parent company of the Willis group from
Bermuda to Ireland (the Transaction). As a result of the Transaction, Willis-Bermuda is now a
wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. In connection with the Transaction, the Company assumed
Willis-Bermudas existing obligations in connection with awards granted under Willis-Bermudas
incentive plans and other similar employee awards and amended such plans and awards as necessary to
provide for the issuance of the Companys ordinary shares rather than Willis-Bermuda common shares
upon the exercise of awards. This Post-Effective Amendment pertains to the adoption by the Company
of the following registration statements on Form S-8 (collectively, the Registration Statements):
(i) Registration No. 333-63186 and (ii) Registration No. 333-130605. The Company hereby expressly
adopts each Registration Statement as its own registration statement for all purposes of the
Securities Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act). With
respect to Registration No. 333-63186, this is Post-Effective Amendment No. 4. With respect to
Registration No. 333-130605, this is Post-Effective Amendment No. 1. Registration fees were paid at
the time of filing of the original Registration Statements.
PART II
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.
The following documents filed by Willis-Bermuda or by the Company as successor issuer with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) are hereby incorporated by reference in this
registration statement:
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Willis-Bermudas Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008; |
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Willis-Bermudas Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31,
2009, June 30, 2009 and September 30, 2009; |
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All other reports filed (but not information therein that is furnished rather than
filed) by the Company or Willis-Bermuda pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by Willis-Bermudas Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008; and |
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The description of the Companys ordinary shares contained in the Companys current
report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on January 4, 2010 including any
amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description. |
All documents filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the
Exchange Act subsequent to its filing of this registration statement, but prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which
deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference
in this registration statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.
Any statement contained herein or in a document incorporated by reference herein shall be
deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this registration statement to the extent that
a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed
to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such earlier statement. Any statement
so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a
part of this registration statement.
Item 4. Description of Securities.
Not applicable.
Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.
Not applicable.
Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
The Companys articles of association (Articles) provide that, subject to applicable law,
the Company shall indemnify its directors and officers against all liabilities, loss, damage or
expense incurred or suffered by such person as a director or officer. The Articles further provide
that such indemnified persons shall be indemnified out of the funds of the Company against all
liabilities incurred or suffered in defending any proceedings, whether civil or criminal, in which
judgment is given in a directors or officers favour, he is acquitted, or in respect of any
application under the Irish Companies Acts 1963-2009 (the Irish Companies Acts) in which relief
from liability is granted to him. The Articles also require the Company, subject to applicable
law, to pay expenses incurred by a director or officer in defending any civil or criminal action or
proceeding in advance of the final disposition of any such action or proceeding, provided that the
indemnified person undertakes to repay the Company such amount if it is ultimately determined that
such person was not entitled to indemnification. With regard to the Companys indemnification of
its directors and its secretary, the Irish Companies Acts prescribe that an Irish company may only
indemnify an officer for liability attaching to that officer which does not involve negligence,
default, breach of duty or breach of trust and any liability incurred by an officer in respect of
proceedings in which judgment is given in his favour or in which he is acquitted or where the court
has granted relief, wholly or partially, on the basis that he has acted honestly and reasonably
and, having regard to the circumstances of the case, ought fairly be excused. These restrictions
in the Irish Companies Acts do not apply to executives who are not directors or the secretary of an
Irish company. Any provision which seeks to indemnify a director or secretary of an Irish company
over and above this shall be void under Irish law, whether contained in its articles of association
or in any contract between the director or secretary and the Irish company.
Irish companies may take out directors and officers liability insurance, as well as other
types of insurance, for their directors and officers. The Company has purchased and maintains a
directors and officers liability policy.
In connection with the Transaction, each of the Company and Willis North America Inc., a
Delaware corporation, is entering into deeds of indemnity and indemnification agreements,
respectively, with each of the directors and certain officers of the Company as well as certain
individuals serving as directors or officers of the Companys subsidiaries. These arrangements
provide for the indemnification of, and advancement of expenses to, the indemnitee by the Company
and Willis North America Inc., respectively, to the fullest extent permitted by law and include
related provisions meant to facilitate the indemnitees receipt of such benefits.
Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.
Not applicable.
Item 8. Exhibits.
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Exhibit |
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Number |
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Description |
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4.1
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Memorandum and Articles
of Association of the Company (incorporated by reference to Exhibit No. 3.1
to the Companys current report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on January 4, 2010) |
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4.2
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Certificate of Incorporation
of the Company (incorporated by reference to Exhibit No. 3.2 to
the Companys current report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on January 4, 2010) |
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4.3
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1998 Share Purchase and Option Plan for Key Employees of Willis Group Holdings
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit No. 10.5
to the Companys current report on Form
8-K filed with the Commission on January 4, 2010) |
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Exhibit |
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Description |
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4.4
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Willis Award Plan for Key Employees of Willis Group Holdings (incorporated by reference
to Exhibit No. 10.6 to the Companys current report on Form 8-K filed with the
Commission on January 4, 2010) |
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4.5
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Willis Group Holdings 2001 Share Purchase and Option Plan (incorporated by reference to
Exhibit No. 10.9 to the Companys current report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission
on January 4, 2010) |
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4.6
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Form of Performance-Based Option
Agreement under the Willis Group Holdings 2001 Share Purchase and
Option Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.10 to the
Companys current report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission
on January 4, 2010) |
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4.7
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The Willis Group Holdings 2001 Bonus and Share Plan (incorporated by reference to
Exhibit No. 10.11 to the Companys current report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission
on January 4, 2010) |
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4.8
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The Willis Group Holdings 2004 Bonus and Share Plan (incorporated by reference to
Exhibit No. 10.12 to the Companys current report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission
on January 4, 2010) |
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4.9
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Rules of the Willis Group Holdings Sharesave Plan 2001 for the United Kingdom
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit No. 10.13 to the Companys current report on Form
8-K filed with the Commission on January 4, 2010) |
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4.10
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The Willis Group Holdings Irish Sharesave Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit No.
10.14 to the Companys current report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on January 4, 2010) |
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4.11
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The Willis Group Holdings International Sharesave Plan (incorporated by reference to
Exhibit No. 10.15 to the Companys current report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission
on January 4, 2010) |
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5.1
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Opinion of Matheson Ormsby Prentice* |
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23.1
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Consent of Deloitte and Touche LLP* |
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23.2
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Consent of Matheson Ormsby Prentice (included in its opinion filed as Exhibit 5.1 hereto) |
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24.1
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Power of Attorney (included on signature page) |
Item 9. Undertakings.
(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective
amendment to this registration statement:
(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;
(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the
registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or
in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration
statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered
(if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and
any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in
the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the
changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering
price set forth in the Calculation of Registration Fee table in the effective registration
statement; and
(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not
previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in
the registration statement;
Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the information
required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports
filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission by the registrant pursuant to
Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the
registration statement.
(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such
post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be
the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities
being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability
under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrants annual report pursuant to Section 13(a)
or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit
plans annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by
reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating
to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed
to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to
directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions,
or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore,
unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than
the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted
by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered,
the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by
controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be
governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Company certifies that it has
reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has
duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the City of New York, State of New York, on
January 4, 2010.
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WILLIS GROUP HOLDINGS
PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY
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By: |
/s/ Adam G. Ciongoli
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Adam G. Ciongoli |
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General Counsel |
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POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS that each of the undersigned directors and officers of Willis
Group Holdings Public Limited Company hereby appoints Adam G. Ciongoli, Patrick C. Regan, Adam
Rosman, Nicole Napolitano, Debra Enderle and Shaun Bryant and each of them, as his or her true and
lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, with
full power to act alone, to sign on his or her behalf and in the capacity set forth below, any and
all amendments and post-effective amendments to this Registration Statement on Form S-8 and to file
each such amendment and post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement, with all exhibits
thereto, and any and all other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, hereby granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and
perform any and all acts and things requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises as
fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and
confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue
hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration
Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.
