Ardonagh Europe continues expansion with acquisition of Groupe Leader Insurance
LONDON, Sept. 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ardonagh Europe, part of The Ardonagh Group ("Ardonagh" or "The 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. 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.
This acquisition represents a significant milestone in Ardonagh Europe's 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.
Conor Brennan, CEO of Ardonagh Europe, said: "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. 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.
"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. 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."
Yoann Chery, President of GLI, commented: "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.
"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.
"We would also like to thank our partners at Abenex for their support since 2021 and their collaboration during this most recent growth phase. Their trust and commitment have allowed us to write a fantastic story together over the past four years."
David Ross, CEO of The Ardonagh Group, added: "Ardonagh and GLI have a shared commitment to people, progress and collaboration. This common spirit, combined with the breadth of the Group's experience and the local expertise of Groupe Leader Insurance, creates a compelling partnership. We look forward to working with the team and empowering them to set new standards of value for clients and broker partners in France."
For media enquiries please contact:
Ardonagh - UK, Ireland & International
Ardonagh - France
Groupe Leader Insurance
NOTES TO EDITORS
THE ARDONAGH GROUP
The Ardonagh Group is one of the world's largest independent insurance distribution platforms and a top 20 global broker. We are a collection of best-in-class entrepreneurial and specialist brands with a combined workforce of over 12,000 colleagues and a network spanning 200+ locations in more than 30 countries. Across our portfolio, we offer a highly diversified range of insurance-related products and services across the full insurance value chain globally. From complex multinational corporations to individuals purchasing personal insurance policies, our understanding of the communities we serve, together with our scale and breadth, allows us to work with our insurer partners to deliver a broad range of product and risk solutions that meet customer needs.
In Europe, Ardonagh invests in local independent advisory and specialist enterprises, partnering with management teams to drive their growth ambitions and leverage the scale and expertise of the wider Group. Beginning in 2021 with the acquisition of Arachas, the Republic of Ireland's largest commercial insurance broker, followed by the arrival of MDS, a global insurance broking and risk management firm headquartered in Portugal, today the Group's in-country presence extends to the Netherlands, Greece, Italy, Austria and Switzerland.
GROUPE LEADER INSURANCE
Groupe Leader Insurance, founded in 2003 by Yoann Chery, has enjoyed exceptional organic growth and success in its external growth operations over the past five years.
Groupe Leader Insurance has more than 30 sites in France, 350 employees and collects more than €190 million in premiums annually. With more than 4,000 registered brokers, Groupe Leader Insurance cultivates entrepreneurship and a culture of brokerage.
As the leading insurance broker in the French overseas territories, Groupe Leader Insurance has several multi-specialist brands in construction insurance, professional legal protection insurance, motor and property insurance, and financial guarantees.
Groupe Leader Insurance has a solid management team and an organisation that gives it agility and significant potential for internal and external growth.
www.groupe-leaderinsurance.com
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