Tag Archives: Insurance

CBPE to realise its investment in Compre Group

CBPE

CBPE Capital LLP (“CBPE”) is pleased to announce that it has exchanged contracts on the sale of Compre Group (“Compre”) to Cinven and British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (“BCI”).  The sale is expected to complete in 2021, following the receipt of regulatory approvals.

Terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.

Compre is a leading insurance specialist with over 30 years of experience in the acquisition and management of discontinued and legacy non-life insurance and reinsurance portfolios. The business manages a wide range of insurance classes, from marine through to motor, with operations in Finland, Germany, Malta, Switzerland, Bermuda and the UK.

CBPE invested in Compre in 2015 at a time when the introduction of Solvency II regulations was fuelling an associated increase in the demand for legacy services.  Since investing, CBPE has supported the development of a multi-jurisdictional platform with an efficient approach to originating and executing acquisitions and a highly professional approach to claims management. This has included a comprehensive restructuring of the Group’s regional European insurance carrier structure to improve capital efficiency. CBPE has also proactively enhanced the senior management team with the introduction of several new and experienced Board members.

Under CBPE ownership, Compre was able to complete and integrate 21 acquisitions over five years resulting in a fourfold increase in Net Tangible Asset Value.

Will Bridger, CEO of Compre Group, said:

“The business has transformed during CBPE’s investment period and, as an investor, they have encouraged and supported us in realising our growth ambitions and in expanding into new juristictions and new insurance markets. We now have the foundations for significant future growth.”

Mathew Hutchinson and Richard Thompson, Partners at CBPE, said:

“We have enjoyed working with a great management team at Compre. The past five years have seen the business develop and grow significantly, and we are incredibly proud of what has been achieved and the quality of the platform that we have built.”

Following the completion of the sale of Compre, CBPE will have realised 11 of the 13 investments in CBPE Capital Fund VIII generating a 2.5x multiple of invested capital.

The exit continues CBPE’s strong track record of investing in the financial services sector.  The realisation of Compre follows the earlier sucessful exits of Xafinity and JTC from Fund VIII.  Current investments in the financial services sector include Centralis Group and Perspective Financial Group.

CBPE’s investment in Compre Group was led by Mathew Hutchinson and Richard Thompson with support from Harry Hewlett.

CBPE and the shareholders were advised by Canaccord Genuity (corporate finance), Reed Smith (legal), PwC (Financial and commercial diligence), EY (actuarial diligence) and DLA Piper (legal diligence).

Management were advised by Liberty Corporate Finance (equity terms), DLA Piper (legal) and Capstar (communications).

Contact: Mathew Hutchinson
Date: Nov 30, 2020

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Cinven and BCI to acquire Compre

Cinven

Cinven, an international private equity firm, and British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (“BCI”), one of Canada’s largest institutional investors, today announce that they have reached an agreement to acquire Compre, a specialist global consolidator of closed books of non-life insurance policies, from CBPE Capital LLP. Financial details of the transaction are not disclosed.

Compre is focused on the acquisition and management of discontinued (also known as ‘run-off’) non- life insurance portfolios and has operations in the UK, Bermuda, Finland, Germany, Malta and Switzerland. The global non-life insurance run-off market is growing steadily, driven by insurers’ increasing focus on balance sheet optimisation, capital efficiency and disposals of non-core business lines. Compre has a proven track record of acquiring portfolios from major institutions including Allianz, Generali, HSBC and Swiss Re. Founded in 1991, Compre employs c. 80 people at its offices in the UK, Continental Europe, and Bermuda.

Cinven and BCI believe that Compre is an attractive investment opportunity based on:

  • Compre’s high-quality, cash and capital-generative business model, that delivers highly predictable long-term profits, with significant downside protection;
  • Its strong and established market position in the European non-life insurance legacy market and, more recently, its growing market position in the US market through its Bermuda platform, with further ambitions to enter the Lloyd’s market going forward;
  • Its track record of acquiring and managing non-life legacy businesses over more than 30 years, comprising 11 company acquisitions and 39 portfolio transactions across various jurisdictions across Continental Europe, the UK and the US;
  • Its proven financial track record of steady and consistent growth in recent years, delivering robust performance through the COVID-19 pandemic and prior downturns;
  • The significant opportunity to capitalise on the increasing demand for legacy solutions and offer its products to a broader range of international clients; and
  • An exceptional management and leadership team, led by CEO, Will Bridger, with significant expertise across its specialist areas.

