London – 24 June 2004 – Sir Archy Kirkwood, the Liberal Democrat MP and Chair of the Work and Pensions Select Committee, today presented Aon Consulting's 20^th Pension & Investment Journalist of the Year Awards at a lunchtime reception at the House of Commons.  This year's winners are:

• Stephen Womack  ( Financial Mail on Sunday ), who topped the poll in the 'CONSUMER PENSION AND INVESTMENT JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR' category;
• Tony Tassell  ( Financial Times) , who saw off rival business journalists to win
  'BUSINESS PENSION & INVESTMENT JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR' award;
• Andrew Capon (Institutional Investor),  who took home the top prize in the 'TECHNICAL PENSION & INVESTMENT JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR' category;
• Simon Falush (Investment Week) , who secured top marks in the BEST 'NEWCOMER TO PENSION & INVESTMENT JOURNALISM', a new award category which acknowledges talented newcomers to the industry;
• Stephanie Hawthorne (Pensions World) ,  who polled the most votes from her fellow journalists to win the 'PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD' , in recognition of her outstanding contribution to pensions and investment journalism over the past year.   

In addition, a new award category has been introduced to mark the 20^th anniversary of these awards and acknowledge the ‘MOST OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO PENSIONS AND INVESTMENT JOURNALISM’.   Norma Cohen (Financial Times) was the unanimous choice of this year’s judging panel to receive this new award.                           

These industry awards were introduced by Aon Consulting, one of the country's leading firms of actuaries, employee benefit and human resources consultants in 1984. The awards are specifically designed to recognise the contribution of those journalists who most effectively assist the understanding of pensions and investment matters.   They also recognise the work of journalists who provide technical or analytical comment for professionals working in these areas - pensions specialists, fund managers, independent advisers.

The business, consumer and technical award winners each received a cheque for £1,300.   Winners of the People’s Choice and Newcomer award categories were presented with a £1,000 cash prize each. And the winner of the Most Outstanding Contribution award picked up a cheque for £1,500.   All six winners were also presented with permanent mementoes of engraved sterling silver ‘armada’ dishes.

Presentations were also made to the runners-ups who were: Simon Gomperz (Working Lunch) and Rupert Jones (The Guardian) in the CONSUMER CATEGORY; Ian Fraser(Sunday Herald) and Hugh Wheelan (IPE) in the BUSINESS CATEGORY, and; Padraig Floyd (Pensions Management) and Nicole Pedersen-Mackinnon (Money Management) in the ‘TECHNICAL CATEGORY’.  Jon Cudby (Money Management) also received a runner-up prize in the 'NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR' category.  All runner-ups received a prize of £500. 

Ron Amy, Chairman & Chief Executive of Aon Consulting said: “This is the twentieth year that Aon Consulting has sponsored the Pension & Investment Journalist of the Year Awards. We are delighted that so many journalists continue to enter the Awards – well over 40 entered this year.  It is vital that we encourage greater pension provision and that more of the UK public have a better understanding of savings and investment.  Journalists play a vital role in communicating this message clearly at a time when many people have become pretty disillusioned about pensions and investment returns.”                      

Note to Editors:

Aon Consulting is a leading human capital consultancy, helping organisations of every size to attract and keep the employees they need. We advise on all aspects of employment, including health-related insurance and risk; employee compensation and pensions; human resource strategy planning; job design and change management; and staff assessment and legal issues.

Aon Consulting is a division of Aon, the UK’s largest insurance broker and provider of risk management services, a major force in reinsurance and the UK human capital consulting market.  Aon Consulting Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

This press release may contain certain statements relating to future results, which are forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from either historical or anticipated results, depending on a variety of factors. Potential factors that could impact results include the general economic conditions in different countries around the world, fluctuations in global equity and fixed income markets, exchange rates, rating agency actions, pension funding, changes in commercial property and casualty markets and commercial premium rates, the competitive environment, the actual cost of resolution of contingent liabilities and other loss contingencies, the ultimate impact of the business transformation plan, and the timing and resolution of related insurance and reinsurance issues relating to the events of September 11, 2001.

Further information concerning the Company and its business, including factors that potentially could materially affect the Company's financial results, are contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Aon Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority in respect of insurance mediation activities only.