News

Seventeen Group is pleased to announce the acquisition of Dashwood Brewer & Phipps Ltd (DB&P), one of the UK’s longest-established independent Lloyd’s brokers. Founded in 1919, DB&P has over a century of experience serving clients and more than 50 years’ operating within the Lloyd’s market. The acquisition is an important strategic step for Seventeen Group, transforming the Group’s Lloyd’s and London market capability. 

DB&P will retain its brand and regulated status as the Lloyd’s pillar of the Group, sitting alongside James Hallam and Touchstone Underwriting. This preserves the identity, heritage and relationships that have defined Dashwood’s business for generations and provides differentiation between retail and wholesale propositions. The combination of Dashwood’s expertise and international distribution with Seventeen Group’s broader specialist capabilities creates a platform for collaboration, including new facilities, territories, and interGroup placement opportunities. 

Dashwood’s leadership team will continue to drive the business forward with Louis Belcourt appointed as Managing Director. He will also join Seventeen Group’s Executive Committee. 

Commenting on the acquisition, Oliver Thorne, Chief Executive Officer, Seventeen Group said: 

“Dashwood has an outstanding reputation and a remarkable history spanning more than a century. This is an exciting milestone in our Group’s evolution, establishing significant London market capability as a foundation to grow our UK and international presence. This acquisition brings together two family-owned independent businesses with remarkably similar legacies and cultures. The Dashwood team have built a deeply impressive business, and I’m delighted to welcome them to our Group. In Louis, we have an ambitious and entrepreneurial leader. Together we have a bold vision for Seventeen Group’s place in the Lloyds market as a proudly independent broker.” 

Louis Belcourt, Managing Director, DB&P, added: 

“Joining Seventeen Group marks an exciting new chapter for our business. While we gain access to greater resources, broader distribution and enhanced growth opportunities, the things that matter most to our clients and trading partners remain unchanged. We will continue to operate as an independent Lloyd’s broker under the Dashwood Brewer & Phipps name, maintaining the specialist expertise, autonomy and client-first culture that has defined our business for generations. Having UK based ownership without an existing international presence was important to ensure that we can continue to trade with our partners unencumbered from potential conflicts of interest. Together, we are exceptionally well positioned to build on our success and pursue new opportunities in the years ahead.” 

The acquisition will provide a platform for continued investment in talent, technology, innovation, and market development, while strengthening resilience and placement capabilities for clients. The combination also creates opportunities to broaden access to UK and international markets and further enhance the Group’s specialist insurance proposition. 

 Paul Turner – Chairman, Seventeen Group added: 

“Having respected the reputation of Dashwood for many years, it’s very exciting to welcome the team into the Group. From the early discussions with Nick and Louis, the constant has remained that the joining of our two businesses can create opportunities and value for all our stakeholders. From a platform of a combined heritage of over 150 years, I’m looking forward to the future driven by our next generation of leaders” 

Nicholas Belcourt – Chairman, Dashwood Brewer & Phipps commented: 

“I am immensely proud of what we and our colleagues have built over more than a century, grateful to our clients and market partners for their trust, and confident that this partnership strengthens our ability to deliver today and for the long term” 

End of Press Release 

For more information contact: –

Jackie Knight Group Marketing and Events Director
e: jackie.knight@seventeengroup.co.uk
t: 07824 486319

Seventeen Group has strengthened its executive leadership team with appointments into two newly created leadership roles. Stephen Smith has been appointed Chief Broking Officer, overseeing broking and placement strategy across the Group, including James Hallam and Touchstone Underwriting. Matthew Crisp has been appointed Group Chief Operating Officer leading the Group’s operational functions, as well as our integration and change management teams. 

Smith joins from Gallagher, where he was Managing Director of Broking and Placement for its Retail Division across the UK and Ireland. His appointment comes as Seventeen Group continues to pursue an ambitious growth strategy, including further M&A activity, with Smith tasked with delivering a consistent Group-wide placement strategy and further strengthening relationships with insurer partners. 

Crisp who joins from Howden, where, initially as Integration Director, he was charged with bringing together their new UK and Ireland Retail business, before taking the role of Chief Operating Officer and continuing at the heart of its growth and transformation journey. Crisp will be key to cementing our organisational, technical and operational foundations, as well as driving and refining our broader programme of innovation and high-quality integration. 

