Ardonagh Europe Limited (Ardonagh Europe) a Dublin-headquartered subsidiary of The Ardonagh Group (Ardonagh), has today revealed it has agreed to acquire Leons Group, a Netherlands-based independent insurance broker and consultancy firm. The deal is subject to the receipt of unconditional regulatory approvals.
Headquartered in Amsterdam and founded in 1951 by Max Léons, Léons Group supports corporate clients with full-service insurance solutions and is well regarded for its expertise in complex cases and international operations.
Having celebrated its 71st anniversary early last month, the broker will continue to operate independently as part of Ardonagh Europe under the direct leadership of CEO Sunny and Nico Léons alongside the shareholders and current management team. The Léons family will maintain a stake in the business as part of the transaction.
Léons Group is also a founding member and shareholder of Brokerslink - a global network bringing together independent brokers from 125 countries to support them with risk management and insurance services. CEO Sunny Léons was a board member of Brokerslink for many years and helped drive further consolidation.
Commenting on the deal, Conor Brennan, CEO of Ardonagh Europe said he was excited to welcome Léons Group to Ardonagh and to work together to build on their existing reputation and presence.
“Sunny and Nico have built a unique business with a special culture that will fit perfectly alongside the portfolio of independent businesses that Ardonagh has acquired over the last number of years,” he continued. “We are very excited by what we can achieve with our new partners in the Netherlands.”
Sunny Léons highlighted that Ardonagh Group and its leadership team are a “perfect match” for the broker’s vision and growth ambitions. He added that Léons Group was pleased to be joining forces with a global platform with both scale and a dynamic culture that embraces its family-owned concept.
“With access to Ardonagh’s considerable resource and capital,” he said, “we look forward to joining them as our growth engine together with MDS and other partners, to build on an international group as individual partners.”
David Ross, CEO of The Ardonagh Group, also commented on the deal and said: “Welcoming this leading independent Dutch firm into the group continues our meaningful global investment and further strengthens our relationship with members of Brokerslink. With independence core to our own success, this is a testament to the respect we have for this network, and the strength and quality of its membership.”
It’s the latest expansion into the international market for the Ardonagh Group which, in December 2021, announced its acquisition of MDS Group, a broker and risk management advisor across the Portuguese-speaking world and Europe, and another founding member and shareholder in Brokerslink.