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Signature |
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Date |
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/s/ Joseph J. Plumeri
Joseph J. Plumeri
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Chairman of the Board
and Chief Executive
Officer (Principal Executive Officer)
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January 4, 2010 |
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/s/ Patrick C. Regan
Patrick C. Regan
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Chief Operating
Officer and Chief
Financial Officer
(Principal Financial
and Accounting
Officer)
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January 4, 2010 |
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/s/ William W. Bradley
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Director
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January 4, 2010 |
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William W. Bradley |
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/s/ Joseph A. Califano, Jr.
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Director
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January 4, 2010 |
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Joseph A. Califano, Jr. |
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/s/ Anna C. Catalano
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Director
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January 4, 2010 |
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Anna C. Catalano |
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/s/ Sir Roy Gardner
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Director
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January 4, 2010 |
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Sir Roy Gardner |
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/s/ Sir Jeremy Hanley
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Director
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January 4, 2010 |
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Sir Jeremy Hanley |
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Signature |
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Date |
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/s/ Robyn S. Kravit
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Director
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January 4, 2010 |
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Robyn S. Kravit |
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/s/ Jeffrey B. Lane
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Director
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January 4, 2010 |
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Jeffrey B. Lane |
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/s/ Wendy E. Lane
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Director
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January 4, 2010 |
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Wendy E. Lane |
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/s/ James F. McCann
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Director
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January 4, 2010 |
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James F. McCann |
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/s/ Douglas B. Roberts
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Director
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January 4, 2010 |
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Douglas B. Roberts |
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exv5w1
Exhibit 5.1
Willis Group Holdings Public Limited Company
c/o Willis Group Limited
51 Lime Street
London, EC3M 7DQ
England and Wales
January 4, 2010
Dear Sirs
Willis Group Holdings Public Limited Company (the Company)
We have acted as your Irish counsel in connection with the post-effective amendment to the
registration statements on Form S-8 (File Nos. 333-63186 and 333-130605) (the Post-Effective
Amendment) to be filed by the Company with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission
(the SEC) pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933 on the date hereof with respect to the Companys
ordinary shares of par value US$00.000115 each (the Shares) to be issued and delivered under the
following plans (the Plans):
1998 Share Purchase and Option Plan for Key Employees of Willis Group Holdings
Willis Award Plan for Key Employees of Willis Group Holdings
Willis Group Holdings 2001 Share Purchase and Option Plan
For the purposes of this opinion we have examined and relied upon the documents listed, and in some
cases defined, in the Schedule to this opinion (the Documents).
We have made no searches or enquiries concerning, and we have not examined any contracts,
instruments or documents entered into by or affecting the Company or any other person, or any
corporate records of the aforesaid, save for those searches, enquiries, contracts, instruments,
documents or corporate records specified as being made or examined in this opinion.
This opinion is delivered in connection with the filing by the Company of the Post-Effective
Amendment with the SEC and is strictly limited to the matters stated herein and does not extend to,
and is not to be read as extending by implication to, any other matter.
