JM Glendinning Group scoops up Sphere Group

JM Glendinning Group has acquired Newcastle-based insurance broker and risk management firm The Sphere Group, its second business in the city.

The Sphere Group will move to the premises of JM Glendinning Insurance Brokers North East, which has been part of the JMG Group since 2013, alongside 23 JM Glendinning staff who work predominantly with SME clients in the Newcastle office.

Established in 2009, Sphere provides insurance broking services to a wide variety of businesses as well as high net worth individuals. The business will continue to trade as The Sphere Group and retain its team of seven experienced insurance professionals, including MD Alan Oliver. Prior to being acquired by JM Glendinning Group, Sphere was a Gauntlet Group network member, acting as an appointed representative.

Says Nick Houghton, JMG Group’s CEO, “Sphere is another great addition to our Group, further expanding our coverage both geographically and in the services we provide. The company has an impressive record, particularly in terms of staff and client retention, and it stands out as a business which is well managed and has a quality team that is valued by its clients. Being part of the JMG Group will further enhance Sphere’s services and give them even greater market strength.”

Sphere Group MD Alan Oliver has worked in insurance broking for over 22 years. He says, “We have come a very long way since we set up the business in 2009. We have grown year on year and my team has expanded to support this growth. The time was right for the business to move away from the network model of broking and enter this next phase of expansion. I am excited to work with the other JMG Group businesses and to offer even better access to market services for our clients’ benefit.

“I started to explore the market last year and JM Glendinning Group presented the best opportunity for our business, without compromising what we have built up. I knew that the staff would be safe and could see how being part of the Group would be mutually beneficial. Having worked with JMG Group CEO Nick Houghton and Group Commercial Director Neil Forrest in a previous role, I knew that it would be a wise move for the business with them at the helm.”