Insch will work closely with head of M&A of Gallagher International Oliver Homer

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Arthur J Gallagher has hired Keith Insch as UK acquisition manager.

He will report to Oliver Homer who joined the broker as head of M&A of Gallagher’s International division in March from broker Cooper Gay Swett & Crawford.

In his new role Insch will work closely with Homer on sourcing acquisition opportunities in the UK, negotiating the deals and integration.

Insch joins Gallagher from Towergate Partnership where he was the director of acquisition development.

Last December Gallagher chairman and president Pat Gallagher told Insurance Times the major acquisitions it undertook in 2013 and 2014 had given the broker a credible platform to execute smaller tuck-in acquisitions with turnovers upwards of £3m.

The broker would not be drawn in on the specific number of acquisitions it was planning to make with the recent hires in its M&A team.

But a Gallagher spokesperson added: “In the UK, having created a strong platform through our recent expansion, we continue to look for the right value-enhancing bolt-ons — smaller businesses that share our entrepreneurial spirit and strengthen the breadth and depth of our specialisms.

“Internationally, we’re always evaluating opportunities within new and emerging markets where we can establish a meaningful presence and drive growth.”