The Compre transaction represents the second investment from Cinven’s new financial services sector-focused strategy, which will be focused on similar long-term investment opportunities across Europe.

Cinven Funds’ previous investments in the European insurance sector include Guardian Financial Services in the UK; Eurovita in Italy; and Viridium in Germany. Cinven recently announced an agreement to acquire Miller, a specialist insurance broker. Other financial services investments by the Cinven Funds include Partnership Assurance, NewDay, Avolon and Premium Credit.

BCI has made a number of investments in financial services companies, including Hayfin Capital Management, Verifone, and BMS Group.

Luigi Sbrozzi, Partner of Cinven, commented:

“Cinven is delighted to be investing in Compre alongside BCI. Over the last 30 years Compre has built a proven platform in the highly specialised insurance and reinsurance run-off market, and a reputation amongst its clients for consistently creating and realising value. Compre is extremely well placed to access new growth markets, such as the US and Lloyd’s, and to broaden its client offering further. We look forward to working with Compre’s management team to deliver these growth opportunities, drawing on the deep expertise of the Cinven team in the insurance sector.”

Jim Pittman, Executive Vice President & Global Head, Private Equity, BCI, said:

“We are impressed by the quality of the platform built by Will Bridger and his team and are excited to partner alongside Cinven to support the continued growth of the business. BCI’s investment in Compre follows as a result of our proactive, sector focused origination strategy and relationship building efforts with the company. We look forward to supporting Compre in its development and in turn providing attractive and stable long-term risk-adjusted returns for our pension plan and insurance fund clients.”

Will Bridger, CEO, Compre, added:

“We are also delighted to be partnering with Cinven and BCI as we embark upon our next phase of growth. This has been a historic year for Compre. We completed our first US transaction, launched our Bermudian reinsurer and now, subject to regulatory approval, have new shareholders supporting further growth of the business. This was made possible through the commitment of everyone at Compre and our drive and determination for what we do. The legacy market is on an exciting trajectory and, together with our new shareholders, we will be best placed to deliver the ambitious plan we have for Compre.”

The transaction is expected to complete in Q2 2021 and is subject to regulatory approvals.

Cinven and BCI advisors included: Macquarie Capital (M&A); Allen & Overy and Latham & Watkins (Legal); PwC (Commercial, Financial, Actuarial, Operations, IT); FTI Consulting (Actuarial, Operations, IT, Communications); Deloitte (Tax, Structuring) and Marsh (Insurance).

Management advisers were Liberty Corporate Finance (Financial Advisor) and DLA Piper (Legal and Tax).

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Japan’s Mitsui Sumitomo to invest $350 million in insurance startup Hippo

Horizons Ventures

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company, a subsidiary of Japan’s MS&AD Insurance Group, will invest $350 million in U.S. home insurance technology company Hippo Enterprises to fund its next stage of growth, the companies said in a joint statement on Tuesday.

Mitsui bought a convertible note in Hippo that will turn into an equity stake the next time it raises new funds, Hippo Chief Executive Officer Assaf Wand told Reuters in an interview.

MS&AD’s venture arm was part of Hippo’s Series E funding round that was announced in July, and the new investment – which is accompanied by a plan to sign a reinsurance agreement with Mitsui Sumitomo – builds on that partnership.

Hippo was valued at $1.5 billion in July, although Wand noted this figure was now outdated because of market developments and the growth of the business. He declined to disclose an updated valuation.

“We have been very thoughtful on the people that we’ve bought into the capital structure and how can they help us build the biggest franchise,” said Wand.

Insurance technology startups such as Hippo have been growing rapidly in the pandemic as more consumers seek quotes and policies remotely.

Investors have funneled billions of dollars into the public offerings for Lemonade Inc, Root Inc and SelectQuote Inc this year, at significantly higher valuations than traditional insurance companies.

Asked if Hippo could become a publicly traded company in 2021, raise new funds from private investors or seek a sale, Wand said the company was evaluating all these options.

The Mitsui Sumitomo investment will allow Hippo to continue growing its product range and expand in new U.S. markets. Hippo aims to be able to offer services to about 95% of the U.S. population in the next year, Wand said.

Hippo’s other investors include Comcast Ventures, and technology-focused investment firms Dragoneer and BOND.

