Willis Towers Watson announced the launch of a new Reputational Risk Quantification Model on February 18, 2026. The model, built on data from Polecat’s real‑time intelligence platform, translates the uncertainty of a celebrity’s reputation into scenario‑based estimates of sales and profit impact for clients who partner with public figures.
Reputation has become a top risk for 99% of companies, and WTW’s new tool positions the firm as a first‑mover in quantifying the financial consequences of a celebrity endorsement that goes awry. The launch is part of WTW’s broader strategy to deepen its technology portfolio, which already includes AI‑enabled solutions such as Radar 5 and Gemini. By adding a data‑driven reputation metric, WTW expands its risk analytics suite into a high‑growth niche that was previously measured only qualitatively.
The model pulls real‑time signals from Polecat’s extensive online source analysis, allowing clients to run scenario simulations that estimate how a reputational event could affect revenue and margins. By converting intangible reputational risk into measurable numbers, the tool gives clients a concrete basis for evaluating and managing endorsement decisions, and for setting risk limits or pricing premiums on sponsorship contracts.
The introduction of the model is expected to deepen client engagement and open new revenue streams in the brand‑risk consulting segment. It aligns with WTW’s goal of accelerating performance and optimizing its portfolio by offering a differentiated, data‑rich service that can be bundled with existing risk and insurance products. The first‑mover advantage also strengthens WTW’s competitive positioning against other risk‑analytics providers that have yet to address celebrity‑endorsement risk in a quantifiable way.
James Gillespie, Head of Data & Analytics at Willis, said the model “translates what was once a subjective judgement into quantifiable insight. By measuring the potential impact of a celebrity endorsement gone wrong, we are helping clients put real numbers behind reputational risk and make decisions grounded in data.” James Lawn, CEO of Polecat, added that the partnership “combines Polecat’s real‑time intelligence with Willis’s actuarial expertise, giving organisations the ability to quantify what was previously intangible and manage it accordingly.”
In the context of WTW’s recent performance, the company reported Q4 2025 revenue of $2.94 billion, beating estimates of $2.87 billion, and an EPS of $8.12 versus an estimate of $7.93. Full‑year 2025 organic growth was 5%, with an adjusted operating margin expanding 130 basis points to 25.2%. The strong financial backdrop underscores WTW’s capacity to invest in new technology solutions and reinforces confidence in the strategic value of the new model within its Health, Wealth & Career and Risk & Broking segments.
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