RPC advises Howden on strategic acquisition of Barnett Waddingham

International law firm RPC has advised Howden, the global insurance and employee benefits intermediary, on its agreement to acquire Barnett Waddingham, one of the UK’s leading professional services consultancies specialising in risk, pensions, investment and insurance.

The acquisition marks a major milestone in Howden’s strategic growth, creating one of the UK’s largest pensions and employee benefits consultancies and significantly expanding its global footprint. It will double the size of Howden’s employee benefits business, with around 4,000 experts generating nearly £500m in revenue. Once completed, the group will employ over 10,000 people across more than 200 UK locations, serving over two million individuals alongside its corporate client base.

RPC advised on legal aspects of the acquisition, drawing on its multidisciplinary expertise across corporate, regulatory, employment, pensions and tax, and worked closely with colleagues at Howden to support Howden’s continued investment in long-term, strategic growth. The transaction adds to the £2.4bn of investments Howden has made over the past five years to expand its UK footprint.

Commenting on the deal, James Mee, Partner and Head of Corporate Insurance and Private Equity at RPC, said: “We're proud to support such a forward-thinking team on their continued growth journey. Barnett Waddingham brings outstanding capability and reputation, and the combination presents exciting opportunities for the future. As ever, it was great to be part of the Howden team and to work closely with Lee Holland (Head of Legal – M&A and Corporate) and Chris Keville (Senior Legal Counsel). The legal team and their commercial colleagues are incredibly capable.”

Chris Keville, Senior Legal Counsel, Howden Group added: “We were delighted to work with the RPC team once again, on this important transaction. Their deep understanding of the sector, and pragmatic, responsive advice, helped us deliver this important deal.”

The RPC team was led by Partners James Mee and Chris Brierley, working closely with colleagues from across the transactions and advisory team.

This transaction builds on RPC’s track record of advising major players in the insurance and employee benefits sector on complex, high-value, and strategically significant deals.

Client announcement: Howden to acquire Barnett Waddingham, creating one of the largest pensions and employee benefits consultancies in the UK