Commercial
Seventeen Group boosted turnover but losses widened in run-up to PE investment
Seventeen Group grew turnover by 16.4% to £52.76m in 2024 helped by 11 acquisitions however the cost of the deals hit the bottom line.
Gallagher names Belfast and Bristol office bosses
Gallagher has appointed Michael McLaverty as head of its Belfast office and expanded Mark Holmes’s role to included being managing director of the Bristol office.
SRG starts 2026 buying with Kennett
In its first deal of the year, Specialist Risk Group has agreed to buy Kennett Insurance & Risk Management, which has offices in Hull and Leeds.
Interview: Phil Barton and Ewan MacDonald, Partners&
Partners& leaders Phil Barton and Ewan MacDonald on phase three of the broker as it hits profitability ahead of schedule and plans to near double in the next three years.
Partners& seals first deal of 2026 with North East buy
Partners& has made its first acquisition of the year with the purchase of STP Risk Solutions, a chartered insurance broker based in Hull.
UK & Ireland CEO Stephanie Ogden leaves HDI for Munich Re
Stephanie Ogden, CEO of HDI Global UK & Ireland, will leave on 31 January ahead of joining Munich Re on 1 March.
Motor MGA KGM boosts Zurich deal to £2bn+ over five years
KGM has renewed its capacity deal with Zurich for a further five years tapping into backing for over £2bn in gross written premium, Insurance Age can reveal.
Axa Commercial CEO Walker to head retail arm on interim basis after Zweibrucker exit
Axa has confirmed that its UK commercial CEO, Jon Walker, has also taken interim control of its retail business while it finds a replacement for the former incumbent, Alain Zweibrucker.
Aon’s Andersen to replace Zaffino as AIG CEO
AIG has announced that group chairman and CEO Peter Zaffino intends to retire and transition to executive chair by mid-year.
Coalition UK expands footprint
Cyber insurer Coalition has expanded its ability to deliver cover to organisations based in the Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey, the remaining Channel Islands, and Gibraltar.
MGU recruits NEDs from Google and Microsoft and opens Lloyd’s box
Managing general underwriter Advanced Technology Assurance has recruited a pair of former big tech executives to its board and opened an underwriting desk in Lloyd’s.
Partners& reveals first annual pre-tax and operating profits
Partners& has revealed pre-tax profit of £2.38m and operating profit of £1.82m, turning its red ink to black for the first time in its history across the two key metrics.
W Denis maintains profits as turnover dips
Leeds-headquartered broker W Denis kept pre-tax profits at £1.55m in the year ended 30 June 2025 despite turnover slipping 13.1%.
TBIG closed 2025 with seventh deal
The Broker Investment Group completed its seventh deal of 2025 at the end of December backing The Needham Group to buy Black Lion Broking Services.
End of Year Review 2025: Zurich Insurance’s Nikki Lidster
Nikki Lidster, head of SME at Zurich Insurance, reminisces about connecting with broker partners at the Biba Conference and promises if they want to get in touch with the business, they will get through to a skilled Zurich employee – never a bot.
End of Year Review 2025: Allianz UK’s Nick Hobbs
Nick Hobbs, chief distribution officer at Allianz UK, prays for a more balanced approach to regulation that enables and encourages great conduct and customer outcomes; congratulates Ken Norgrove for the Intact rebrand; and looks to a feathered friend for…
End of Year Review 2025: Markel UK’s Joanne Skyes
Joanne Sykes, divisional director - broker at Markel UK, predicts an escalation in demand for cyber risk and ransomware cover, whilst singing the praises of Biba CEO Trudgill and ‘Yellow’ with Coldplay’s Chris Martin.
Travel insurance broker goes into liquidation
Michael Pettifer Insurance Brokers, trading as MPI Brokers, went into creditors’ voluntary liquidation on 21 November, the Financial Conduct Authority has confirmed.
End of Year Review 2025: Crawford & Co’s Glenn Thornton
Glenn Thornton, head of major and complex loss at Crawford & Company, says farewell to two insurance icons in ‘Royal’ and ‘Sun Alliance’; hails the youngest deputy president CILA has ever had in Marsh’s Melissa Cunningham; and predicts AI driven dynamic…
End of Year Review 2025: Gallagher’s Gary Fletcher
Gary Fletcher, managing director of commercial at Gallagher UK Retail, is proud of the broker’s data led client tools and digital strategy; and favours a duet with Coldplay’s Chris Martin over his employer’s namesake Liam from Oasis.
Amiga targets SME and mid-market with new Lloyd’s capacity for management liability
Amiga Specialty has secured new Lloyd’s capacity to support its management liability proposition for SME and mid-market businesses across the UK, Europe and select rest of-world territories.
MBP invests in cyber broker taking deal count to four in recent months
Peter Cullum-backed Minority Broker Partnerships has invested in London-based specialist cyber and technology insurance broker and digital platform, Cyber Cover.
Interview: Tigi Singhateh and Adrian Best, Invicta Insurance Services
Since coming on board in 2022, Invicta Insurance Services’ leaders have doubled the size of the business, despite having to deal with a fraudster. With the now ex-employee jailed and the case firmly behind them, they are targeting doubling again.
Clear Group co-founder Lickens to retire
The Clear Group has announced that Howard Lickens, co-founder of the business with Gary O’Donnell, will retire at the end of this year.