Brown and Brown Europe makes first UK broking acquisition since rebranding

Brown and Brown Europe has acquired Berkeley Insurance – its first UK broking acquisition since rebranding from Global Risk Partners earlier this year (11 September 2023).

Leicester-based Berkeley is a chartered insurance broker that aims its services at high-quality mid-market customers.

Its specialisms include commercial property and construction, financial risks, cyber, private client and corporate client insurance.

A statement released today (5 October 2023) said the firm would become part of Brown and Brown’s UK retail division as part of the deal.

Mike Bruce, chief executive of Brown and Brown Europe, said: “Berkeley is an excellent advice-led broker that is characterised by strong organic growth, a clear strategy and a highly entrepreneurial, respected management team.

“It brings a number of sector, product and proposition capabilities to our retail division in the mid-market customer segment.

”We are keen to build on Berkeley’s success in this market sector. We will be looking to leverage the Berkeley team’s extensive experience and areas of specialism across our UK operations.”

’Cultural alignment’

As part of the deal, Berkeley’s chairman and chief executive Tim Maxted, the wider management team and all staff will move over to Brown and Brown’s UK retail division.

The brand will remain and the business will continue to trade from its current offices.

Maxted said: “We have always prided ourselves on our position as one of the UK’s leading advice-led brokers in the mid-market.

”Having discussed our future objectives and ambitions with Mike and Powell Brown, it quickly became clear that there was true strategic and cultural alignment between us.”