Assumptions
For the purpose of giving this opinion we have assumed:
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the authenticity, accuracy and completeness of all Documents examined by us submitted to us
as originals and the conformity to authentic original documents of all Documents and other
such documentation submitted to us as certified, conformed, notarised, faxed or photostatic
copies; |
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that each of the Documents which was received by electronic means is complete, intact and in
conformity with the transmission as sent; |
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the genuineness of all signatures and seals on the Documents; |
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the authority, capacity and power of each of the persons signing the Documents (other than
the Company); |
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that: (a) the Company was fully solvent at the date hereof; (b) the Company would not, as a
consequence of doing any act or thing which the Post-Effective Amendment and/or all deeds,
instruments, assignments, agreements and other documents in relation to matters contemplated
thereby and/or this opinion (the Ancillary Documents) contemplate, permit or require the
Company to do, be insolvent; (c) no resolution or petition for the appointment of a liquidator
or examiner has been passed or presented in relation to the Company; and (d) no receiver has
been appointed in relation to any of the assets or undertaking of the Company; |
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that any Shares issued pursuant to the Plan will be paid up in consideration of the receipt
by the Company from the beneficiary prior to, or simultaneously with, the issue of such Shares
of cash and/or other consideration at least equal to the nominal value of such Shares and, to
the extent that any of the consideration for such Shares is not payable in cash, that the
provisions of Sections 29 and Section 30 of the Companies (Amendment) Act 1983 are complied
with; |
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that the Company has sufficient share capital to issue the required number of Shares to be
delivered to recipients of any awards granted under the Plan; |
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that there are no agreements or arrangements in existence which in any way amend or vary the
terms of the Post-Effective Amendment and/or the Ancillary Documents or in any way bear upon
or are inconsistent with the contents of this opinion; |
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that any representation, warranty or statement of fact or law, other than as to the laws of
Ireland made in any of the Documents is true, accurate and complete; |
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that there are no provisions of the laws or regulations of any jurisdiction other than
Ireland which would be contravened by the issuance of the Shares or which would have any
implication in relation to the opinions expressed herein; |
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that the Resolutions are in full force and effect, have not been rescinded, either in whole
or in part, and accurately record the resolutions passed by the Board of Directors of the
Company in a meeting which was duly convened and at which a duly constituted quorum was
present and voting throughout and that there is no matter affecting the authority of the
Directors to effect the issue of the Shares and the filing by the Company of the
Post-Effective Amendment, not disclosed by the Constitutional Documents (as defined in the
Schedule to this opinion) or the Resolutions, which would have any adverse implication in
relation to the opinions expressed herein; |
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that, when the Directors of the Company passed the Resolutions, each of the Directors
discharged his fiduciary duties to the Company and acted honestly and in good faith with a
view to the best interests of the Company; |
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that the filing of the Post-Effective Amendment will be made, and each of the transactions
referred to in the Post-Effective Amendment and the Ancillary Documents is and will be carried
out by each of the parties thereto in good faith, for the purpose of carrying on their
respective businesses, for the benefit of each of them respectively and on arms length
commercial terms; |
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that the information disclosed by the Searches (as defined in the Schedule to this opinion)
was accurate as of the date the Searches were made and has not been altered and that the
Searches did not fail to disclose any information which had been delivered for registration
but did not appear from the information available at the time the Searches were made or which
ought to have been delivered for registration at that time but had not been so delivered and
that no additional matters would have been disclosed by searches being carried out since that
time. |
Opinion
Based upon and subject to the foregoing and subject to the reservations set out below and to any
matter not disclosed to us, we are of the opinion that:
(1) |
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The Company is a public company limited by shares, is duly incorporated and validly existing
under the laws of Ireland and has the requisite corporate authority to issue the Shares. |
(2) |
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When the Shares have been issued, delivered and, if required, paid for pursuant to and in
accordance with the terms and conditions referred to or summarized in the applicable
resolutions and the Plan (including any applicable duly authorized award agreement or other
document accompanying the award, issuance or sale of the Shares), and when all consideration
payable in respect of such Shares has been paid in full, the Shares will be validly issued,
fully paid up and non-assessable (which term means when used herein that no further sums are
