The acquisition is expected to complete in the first quarter of 2026, subject to customary regulatory approvals. Financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed.
Founded in 2017 and headquartered in New York, Atlantic Group has grown rapidly to become one of the top five transaction liability focused brokers in North America. The firm employs more than 110 specialists who place representations and warranties insurance, tax liability cover, contingent risk and credit risk solutions for clients across the United States, Canada and Latin America.
For Howden, the transaction represents another major milestone in the expansion of its US retail platform. In recent months, the group has added hundreds of industry professionals across multiple practices and locations, reinforcing its commitment to building scale in the American market. While Howden already holds a leading position in transactional liability insurance outside the United States, the combination with Atlantic provides immediate depth and scale in the world’s most active mergers and acquisitions market.
David Howden, founder and chief executive officer of Howden, described the deal as a cornerstone acquisition for the group in the United States. He said that combining Howden’s international leadership in transactional liability with Atlantic Group’s deep US expertise would create a truly global powerhouse in the sector.
Under the terms of the agreement, Atlantic Group’s founders will assume key leadership roles within Howden’s US retail business and its global transactional liability strategy. They will also become shareholders in the group, a move both sides say reflects strong cultural alignment and shared long term growth ambitions.
Mike Parrish, chief executive officer of Howden US, described the partnership as transformative, highlighting the critical role transactional liability insurance plays in enabling large scale mergers and acquisitions. He said the combination brings together the largest transactional liability broker outside the United States with the leading team operating at the centre of global private equity and M and A activity.
Atlantic founding partner David Haigh said the transaction would allow the firm’s clients to benefit from broader product access and expanded geographic reach while preserving its client first approach. He added that the combined business would bring together a wider network of like minded experts to support increasingly complex transactions.
Atlantic Group currently operates from 11 offices across the United States and Canada and employs professionals with backgrounds in M and A law, litigation, tax and structured finance.
Howden manages approximately 50 billion dollars in premiums globally and employs more than 23,000 people across 56 countries. Its US operations span retail broking, wholesale distribution, reinsurance through Howden Re and underwriting via DUAL.
Board approvals for the acquisition have already been secured. Barclays acted as adviser to Howden on the transaction, while Piper Sandler advised Atlantic Group.