(Reporting by David French in New York; Editing by Rashmi Aich)

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New insurance group Inigo launches with c.$800 million and appoints Sir Howard Davies as Chairman ahead of commencing underwriting on 1 January 2021

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Private Equity London,
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  • Secures significant funding from blue chip institutional consortium of investors
  • Led by Richard Watson, former Chief Underwriting Officer of Hiscox, and a team of senior insurance professionals
  • Acquiring certain StarStone Lloyd’s assets, including its managing agency, as a platform to commence underwriting in 2021
  • Targeting a number of underserved sectors of the London Insurance and Reinsurance market
Inigo Limited (Inigo), a new insurance group, announces that it has successfully completed a capital raise of approximately $800 million from a consortium of global investors comprising (amongst others) funds controlled by Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ), Enstar, J.C. Flowers & Co., Oak Hill Advisors, Qatar Investment Authority, Stone Point and Inigo’s management team. The funds give Inigo the capital base required to proceed with its plans to open for business in the 2021 year of account, subject to approvals from the Corporation of Lloyd’s.

Inigo is being founded by Richard Watson, former Chief Underwriting Officer of Hiscox who stepped down from the group last year after 33 years, along with Russell Merrett, former Managing Director of Hiscox London Market, and Stuart Bridges, former Chief Financial Officer of both Hiscox and ICAP.

Sir Howard Davies, Chairman of NatWest Group, has been appointed as Chairman. Sir Howard has a distinguished career in the City, business and government; he was Chairman of the Financial Services Authority from 1997 until 2003, Director of the London School of Economics from 2003 until 2011, and Chairman of Phoenix Group from 2012 until 2015.

As part of its preparations, Inigo also announces that it has signed an agreement to acquire certain insurance underwriting assets of StarStone Underwriting Ltd including its Lloyd’s Syndicate 1301 and its managing agency, from Enstar Group, subject to regulatory approvals. These are intended to form the foundation for Inigo’s operations as a specialty insurer, writing a streamlined portfolio of insurance and reinsurance risks. No legacy underwriting will be transferred to Inigo.

Inigo believes that current conditions are ideal to launch a new insurance business, at a time when demand across a number of classes of insurance and reinsurance is high. Inigo has chosen London as its principal base since it regards the overall insurance ecosystem offered by Lloyd’s as exceptionally attractive and believes it will best support the growth and development of the new syndicate.

Richard Watson said: “This significant capital raising, together with our acquisition, gives us the platform we need to turn Inigo from a concept into reality. We believe that 2021 will mark the beginning of an exciting growth phase for Lloyd’s and the London Insurance Market and Inigo will contribute to growing the specialty and reinsurance marketplace, as it returns to profitability. Sir Howard Davies joining our board validates our vision for Inigo and our determination to provide credible additional capacity and services to customers and brokers.

We are fully supportive of the direction that John Neal, Lloyd’s CEO, is taking the market, making it a more attractive and efficient place in which to trade. For a company like ours, entirely focused on underwriting, London also has the depth of young talent we need to develop the analytical and data-led approach that is at the core of what we hope to do.”

Inigo was advised on the transaction by Evercore, Guy Carpenter Securities and Clifford Chance.

About Inigo

Inigo is a specialty insurance and reinsurance business that will operate in the Lloyd’s of London market. The business is led by Richard Watson, Stuart Bridges and Russell Merrett bringing together a collective experience in excess of 80 years in the industry in aggregate.
www.inigoinsurance.com

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Intact to acquire RSA’s Canada, UK and international operations with CDPQ’s support

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Equity Markets Montréal,
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Intact Financial Corporation will invest $1.5 billion in technology in Quebec over five years

Intact Financial Corporation (TSX: IFC) today announced that, together with Tryg A/S (Tryg), it has reached an agreement for the acquisition of RSA Insurance Group plc (RSA). Pursuant to the transaction, IFC will, with the support of Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ), acquire RSA Group’s Canada, UK and International operations and co-own RSA Group’s Danish business with Tryg. To support its customer driven digital strategy and the growth resulting from the acquisition and integration of these operations, IFC will invest $1.5 billion in technology in Quebec over the next five years. This acquisition will also significantly increase the role and influence of several strategic teams based in Quebec, consolidate IFC’s significant economic impact in the province, and increase that impact through these additional investments.

“Intact Financial Corporation has its roots in Quebec,” said Charles Brindamour, CEO of Intact Financial Corporation. “While our success now extends well beyond Quebec’s borders, we still run a significant portion of our North American operations there. With the support of CDPQ, our acquisition of RSA will create additional demands and opportunities for the teams supporting our global operations; coupled with our future tech investments, this will provide a significant and lasting boost to the expansion of our strategic teams based in Quebec.”