required to be paid by the holders thereof in connection with the issue of such shares). |
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Reservations
This opinion is subject to the following reservations:
(a) |
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We express no opinion as to any law other than Irish law and none of the opinions expressed
herein relates to compliance with or matters governed by the laws of any jurisdiction except
Ireland. This opinion is limited to Irish law as applied by the Courts of Ireland at the date
hereof. |
(b) |
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Any provision in the Post-Effective Amendment or the Ancillary Documents providing that any
calculation or certification is to be conclusive and binding will not be effective if such
calculation or certification is fraudulent and will not necessarily prevent judicial enquiry
into the merits of any claim by any party thereto. |
(c) |
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Searches of the Companies Registration Office, the Register of Winding Up Petitions at the
Central Office of the High Court and the Judgements Office in the Central Office of the High
Court are not conclusive and it should be noted that the Companies Registration Office, the
Register of Winding Up Petitions at the Central Office of the High Court and the Judgements
Office in the Central Office of the High Court do not reveal: |
|
(i) |
|
details of matters which should have been lodged for filing or registration at
the Companies Registration Office or the Central Office of the High Court but have not
been lodged for filing or registration at the date the search is concluded; |
|
|
(ii) |
|
whether any arbitration or administrative proceedings are pending in relation
to the Company or whether any proceedings are threatened against the Company, or
whether any arbitrator has been appointed; or |
|
|
(iii) |
|
whether a receiver or manager has been appointed privately pursuant to the
provisions of a debenture or other security, unless notice of the fact has been entered
in the Register of Charges maintained by the Companies Registration Office. |
(d) |
|
A search at the Companies Registration Office is not capable of revealing whether or not a
winding up petition or a petition for the appointment of an examiner has been presented. |
(e) |
|
A search at the Registry of Winding up Petitions at the Central Office of the High Court is
not capable of revealing whether or not a receiver has been appointed. |
(f) |
|
While each of the making of a winding up order, the making of an order for the appointment of
an examiner and the appointment of a receiver may be revealed by a search at the Companies
Registration Office, it may not be filed at the Companies Registration Office immediately and,
therefore, our searches at the Companies Registration Office may not have revealed such
matters. |
(g) |
|
In the absence of a statutorily defined system for the registration of charges created by
companies incorporated outside Ireland (overseas companies) over their assets located in
Ireland, it is not possible to determine definitively from searches of the Register of Charges
maintained by the Registrar of Companies in respect of such overseas companies what charges
have been registered over any of their assets located in Ireland or whether any one charge has
priority over any other charge over such assets. |
(h) |
|
In order to issue this opinion we have carried out the Searches and have not enquired as to
whether there has been any change since the date of such Searches. |
Disclosure
This opinion is addressed to you in connection with the filing by the Company of the Post-Effective
Amendment with the SEC solely for the benefit of the Company and (save as referred to in the
following paragraph), is not to be relied upon for any other purpose or quoted, or referred to in
any public document, or filed with any governmental agency or person without our prior written
consent, except as may be required by law.
3
We consent to the inclusion of this opinion as an exhibit to the Post-Effective Amendment.
This opinion speaks as of its date and is strictly limited to the matters stated herein and we
assume no obligation to review or update this opinion if applicable law or the existing facts or
circumstances should change.
This opinion is governed by and is to be construed in accordance with Irish law. It is given on the
basis that it will not give rise to any legal proceedings with respect thereto in any jurisdiction
other than Ireland.
Yours faithfully
/s/ Matheson Ormsby Prentice
MATHESON ORMSBY PRENTICE
4
SCHEDULE
1. |
|
Searches (the Searches) made on 4 January 2010 at the Companies Registration Office, in the
Register of Winding Up Petitions at the Central Office of the High Court and at the Judgements
Office in the Central Office of the High Court against the Company; |
2. |
|
A certified copy of the certificate of incorporation and memorandum and articles of
association of the Company (collectively, the Constitutional Documents); |
3. |
|
A certified copy of resolutions of the directors of the Company dated December 15, 2009
approving the contents and filing of the Post-Effective Amendment and the acts contemplated
thereby (the Resolutions). |
4. |
|
A copy of the Post-Effective Amendment. |
5. |
|
Corporate Certificate of the Company dated 4 January 2010. |
5
exv23w1
Exhibit 23.1
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 and 1 to the
Registration Statement on Form S-8 (No. 333-63186 and No. 333-130605, respectively) of our report
dated February 27, 2009, relating to the consolidated financial statements and financial statement
schedule of Willis Group Holdings Limited and subsidiaries and the effectiveness of Willis Group
Holdings Limited and subsidiaries internal control over financial reporting, appearing in the
Annual Report on Form 10-K of Willis Group Holdings Limited and subsidiaries for the year ended
December 31, 2008.
/s/ Deloitte LLP
Deloitte LLP
London, United Kingdom
December 31, 2009