Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.
Executive Editor, Book Development and Publishing, American Bar Association. Former Associate Editor, EncyclopĂŠdia Britannica. Contributor to The Next Phase of Business Ethics: Integrating Psychology and Ethics.
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Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.
Edward M. Liddy testifying before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Washington, D.C., 2009.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
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January 28, 1946, New Brunswick, New Jersey, U.S.
Also Known As:
Edward Michael Liddy
Edward M. Liddyis an American businessman who held executive positions at a number of companies, including G.D. Searle; Sears, Roebuck and Co.; Allstate Corp; and AIG (American International Group).
Liddy was educated in Washington, D.C., earning a B.A. (1968) from the Catholic University of America and an M.B.A. (1972) from George Washington University. He began his career with International Harvester Co., a leading manufacturer of agricultural, transportation, and industrial equipment; he also worked for Ford Motor Co. and Ryder Systems, a truck-rental firm, before joining the pharmaceutical manufacturer G.D. Searle as a senior vice president in 1979. He became Searleâs chief financial officer (CFO) in 1981 under CEO Donald Rumsfeld.
Sears, Roebuck and Co. hired Liddy in 1988, and he became CFO in 1992. In that job he gained crucial background in the insurance and financial industries, especially through his work as the head of insurance company Allstate Corp., a Sears subsidiary. Liddy oversaw the spin-off of Allstate from Sears and was named chief operating officer (COO) of the newly public firm, Allstate Insurance Co., in 1994. He remained at Allstate as COO (1994â98), president (1995â2005), CEO (1999â2006), and chairman of the board (1999â2008) of parent company Allstate Corp. He reengineered the company by laying off much of its sales force and implementing Web-based customer service and sales. Liddy retired from Allstate in April 2008, but he continued to serve on some of the countryâs most prestigious corporate boards, including 3M, Boeing, and Goldman Sachs.
In September 2008, as the global financial crisis that came to be often called the Great Recession was taking hold, Liddy was appointed CEO of AIG (at an annual salary of $1) as the insurance company was facing trillions of dollars in losses. Deemed âtoo big to fail,â AIG had received an estimated $170 billion in federal bailout funds and was required by the U.S. government to sell, barter, and broker its way out of its failures. To this end, Liddy sold several businesses as well as stakes in some units. His work also involved managingâand speaking toâthe firmâs past failures. In August 2009 he retired from AIG.