“We’ve been partners with Intact Financial Corporation for over 10 years,” said Charles Emond, President and CEO, CDPQ. “Our investment has yielded positive returns for our depositors, thanks to the company’s strong track record of successfully integrating the companies they have acquired. We’re delighted to support this new acquisition, which will provide new growth opportunities for IFC, strengthen its leading position in Canada, and have a significant impact in Quebec’s financial and technology sectors.”

Additional investments in cutting-edge tech sectors

IFC’s growth is based on a long tradition of innovation and investments in technology that will accelerate with the acquisition of RSA. IFC will invest $1.5 billion over the next five years to support and grow the work of its digital, tech and AI development labs and software engineering teams. These Quebec-based teams will expand their scope and responsibilities as a result of the company’s growth and international operations, and to do this they will be hiring new talent. Over the next five years, more than 1,500 Quebec experts in user experience, design, mobile and software engineering, cybermetrics, machine learning and AI will work on developing and improving the digital customer experience, in addition to using technology to improve the efficiency of the company’s global operations.

Quebec talent driving growth for Intact and the Quebec economy

A number of IFC’s core operations are based in and directed from Quebec. The company has major teams that not only serve Quebecers, but also the rest of Canada and divisions across North America. Most of these teams will see their operations expand as the company’s international growth creates additional demands.

This includes the Intact Investment Management team, which will lead the company’s global investment operations and see its assets under management grow from $20 billion to $40 billion.

These expanded responsibilities for the Quebec-based teams will also enable IFC to act as a talent accelerator by providing even more high-calibre job opportunities for the next generation of Quebec university graduates, particularly in the actuarial, finance, technology and AI sectors.

IFC: A major employer rooted in the local economy

Since its beginnings in Quebec in 1907 (for the legacy company of Intact Insurance) and 1955 (for belairdirect), IFC has continued to grow steadily across the province in terms of its number of employees, investment, market share and community engagement.

IFC in Quebec today:

  • Over 5,000 employees in its Montreal, Anjou, Québec and Saint-Hyacinthe offices
  • Nearly one in three Quebecers and nearly one in four companies are insured through our Intact Insurance and belairdirect banners
  • More than 530 property and casualty insurance broker partners of all sizes located across Quebec
  • $1.6 billion in claim payments to Quebec customers, contributing to the province’s economic vitality by mobilizing the home restoration and renovation and automotive repair industries
  • Collaboration with several major Quebec universities, including Université Laval, Polytechnique, Université de Sherbrooke, ETS and and the Institut de valorisation des données (IVADO), a collaboration between HEC Montréal, Polytechnique Montréal and Université de Montréal.

About Intact Financial Corporation

Intact Financial Corporation (TSX: IFC) is the largest provider of property and casualty (P&C) insurance in Canada and a leading provider of specialty insurance in North America, with over CAD$11 billion in total annual premiums. The Company has approximately 16,000 employees who serve more than five million personal, business and public sector clients through offices in Canada and the U.S.

In Canada, Intact distributes insurance under the Intact Insurance brand through a wide network of brokers, including its wholly-owned subsidiary BrokerLink, and directly to consumers through belairdirect. Frank Cowan Company, a leading MGA, distributes public entity insurance programs including risk and claims management services in Canada.

In the U.S., Intact Insurance Specialty Solutions provides a range of specialty insurance products and services through independent agencies, regional and national brokers, and wholesalers and managing general agencies. Products are underwritten by the insurance company subsidiaries of Intact Insurance Group USA, LLC.

About CDPQ

Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) is a long-term institutional investor that manages funds primarily for public and para-public pension and insurance plans. As at June 30, 2020, it held CA$333.0 billion in net assets. As one of Canada’s leading institutional fund managers, CDPQ invests globally in major financial markets, private equity, infrastructure, real estate and private debt. For more information, visit www.cdpq.com, follow us on Twitter @LaCDPQ or consult our Facebook or LinkedIn pages.

