Ardonagh Advisory has officially welcomed high net worth (HNW) broker Stanhope Cooper and Managing General Agent (MGA) Renovation Underwriting into its Group, following a prior agreement to acquire a majority shareholding in these businesses.
Under the terms of the agreement, Ardonagh has acquired a shareholding in N&W Investments, which houses Stanhope Cooper, Renovation Underwriting, as well as Insurance Tailors and Porterhouse Brokers.
Stanhope Cooper, headquartered in Petersfield and founded in 2006, specialises in providing expert insurance and risk management advice to HNW private clients and business owners.
Managing Director William Cooper, under whose leadership the brokerage has experienced substantial growth through strategic acquisitions and operational excellence, will continue to lead Stanhope Cooper.
The firm will now become a part of the Ardonagh Advisory platform, presenting opportunities to further enhance Ardonagh’s HNW service offerings.
Renovation Underwriting, a market-leading MGA with offices in London and Cambridgeshire, focuses on providing insurance for private client contract works and high-value projects.
Founded by Managing Director Douglas Brown, a seasoned expert in renovation insurance, the company will join Ardonagh’s UK Commercial MGA. Douglas Brown will lead Renovation Underwriting and also take on a leadership role on the Commercial MGA executive committee, led by CEO Jaime Swindle.
The addition of these businesses to Ardonagh Advisory brings unique specialist capabilities, longstanding relationships, and decades of expertise from their respective teams.
Richard Tuplin, CEO of Advisory Insurance Brokers Ltd, expressed his anticipation, saying, “Stanhope Cooper is a high-growth business, with expertise primarily in the HNW arena. We are looking forward to harnessing these capabilities to further enhance our client proposition and market position while delivering our mutually ambitious growth strategy.”
Jaime Swindle, CEO Commercial MGA, Ardonagh Advisory, added, “Renovation Underwriting is yet another string to our UK Commercial MGA bow that seeks to offer products that are truly specialist in scope. Douglas Brown and the team at Renovation Underwriting have decades’ worth of experience delivering highly specialist products to the market. Douglas’ expertise is a highly prized addition to the UK Commercial MGA and will bring fresh insight as we continue to build and strengthen our distinct proposition.”
William Cooper, Managing Director of Stanhope Cooper, shared his enthusiasm, saying, “Joining Ardonagh means that we will have the investment, relationships, and access to a wide range of capabilities that will enable our business to reach new heights. We’re very excited by the many possibilities ahead and look forward to being part of the Ardonagh team.”
Douglas Brown, Managing Director of Renovation Underwriting, added, “The partnership with Ardonagh enables Renovation Underwriting to expand into new but related areas, allowing meaningful growth to be maintained. This is a great next step for the business and its people; all of whom continue to be part of the journey. We’ll continue to develop our products and services to break new ground in the market.”
