FSP Corporate team advises on the sale of insurance broker company, Berns Brett Limited

The Corporate team at Field Seymour Parkes has advised the shareholders on the sale of the entire issued share capital  Berns Brett Limited (BBL) to a subsidiary of the acquisitive Jensten Group Limited (Jensten) and following regulatory approval being given by the FCA.

Established in 1967, BBL is an independent insurance brokerage group with offices across London, West Sussex and Cavan, Ireland and will continue to trade from those offices. With more than 5,000 clients across multiple sectors, BBL advises on large and complex risks for corporate clients as well as private high-net-worth clients and sports professionals.

This acquisition supports Jensten’s strategy of building and growing strong regional and specialist centres, and will now open up a new region with significant opportunities in Ireland and with this being Jensten’s first acquisition outside of the UK.

David Skinner, managing director of BBL, will continue to lead the Berns Brett business and added “This was not the easiest transaction not least as elements of the Berns Brett group, including some overseas, had to be reorganised as part of the sale process to Jensten. Throughout Philip, Ian, Penelope and the rest of the FSP team provided good legal advice but also took a responsive, collaborative and commercial approach and, by doing so, made the transaction relatively stress free for the owners. I would have no hesitation in recommending FSP for similar transactions.”

The team at FSP was led by Corporate Partner Philip Stephenson with assistance from Ian Wood-Smith (Partner, Corporate), Penelope Garden (Partner, Corporate), Isabelle Blumenthal, Sadaf Anwar and Evangeline Evans (Trainees, Corporate), David Clay (Senior Associate, Employment) and Gaye King (Associate, Commercial Property).