Cautionary note about forward-looking statements

Certain of the statements included in this press release constitute forward-looking statements. They include statements relating to, among other things, IFC’s offer to acquire RSA, its integration and growth plans, and its investment and hiring intentions in Quebec and in the digital, technology, AI development and software engineering sectors over the next five years. Forward looking statements often use words such as “believe”, “expect”, “estimate”, “intend”, “anticipate” and words of a similar meaning. Although the forward-looking statements are based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, IFC cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. Investors should not rely on forward-looking statements to make decisions, as they are subject to risks and uncertainties about IFC and are dependent on many factors, some of which are outside of IFC’s control. Investors should ensure the preceding information is carefully considered when reviewing forward-looking statements contained herein. The Company and management have no intention and undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

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Clearlake Capital Acquires Insurance Software Leader Zywave And Announces Strategic Acquisition Of Advisen

Aurora Capital

SANTA MONICA, Calif. and MILWAUKEE, Nov. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Clearlake Capital Group, L.P. (together with its affiliates, “Clearlake”) today announced that it has completed its acquisition of Zywave, Inc. (“Zywave”) and has also acquired Advisen Ltd. (“Advisen”), further establishing the new platform as the leading software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider of front office insurance solutions. Aurora Capital Partners (“Aurora”), previously the majority owner of Zywave, is investing alongside Clearlake in the transaction. The combined company will be led by Jason Liu, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Zywave. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Zywave (PRNewsfoto/Clearlake Capital Group)
Zywave is a market-leading provider of cloud-based insurance distribution software, offering expansive digital solutions to strengthen and grow insurance businesses. Zywave’s mission critical software solutions help insurance brokerages manage customer relationships by streamlining sales and renewal processes, quote delivery, content generation, and data tracking and analytics.

Advisen is a leading provider of software and data solutions to the commercial property and casualty insurance market. Advisen’s proprietary data sets and applications focus on large, specialty risks offering information, analytics, ACORD messaging gateway, news, research, and events, connecting commercial brokers, insurance carriers and insurance organizations worldwide.

“Clearlake and Aurora’s investment positions Zywave to accelerate organic growth while increasing the pace of our inorganic activity, evidenced by the acquisition of Advisen,” said Mr. Liu of Zywave. “With Clearlake and Aurora’s operational support and financial backing, including implementing Clearlake’s O.P.S.® playbooks, we are in a great position to extend our leadership in delivering end-to-end solutions to insurance professionals globally.”

“The combination of Zywave and Advisen creates a unique software platform for the broader insurance market as stakeholders look to digitize mission critical workflows within their day-to-day operations,” said Behdad Eghbali, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, and Prashant Mehrotra, Partner, of Clearlake. “Zywave has created a differentiated SaaS product platform that will be strengthened by Advisen’s loss and policy data to enable smarter business decisions for insurance customers.”

“We are excited to support Zywave alongside Clearlake in the company’s next chapter of growth,” said Josh Klinefelter, Partner, and Rob Fraser, Partner, of Aurora. “Zywave is well positioned to continue building on its strong leadership position in front office software solutions, both organically and through accelerated add-on acquisition activity.”

William Blair & Company served as financial advisor to Zywave and Aurora. Houlihan Lokey served as financial advisor to Advisen.

About Zywave

Zywave leads the insurance tech industry, fueling business growth for its partners with cloud-based sales management, client delivery, content and analytics solutions. Offering a technology platform embedded with robust data and the most comprehensive content portfolio available, we empower smarter business decisions throughout the entire customer lifecycle. More than 6,000 brokerages worldwide—including all of the top 100 U.S. insurance firms—use Zywave solutions to enhance client services, achieve business growth and promote greater health, wellness and safety. Additional information can be found at www.zywave.com.

About Advisen

Advisen is the leading provider of data, media, and technology solutions for the commercial property and casualty insurance market. Advisen’s proprietary data sets and applications focus on large, specialty risks. Through Web Connectivity Ltd., Advisen provides messaging services, business consulting, and technical solutions to streamline and automate insurance transactions. Advisen connects a community of more than 200,000 professionals through daily newsletters, conferences, and webinars. The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in New York City, with offices in the US and the UK. Visit www.advisenltd.com to learn more.

About Clearlake

Clearlake Capital Group, L.P. is a leading investment firm founded in 2006 operating integrated businesses across private equity, credit and other related strategies. With a sector-focused approach, the firm seeks to partner with world-class management teams by providing patient, long-term capital to dynamic businesses that can benefit from Clearlake’s operational improvement approach, O.P.S.® The firm’s core target sectors are industrials, technology and consumer. Clearlake currently has approximately $25 billion of assets under management and its senior investment principals have led or co-led over 200 investments. The firm has offices in Santa Monica and Dallas. More information is available at www.clearlake.com and on Twitter @ClearlakeCap.