Both will report directly to Group CEO Oliver Thorne. 

Stephen Smith, Chief Broking Officer, said: 

“I am delighted to be joining Seventeen Group at such an exciting time and to be teaming up with Ollie again. It is a business I have admired for a long time, and our values are completely aligned. 

We share an obsession for putting the client first and doing things the right way. I’m looking forward to working with the team across the Group and helping to build on the strong foundations that are already in place as Seventeen Group continues its growth journey.” 

Matthew Crisp – Group Chief Operating Officer 

“I am genuinely delighted to be joining such a well-respected business with such an impressive track record, and such a great team; with palpable energy, client service passion, and real ambition. I can’t wait to get stuck in and help to further enhance the operational, integration and transformation engine that will allow us collectively to realise that.” 

Oliver Thorne – Group Chief Executive Officer, comments 

 “I’m delighted to welcome Steve and Matt to the Group. Our continued investment in key leadership positions emphasises our growth philosophy that prioritises quality ahead of scale. Both Steve and Matt bring a wealth of experience to our business – not only to make an immediate impact today, but also as we continue to grow into the business that we are becoming. To be able to attract such talent to our Group is strong validation of our business, our culture and the exciting future ahead.” 

End of Press Release 

For more information contact: –

Jackie Knight Group Marketing and Events Director
e: jackie.knight@seventeengroup.co.uk
t: 07824 486319

The acquisition expands Seventeen Group’s Gibraltar presence while enabling Sovereign Group to focus on its core international service lines Seventeen Group has completed the acquisition of Sovereign Insurance Services (SIS), the Gibraltar-based insurance brokerage formerly owned by Sovereign Group. 

The acquisition follows Seventeen Group’s purchase of Senate Insurance Brokers earlier this year and further strengthens its presence in Gibraltar, bringing together two established local businesses under the Group’s insurance broking division, James Hallam. 

Seventeen Group is an independent insurance and risk management group employing more than 500 people across 25 offices and managing approximately £400 million in premiums. Through James Hallam, a Lloyd’s broker founded in 1982, clients benefit from direct access to the London insurance market and a broad range of specialist insurance expertise. 

For Sovereign Group, the transaction supports its strategic focus on its core international service lines, including wealth management, pensions, trusts, corporate services and tax advisory. 

Founded in Gibraltar in 1987, Sovereign continues to operate its global headquarters from the jurisdiction and maintains a presence in more than 20 offices worldwide. 

Clients of Sovereign Insurance Services will continue to receive the trusted local service they know while gaining access to the wider resources, specialist capabilities and market reach of James Hallam and Seventeen Group. 

Oliver Thorne, Chief Executive Officer of Seventeen Group, said: 

“Our acquisitions of Senate and Sovereign Insurance Services demonstrate our confidence in Gibraltar and our ambition to build a significant insurance broking business here. 

Gibraltar has a strong insurance heritage, an established regulatory framework and a unique relationship with the UK market and with Europe under the recently signed treaty. We believe this creates a compelling opportunity for long-term investment and growth. 

Our priority now is to integrate the businesses carefully, combining their local knowledge and client relationships with the resources, specialist capabilities and market access of James Hallam and the wider Seventeen Group.” 

Gerry Kelly, Chief Executive Officer of Sovereign Group, said: 

“Today marks an important milestone for both organisations. Sovereign Insurance Services has been a valued part of the Group, and we are pleased to see the business become part of Seventeen Group, a highly respected organisation with a strong commitment to client service. 

As Sovereign Group continues to evolve, we remain focused on the services that are at the heart of our business: wealth management, pensions, trusts, corporate services and tax advisory. 

Gibraltar remains central to Sovereign’s identity. It is where our business was founded, where our global headquarters remain today, and where we continue to invest in our people, our clients and our long-term future.” 

The immediate focus will be on integrating Sovereign Insurance Services with Seventeen Group’s existing Gibraltar operations while maintaining continuity of service for clients.

End of Press Release 

For more information contact: –

Jackie Knight Group Marketing and Events Director
e: jackie.knight@seventeengroup.co.uk
t: 07824 486319

Seventeen Group is pleased to announce the acquisition of Titan Insurance Services Ltd, a specialist commercial insurance broker based in Putney, London. 

