Profiles
34. SMART AND COOK GROUP
4-6 RIPON ROAD
HARROGATE
NORTH YORKSHIRE HG1 2HH
TEL: 01423 522 431
FAX: 01423 523 467
EMAIL: PAUL.MEEHAN@SMARTANDCOOK.CO.UK
WEBSITE: WWW.SMARTANDCOOK.CO.UK + WWW.SMARTANDCOOK.CO.UK
FEE AND COMMISSION INCOME (2004): £21.4m
PRE-TAX PROFIT: N/A
NUMBER OF UK BRANCHES: 15
NUMBER OF UK EMPLOYEES: 450
CHIEF OFFICER: PAUL MEEHAN, MANAGING DIRECTOR
HISTORY
Smart and Cook aims to provide professional insurance broking and financial advice of the highest standards. Since its establishment it has grown consistently, partly through client recommendation and professional introduction and partly by planned acquisitions, but it has never lost sight of this founding philosophy.
As one of the UK's leading independently-owned insurance broking and financial services organisations, Smart and Cook serves a wide range of corporate businesses, including professional practices, financial institutions and public limited companies as well as private clients.
Today's continually changing environment has placed increased demands on businesses and individuals alike. As a consequence, professional advice has never been so important.
MAJOR SHAREHOLDERS
3i, family of Geoff Cook, management.
MAIN LINES OF BUSINESS
General insurance, financial services, consulting/risk management and credit insurance consultancy.
SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
Smart and Cook Group; Smart and Cook; Smart and Cook Consulting; Smart and Cook Financial Services; Smart & Cook Holdings; Credit Insurance Consultants.
CHIEF OFFICER BIOGRAPHY
Paul Meehan joined Smart and Cook in June 1987 (brokerage was then less than £1m, with 23 employees.) He became group managing director in June 1991.
He transformed the company into a multi-site business (13 offices, 340 staff) increasing brokerage to over £16.8m by acquisition and team creation to what is now one of the top two independent brokers in the UK.
Elected chairman of the North Eastern region of Biba in 1994, Meehan reduced the committee's average age by 10 years to bring about a fresh approach to representation in the region.
Meehan was elected as an IBRC councillor in 1995 and with other committee members steered and influenced the Insurance Brokers' Registration Act.
He also chaired the disciplinary committee for three years.
A founder member of the Broker Alliance in 1997, he became its first and current chairman.
Meehan is heavily involved personally in support of children's charities, particularly Children In Need, for which he has raised in excess of £75,000.