About Aurora

Aurora Capital Partners is a leading private equity firm focused principally on control investments in middle-market companies with leading market positions, stable industry dynamics, attractive business model characteristics and actionable opportunities for growth in partnership with management. Aurora provides unique resources to its portfolio companies through its Strategy & Operations Program and its team of experienced operating advisors. Aurora’s investors include leading public and corporate pension funds, endowments and foundations active in private equity investing. For more information about Aurora Capital Partners, visit www.auroracap.com.

Clearlake Media Contact:
Lambert & Co.
Jennifer Hurson
845-507-0571
jhurson@lambert.com

Zywave Media Contact:
April Larsen
414-918-0547
april.larsen@zywave.com

Aurora Media Contact:
ASC Advisors
Steve Bruce
203-992-1230
sbsruce@ascadvisors.com

Taylor Ingraham
203-992-1230
tingraham@ascadvisors.com

SOURCE Clearlake Capital Group

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Convex Group Raises $1 Billion of Additional Capital

Onex

Convex is Well-Positioned to Capitalize on Insurance Market Opportunity –
Toronto,November 17,2020 –Onex Corporation(“Onex”) (TSX: ONEX) and its affiliated funds(the “Onex Group”), along with GIC, announced that they and a consortium of existing and newco-investors have committed to invest$1 billion in Convex Group Limited (“Convex”or the“Company”).This capital raise is subject to customary regulatory approvals.

Convex is a specialty insurer and reinsurer focused on complex risks that launched with $1.7 billion of committed capital in April of 2019.

Convex’initial invested capital was raised from the Convex management team, Onex Partners V,PSP Investments and a consortium of co-investors.The additional capital has been committed by the original investors as well as multiple new investors led by GIC.
Bobby Le Blanc, President of Onexand Head of Onex Partners, commented, “Over the pasteighteenmonths, the Convex management team has made significant progress in realizing our original investment thesis, having successfully executed on its recruiting plan,implemented key operational systems and processes, established strong relationships with brokers, and written over$1 billion inpremiums. This momentum, coupled with the favorable P&C insurance market conditions,have further improved the risk-adjusted return opportunity and make us confident in the continued success of the business.”
Stephen Catlin, CEO of Convex,said,“Onex and our existing investor base have provided us with tremendous support in building the business and we welcome the new investor partners,including GIC. We are delighted to have additional capital as this will enable us to takefull advantageof the hardening market.”

Choo Yong Cheen, Chief Investment Officer of Private Equity at GIC,said,“GIC is pleased to partner with Stephen, Paul, and the rest of the Convex team given their tremendous successto dateand long track record of disciplined underwriting. We believe that Convex’ unique valueproposition within complex risk is well-suited for the current market environment. As a long-term investor, we look forward to working alongside Onex and othershareholdersto support the Company as it embarks on its next phase of growth.”

Martin Longchamps, Managing Director, Private Equity at PSP Investments, said, “We are pleased to continue our successful partnership with Onex and Convex by supporting the Company’s accelerated growth strategy. The Convex management team has established an agile, world-class specialty insurer with a strong operational foundation. This transaction is in line with our strategy of making sizeable, direct investments in high-quality companies alongside experienced partners.”
The capital raise includes more than $300 million from the Onex Group, including $200 million from Onex Partners V.

About Convex
Convex Group is a specialty insurer and reinsurer focused on complex risks founded by Stephen Catlin and Paul Brand. With operations in London and Bermuda, Convex occupies a unique position in the insurance industry and combines unrivalled experience, reputation and lessons learned with the freedom and independence of a new balance sheet.

About Onex
Founded in 1984, Onex invests and manages capital on behalf of its shareholders, institutional fainvestors and high net worth clients from around the world. Onex’ platforms include: Onex Partners, private equity funds focused on larger opportunities in North America and Europe; ONCAP, private equity funds focused on middle market and smaller opportunities in North America; Onex Credit, which manages primarily non-investment grade debt through collateralized loan obligations, senior loan strategies and other private credit strategies; and Gluskin Sheff’s wealth management services including its actively managed public equity and public credit funds. In total, Onex has approximately $36.6 billion of assets under management, of which approximately $6.7 billion is its own shareholder capital. With offices in Toronto, New York, New Jersey and London, Onex and its experienced management teams are collectively the largest investors across Onex’ platforms.
The Onex Partners and ONCAP businesses have assets of $36 billion, generate annual revenues of $22 billion and employ approximately 149,000 people worldwide. Onex shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the stock symbol ONEX. For more information on Onex, visit its website at www.onex.com. Onex’ security filings can also be accessed at www.sedar.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain, without limitation, statements concerning possible or assumed future operations, performance or results preceded by, followed by or that include words such as “believes”, “expects”, “potential”, “anticipates”, “estimates”, “intends”, “plans” and words of similar connotation, which would constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees. The reader should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information because they involve significant and diverse risks and uncertainties that may cause actual operations, performance or results to be materially different from those indicated in these forward-looking statements. Except as may be required by Canadian securities law, Onex is under no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained herein should material facts change due to new information, future events or other factors. These cautionary statements expressly qualify all forward-looking statements in this press release.