Founded in 1987 by Basil Tsapralis, Titan has built a strong reputation in the commercial insurance market, with particular expertise in the Real Estate, Construction and Leisure sectors. The business has achieved consistent growth through high client retention and strong new business performance. 

Titan’s clients will benefit from access to the wider Group’s capabilities, specialist expertise and broader range of insurance and risk management solutions. The acquisition also creates opportunities to support Titan’s continued growth through strategic insurer partnerships and access to additional markets. 

Titan will continue to trade under its existing brand and will align with the Group’s Real Estate & Construction Division. The acquisition brings more than £5 million of Gross Written Premium (GWP) into the Group 

End of Press Release 

For more information contact: –

Jackie Knight Group Marketing and Events Director
e: jackie.knight@seventeengroup.co.uk
t: 07824 486319

Seventeen Group is pleased to announce the acquisition of Senate Insurance Brokers, a Gibraltar￾based insurance brokerage specialising in Corporate Insurance, Property, Professional Indemnity and International Corporate Healthcare.

Founded in 2019 by Kevin Hook, Chief Executive Officer, and Nicholas Pecino, Chief Business Officer, Senate Insurance Brokers has rapidly established itself as a respected adviser within the Gibraltar market and currently manages approximately £3.8 million in Gross Written Premium (GWP).

The transaction is also expected to drive collaboration across Seventeen Group’s specialist divisions, including Marine, Property, High Net Worth and Touchstone MGA. Through the introduction of the Group’s established expertise, product capabilities and technical knowledge into the Gibraltar market, the acquisition presents significant opportunities for cross-selling, upselling and accelerated growth.

Commenting on the acquisition, Oliver Thorne CEO Seventeen Group

“I am delighted to welcome Kevin, Nick and the team to the Group. Their dynamic and entrepreneurial approach coupled with our Group’s expertise creates an exciting platform to build the leading broker for clients in Gibraltar and southern Spain”

Nicholas Pecino FCII, Chief Business Officer and Kevin Hook FCA, Chief Executive Officer of Senate Insurance Brokers commented

“Joining the 17 Group and James Hallam marks an exciting new chapter for Senate Insurance Brokers. It’s a partnership built on shared values, exceptional people and a commitment to putting clients first. By combining Senate’s expertise with the wider capabilities of the Group, including specialist knowledge, enhanced resources and direct access to the Lloyd’s of London market, we are even better positioned to support our clients while staying true to the personal approach that defines our business. We are delighted to become part of the 17 Group and James Hallam”.

End of Press Release 

For more information contact: –

Jackie Knight Group Marketing and Events Director
e: jackie.knight@seventeengroup.co.uk
t: 07824 486319

Seventeen Group are delighted to announce the acquisition of 1st Choice Insurance. Based in Shrewsbury, 1st Choice Insurance business is an award-winning commercial broker, recognised for its client service and entrepreneurial culture. This acquisition enhances Seventeen Group’s motor fleet proposition and is an important step in strengthening the Group’s presence in the West Midlands. 1st Choice employs 39 staff and places £13m of GWP into the market. 

Founders Jason Martin and Callum Watkins commented as follows :-  

We’re incredibly excited to become part of the Seventeen Group. 1st Choice Insurance was founded on a simple ethos: providing great insurance policies with exceptional customer service. We’ve found a natural partner in Seventeen Group, whose culture and values align closely with our own. With their support and scale, we’re looking forward to growing our business and continuing to deliver on our key principle to even more clients. Callum Watkins

Joining the Seventeen Group is a natural step for 1st Choice Insurance. Our businesses share a strong commitment to people, relationships, and delivering the highest standards of service. This partnership allows us to build on those foundations, creating new opportunities for our team and even greater value for our clients. Jason Martin 

Oliver Thorne Seventeen Group CEO: I’m delighted to welcome the 1st Choice team to Seventeen Group. Their impressive growth is built on a foundation of quality client service and significant investment in sales strategy. Their entrepreneurial culture perfectly complements the direction of our Group and I’m excited to build our business together. 

End of Press Release 

For more information contact: –

Jackie Knight Group Marketing and Events Director
e: jackie.knight@seventeengroup.co.uk
t: 07824 486319