Ardonagh Europe, part of The Ardonagh Group and headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, has agreed to acquire Groupe Leader Insurance (GLI), one of the top 10 wholesale and multi-specialist brokers in France.
Founded in 2003 by entrepreneur Yoann Chery, GLI has built a strong reputation as a French leader in specialist insurance, initially focused on construction risk, Ardonagh said. Over the past 20 years, the company has significantly diversified its offering, becoming a significant player in specialist property and motor insurance.
Headquartered in Paris, GLI employs more than 350 people in France and internationally, providing insurance solutions to individuals and SME clients through direct channels as well as a network of over 4,000 broker partners. In 2024, GLI managed €190 million in gross written premium.
Ardonagh Europe said this acquisition represents a significant milestone in its growth strategy, complementing its existing presence in Ireland, the Netherlands, Greece, Italy, Austria, and Switzerland.
GLI will continue to operate under its current brands and leadership team following completion of the transaction. Yoann Chery will become a shareholder in Ardonagh and lead the Group’s French operations, while remaining President of GLI’s holding vehicle (Generation Insurance).
Cyrille de Montgolfier will continue as chairman of the GLI business’s Supervisory Board.
“The French insurance market is one of the largest in the world, with a rich tradition and a level of sophistication that makes it particularly attractive for Ardonagh,” commented Conor Brennan, CEO of Ardonagh Europe, in a statement.
“We are now looking forward to working with Yoann and his team to bring new products and innovative solutions to our brokers and clients in France,” Brennan added.
“We have been following this market closely for many years and have now found in Yoann an ambitious and driven entrepreneur, who has successfully built a talented team,” he said. “We are excited to work alongside him to further develop our strategic platform in France. This acquisition marks a key step in our journey to becoming a leading insurance distribution platform across Europe.”
“This partnership is unique – Leader Insurance is joining one of the largest independent brokers in the world. Ardonagh will enable our group to increase its capabilities thanks to its scale – placing close to $18 billion of annual premiums – and accelerate strategic growth in France,” according to Yoann Chery, president of GLI.
“This new alliance also creates fresh opportunities and strengthens our ability to innovate, delivering best-in-class insurance solutions for our loyal brokers and clients from day one. By combining our deep market expertise and customer-centric approach with Ardonagh’s global scale and reach, we are building a powerful platform for sustainable growth,” Chery said.
Chery went on to thank the company’s investment partner at French private equity company Abenex for their support since 2021 and during its most recent growth phase.
The Ardonagh Group, the London-based independent insurance distribution platform, was founded in 2017 through the merger of several UK insurance businesses which created a diversified group that provides wholesale, retail and specialist insurance solutions. Ardonagh has since grown into a top-20 global broking group placing $18 billion of premiums and operating across the entire insurance distribution value chain, the broker said.
Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Agencies Europe Leadership France