For further information:
Jill Homenuk
Managing Director, Shareholder Relations and Communications
Tel: 416.362.7711

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Cinven and GIC to acquire specialist insurance broker Miller

Cinven

Cinven, the international private equity firm, and GIC, Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, today announce that they have reached an agreement to acquire leading specialist insurance and (re)insurance broker, Miller, from its partners and corporate member, Willis Towers Watson (“WTW”). Financial details of the transaction are not disclosed.

Founded in 1902, Miller is a leading specialist insurance and (re)insurance broker operating in the UK, Lloyd’s and internationally. It employs more than 640 people through its offices in London, Ipswich, Brussels, Paris, Singapore and Geneva, covering the world’s major insurance hubs. Miller operates across a number of specialist areas, including marine, energy, credit and political risks, delegated authorities, professional risks, property, casualty, sports and entertainment and (re)insurance. Headquartered in London, it places c. £2 billion worth of premiums annually.

Cinven and GIC believe Miller is an attractive investment opportunity based on:

  • The high-quality, cash generative business model, with strong brand equity and an attractive, recurring revenue base;
  • Its strong position in the wholesale insurance markets with a long-standing client base, strong management team and deep bench of talent with significant expertise across its specialist areas;
  • Its proven track record of steady and consistent growth in recent years, delivering robust performance through the COVID-19 pandemic and prior downturns;
  • The business has an opportunity to benefit significantly from independent ownership, given the ability to accelerate its long-term growth profile through a combination of organic growth in a specialist sector, ambitious plans to recruit new specialist brokers and execute selective incremental bolt-on M&A over time; and
  • The underlying insurance market is forecast to continue growing in line with GDP, with potential additional upside for specialty insurers, further supported by short-term rate hardening.

Cinven Funds’ previous investments in the European insurance sector include Guardian Financial Services in the UK, Eurovita in Italy, and Viridium in Germany. Other UK-headquartered financial services investments by the Cinven Funds include Partnership Assurance, NewDay and Premium Credit. GIC has invested in companies such as Rothesay and RAC in the UK, Mass Mutual Asia in Hong Kong, and China Pacific Insurance group in China.

The Miller transaction represents the first investment from Cinven’s new financial services sector-focused strategy, which will be looking at similar long-term opportunities across Europe.

Luigi Sbrozzi, Partner of Cinven, commented:

“Cinven is delighted to be making this investment in Miller alongside GIC. Miller is a highly attractive, resilient specialist insurance business with strong long-term growth opportunities across all of its segments and a history of consistent growth through various economic cycles. We see opportunities both organically, by recruiting new specialist brokers, and through incremental M&A over time. Miller also offers a scalable platform, particularly internationally, with associated benefits for clients as the business develops and expands over the long-term. We believe that independent ownership is the right model to really accelerate the company’s growth.”

Yong Cheen Choo, Chief Investment Officer of Private Equity, GIC, said:

“Miller is one of the top and most established wholesale brokers with highly respected franchises in areas such as marine & energy, sports & entertainment, and cargo. We are pleased to partner with Cinven and look forward to supporting Greg Collins and his team to seize future expansion opportunities for Miller. As a long-term investor, we are confident in the growth potential of the specialty insurance sector, and of Miller within it.”  

Greg Collins, CEO, Miller, added:

“We are very pleased to be partnering with Cinven and GIC, whose knowledge and insurance investment expertise will enormously support our business as we enter this important next phase of growth. We are excited about bringing together our combined expertise to bolster our best in class client service and solutions and strengthen Miller’s position in our core activities. This includes making incremental targeted, strategic investments as we look to realise our ambition of becoming the leading independent specialist (re)insurance broking firm. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank WTW for their support over the last five years.”

The transaction is expected to complete in Q1 2021 and is subject to regulatory approval.

Cinven and GIC advisors included: Barclays (M&A); Clifford Chance (Legal); Bain (Commercial); PwC (Financial, Operations, IT); Deloitte (Tax, Structuring); Marsh (Insurance) and FTI Consulting (Communications).

