The rapid expansion of independent broker and underwriter Bennett Christmas has continued today with the announcement of another significant acquisition.
The Burgess Hill-based firm has acquired Slade Edwards Insurance Brokers, based in Horsham, as it looks to expand its gross written premium in line with its five-year business plan.
As part of the move, existing staff members of the four-decade old Slade Edwards will become part of the Bennett Christmas team from September onwards. Among the names making the switch are Julia Crow, who will become operations manager, Anthony Birch, who will oversee risk management, and Nigel Slaughter, who will take up a role as an associate director.
“We’re delighted to welcome Slade Edwards, a well-respected company in the Sussex community, into the Bennett Christmas family. Their team shares our commitment and passion for personalised, local and face-to-face service,” said Mark Bennett, CEO.
“They are also one of the leading players in the market for ice cream and catering van insurance which brings a unique offering to our product range. Their specialist risk management division also allows us to expand our service offering. This acquisition complements Bennett Christmas’s business plan of being a provider of niche products within its underwriting arm.”
Slade Edwards’s managing director Anthony Birch also outlined his enthusiasm for the move.
“We are pleased to place our long established business in independent, local hands,” he said. “Our aligned processes and procedures will ensure that our customers continue to receive the high levels of service they’re used to and benefit from the broader service offering that our combined businesses will provide.”
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