Broker Verlingue Expands UK Footprint With Acquisition of Brunsdon Employee Benefits

Verlingue has announced the acquisition of Gloucester, England-based Brunsdon Employee Benefits, an independently owned employee benefits specialist.

The deal, subject to regulatory approval, supports Verlingue’s recent expansion in the Midlands and Southwest and significantly boosts its employee benefits capabilities in the SME and mid-corporate market. Financial details of the deal were not provided.

The acquisition aligns with Verlingue Group’s 2024 strategic plan to create a major European, family-owned, independent insurance broker and has reinforced its ambition after the acquisition, early July, of INSER, one of the leading independent players in the Italian insurance brokerage market.

Brunsdon Employee Benefits provides schemes and advice to a broad portfolio of clients in the Southwest and across the UK.

The whole of the Brunsdon Employee Benefits team will join Verlingue as part of the deal and current Managing Director Seb Merritt, will take on the role of head of Employee Benefits reporting into CEO Mike Latham.

Mark Pugh, currently head of Employee Benefits, will take the opportunity to relinquish previous operational responsibilities and will now concentrate on expanding and delivering Verlingue’s multinational, major client and partnership propositions.

The acquisition follows hot on the heels of the launch of a new general insurance office in Birmingham covering the Midlands and South West.

“This is an exciting acquisition for Verlingue which not only expands our footprint in the employee benefits market but builds on our recent expansion as a group in the Midlands and South West. Our strategy is to continue to grow our employee benefits operation,” commented Mike Latham, CEO, Verlingue.

Verlingue Ltd. employs over 170 employees in offices in Manchester, Redhill, and Egham, as well as the London market. (It is headquartered in Redhill, England). It supports small corporate/large SMEs for general insurance, employee benefits and risk management services across a range of specialist sectors. The business is owned by French parent company Verlingue, an independent insurance broker that employs more than 1,000 people with offices in France, Portugal, Switzerland, Great Britain, Italy. Based in Quimper, France, it places premiums in excess of €2 billion.

Source: Verlingue