Advisors to the sellers included: Goldman Sachs International (Financial Advisor to WTW); Herbert Smith Freehills LLP and Addleshaw Goddard LLP (Legal) and Jamieson Corporate Finance LLP (Financial Advisor to Miller’s Partners).

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Active Assurances strengthens its health division with the acquisition of the portfolio of Cabinet Wilhelm SA

Activa Capital

One year after the acquisition of AFI Assurances, Active Assurances, the specialist digital insurance broker, is pursuing its development strategy and announces the acquisition of the healthcare insurance portfolio of Cabinet WILHELM SA. This transaction enables the Group to accelerate its development in the healthcare market.

Cabinet WILHELM is a French broker based in Lons (Southwestern France), specialised in the digital selling of health, accident and life insurance products to B2C customers.

The Company was created and managed by its founder, Gilbert Wilhelm, and developed with the support of its main shareholder, the Swiss Life Group. The firm was a pioneer in the distribution of health insurance policies via the internet and quickly built up a strong reputation and recognized know-how in this field.

With this operation, Frédéric Bacmann, Chief Executive Officer and founder of AFI Assurances, consolidates the Group’s healthcare portfolio by exceeding 35,000 policies in its portfolio.

This operation is financed by equity from Active Assurances, backed by Activa Capital, BPIfrance and Idinvest Partners. This operation underlines once more Activa Capital’s ability to support entrepreurial managers in the transformation of growing SMEs and the structuring of external growth operations.

Thomas Riottot, Co-founder of Active Assurances Groupe, declared: « We are delighted with this operation, which will strengthen AFI Assurances’ development in its market. We remain on the lookout for other build-ups operations that will enable us to accelerate our develpment. »

Frédéric Bacmann, Founding Director of AFI Assurances, stated: « With this operation, we are integrating new sales staff motivated by the Group’s development project and by our know-how in the distance selling of health insurance policies. »

Participants

Buyers
Active Assurances Groupe : Didier Naccache, Thomas Riottot, Denis Salmoiraghi, Frédéric Bacmann, Nolwenn Oreal
Activa Capital : Alexandre Masson, David Quatrepoint, Timothée Héron
Lawyers : Jean-Baptiste Le Jariel – FORTEM Avocats

Vendors
Gilbert Wilhelm, Founder
Lawyers : Xavier Perinne – AFFINA Legal

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Hg agrees the sale of Eucon to VHV Group

HG Capital

Münster, Germany and London, United Kingdom – 6 November 2020: Hg, Europe’s leading software investor, today announces that it has agreed the sale of Eucon Group to VHV Group, a leading German insurance group. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The transaction is subject to customary anti-trust approvals and closing is expected later this year.

Eucon is a leading provider of best-in-class information and data-based systems for efficient product management in the automotive aftermarket. Customers include car manufacturers and suppliers, as well as a variety of workshop chains. For insurers, Eucon digitalises claims management and is one of the sector leaders for digital platform solutions for data and document processing. In addition, Eucon offers digital solutions for the real estate industry for efficient and transparent invoice management.

“Together with Hg, we have written a great success story over the last five years. We would like to thank Benedikt Joeris and his team for their partnership and trusting cooperation. We have been successfully cooperating with the VHV Group for some time now and therefore could not have hoped for a better new investor. By providing platform solutions, we help our customers tap the digital potential of their industry and ensure sustainable access to the key technologies they require. With VHV as a robust, powerful and innovative partner, we can achieve this goal even more effectively and ensure that this open platform strategy is available to our customers for the long term.”

Sven Krüger, CEO of the Eucon Group

“It has been a real privilege to work with Sven, the founders and entire team at Eucon. Today we part ways after five very productive years of working together. Eucon’s business sits at the intersection of two growth drivers in which Hg has built substantial experience: the value of big data in the automotive sector and the increasing digitalisation of the insurance and real estate industry – and together we have built a great business in these areas. We are delighted that the team will be able to continue this journey with VHV, a true leader in insurance across Germany. We’re also pleased to see the strength of our networks and our track record continue to drive value in small and medium enterprises across Germany.”

Benedikt Joeris, Director at Hg

“Eucon can look back on a very successful few years of development alongside Hg. Our collaboration has been very valuable to the business and we enjoyed working closely together. We look forward to continuing Eucon’s growth with VHV.”

The founders of Eucon Group, Maurice and Marcel Oosenbrugh

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