Howden accelerates growth in France with acquisition of OFRACAR

Paris, 3 April 2024 – Howden announces that it has entered into an agreement to acquire OFRACAR, an independent brokerage group headquartered in Rouen, expanding its geographical footprint and capabilities to clients in north-west France.
 
Founded in 1964 by Jean-Pierre Lecomte, OFRACAR is a leading broker in Normandy, with specialisms in, property & casualty, employee benefit, motor fleet and transport. With 84 staff in offices in Rouen, Rennes and Lyon, OFRACAR serves around 2000 clients across Normandy and France. 

With the acquisition of OFRACAR, Howden France, founded in February 2022, now employs 380 people in 13 offices across the country. This transaction follows Howden France’s recent acquisitions of Financial Lines specialist C.R.F. Conseils, Motor Fleet broker Théorème, Maritime specialist, Seasecure/Guian, and hospitality broker GTCA – CFC Consultants, and reflects Howden’s strategy to materially broaden its product offering and to deliver more choice for French clients. 

Nicolas Aubert, CEO of Howden France, commented: "OFRACAR has been recognised as a market leader for several decades, and thanks to this new acquisition, we are welcoming a talented team and integrating new offerings to broaden our expertise. Already present in Normandy with a team dedicated to the Maritime sector, we are underlining our commitment to regional development by expanding our capabilities and accelerating the delivery of Howden’s global specialty expertise into local markets for the benefit of local clients.”

Luigi Sturani, CEO of Howden Europe, added: “This acquisition marks an exciting next step in our growth journey, reflecting the significant expansion of our operations in France over the last two years. This expansion stands as a testament to our patient and strategic commitment to the country. We have become a scale operator in every major insurance market in Europe, and we continue to deliver our long-stated ambition to build the leading European broker for both clients and talent by partnering with the very best businesses.”

Stéphane Lecomte, CEO of OFRACAR, added: "Our commitment to shaping the future of all our employees has led us to choose Howden as our next partner - an international broker with an entrepreneurial ethos and ambitious growth plans in France. I am thrilled to continue OFRACAR’s 60-year legacy with our colleagues in Howden France, who share our entrepreneurial spirit and People First culture. Our unified teams are now perfectly positioned to assist SMEs and mid-sized companies across the Normandy region, throughout France, and across Europe."