As announced by the Company on 13th June 2017, B.P. Marsh & Partners Plc (AIM:BPM) has invested $6,000,000 into a New York based specialty lines insurance distribution company. Following recent press speculation, the Company is pleased to announce further details concerning this new venture.
B.P. Marsh has subscribed for a 35% shareholding in the New York based XPT Group LLC (“XPT”), through its wholly owned subsidiary company, B.P. Marsh (North America) Ltd. XPT is a newly established operation which is in active discussions with a number of parties over potential minority or majority investments into established entities in the US wholesale insurance arena. XPT plans to make one or two US-based acquisitions over the remaining months of this year.
The management team at XPT is a line-up of industry veterans, including Tom Ruggieri, formerly of Marsh, Advisen and Swett & Crawford and Mark Smith, former president and CEO of Stewart Smith, the US wholesaler which was sold by Willis to AmWins in 2005. Smith is also a former president and management director of R-T Specialty’s New York operation. In addition, the team also includes Jeff Heath, the founder of Heath Group.
This investment represents a return to the US market for the Company, following on from the Company’s recent investment in Canada, Stewart Specialty Risk Underwriting Ltd.
B.P. Marsh strongly believes that XPT is well positioned to take advantage of the significant consolidation opportunities in the small-to-medium-sized wholesale space in the US.
Commenting on the investment, Chairman of the Company Brian Marsh said “We are pleased to be back in the US with an investment in XPT. Our business is in backing people and the founders of XPT have impeccable credentials, deep industry knowledge and great ambition. We are excited by the opportunities presented in partnering with them and in the US market in general and look forward to growing XPT alongside them.”
Dan Topping, B.P. Marsh’s Chief Investment Officer, who has been appointed to represent the Company at XPT, stated “I am delighted to be working alongside the Management Team in delivering on their strategy and developing their presence in the US specialty insurance market.”