M&A strategy for a composite insurance company

For a European composite insurance company, developed an M&A strategy that enabled them to capture a market leading position.

Our team worked closely with the client’s Strategy and M&A heads to shape an acquisition strategy underpinned by strategic analysis per business line, the evaluation of alternative strategic scenarios, and prioritised target lists for each scenario. The result was a shared strategy that the client went on to execute with great success.

Context

Our client was facing a  consolidating market and brought us in to support development of an M&A strategy that would meet strategic goals and strengthen overall competitiveness.

In particular they were keen to reach a shared view on the right choice between two scenarios: an immediate, major acquisition, and a ‘string of pearls’ approach while waiting for the right major play to emerge.

Approach

Our senior team worked alongside the company’s heads of Strategy and M&A to assess the client’s strategic position in each business line and create a heat map of areas where M&A might be necessary to improve competitiveness.

We then assessed potential targets and evaluated the two approaches: large v. a series of smaller acquisitions, and prioritised target lists for both scenarios.

Impact

Based on our work together, the board settled on an M&A strategy and launched into implementation. Years on, having successfully executed the strategy, our client has become a leader in its market.