Aviso Specialty has launched in Australia, consolidating Fitzpatrick Insurance Brokers, Arete Risk Solutions, and Amicus into a unified brand.
The new entity aims to serve the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector, as well as corporate specialty insurance and risk advisory markets.
This merger brings together the 30-year history and national reach of the three firms, capitalising on their industry relationships and expertise.
Aviso Specialty CEO Travis Kemp said that the integration prioritised both customer service and the retention of staff, with all transitions now complete.
“There has been a lot of work behind the scenes to get us to this point, and we want to thank everyone for their support and loyalty,” he said.
He also recognised the work of the founders of Fitzpatrick, Amicus, and Arete, pointing out the local community ties and reputations cultivated by Fitzpatrick and Amicus, as well as the rapid growth and customer engagement achieved by Arete.
“Likewise, Arete in 12 short months has created an incredible network of people and new customers who are enjoying our flexibility, responsiveness, and customer-centred approach,” he said. “It is from these strong foundations that we will build a new, integrated, and national business.”
Aviso Specialty employs 140 staff across eight offices nationwide and is expected to generate more than $280 million in gross written premium (GWP) in 2024.
Barry Fitzpatrick, founder of Fitzpatrick & Co and now chairman of Aviso Specialty, characterised the merger as a blend of local broking expertise with risk advisory and specialty services.
“When we founded Aviso Group with Envest, we always envisioned a local broker service with global reach and clout,” he said. “We can now put our hand on heart and deliver on that promise with Aviso Specialty.”
The launch is supported by Envest, an Australian insurance group owned by The Ardonagh Group. In February, Kemp shared his insights on the merger, announced by Envest during the same month.
In an interview with Insurance Business, Kemp said the main reason for the merger was business growth.
“We had the Arete business which was growing really rapidly,” he told Insurance Business. “That was Envest’s first foray into the corporate marketplace that traditionally has been the domain of the international brokers.”
