Miller expands capital advisory footprint in Europe with 4809 Brokers acquisition

Miller, the independent and private equity funded broking group, has announced the acquisition of a European capital advisory focused broking business that has operated at the intersection of reinsurance and capital markets, with Marc Hannebert’s 4809 Brokers AG now its third continental European purchase.

Hannebert, formerly CEO and a Board member at reinsurance firm Barents Re, launched 4809 Brokers AG with his business partner Benjamin Bourseau in 2020.

The company has provided a broad range of reinsurance related capital advisory services, including a focus on alternative risk transfer, securitized risk transfer to the capital markets and ILS funds, legacy transactions such as reinsurance to close, and capital relief arrangements.

The 4809 Brokers AG client base currently includes reinsurers, banks, funds and private equity firms.

Based in Zug, Switzerland, the intention is to build out a Zurich hub for placement across direct, wholesale and facultative lines of reinsurance.

Miller said the acquisition is aligned with its reinsurance growth strategy, focused on the value-add and advisory parts of the market.

James Hands, CEO at Miller, commented, “As Miller continues to grow in both scale and international footprint, we see an opportunity to meaningfully expand our reinsurance capabilities and establish a franchise that enables clients to benefit from our leading direct specialist footprint, our commitment to stability, and our partnership approach. The business that Marc and Benjamin have built at 4809 Brokers is highly complementary to those ambitions, and we’re delighted to be bringing their expertise on board as we continue to expand our presence across the UK, Europe and Asia.”

Shaun Sinniah, Head of Reinsurance and Capital at Miller, added, “4809 Brokers is a highly specialised business built upon strong relationships with key market participants and a deep understanding of their needs and challenges. Their approach is aligned to our desire to focus on solution areas underserved by the large incumbents; it’s a pleasure to be working with Marc and Benjamin, whose expertise will prove invaluable as we continue to craft solutions that not only meet, but also anticipate, the evolving demands and ambitions of clients.”

Marc Hannebert, Managing Partner at 4809 Brokers, stated, “After four highly profitable years at 4809 Brokers, we are delighted to join Miller. With their support, we will continue to provide the re/insurance industry with our unique proposition of cutting-edge solutions, situated at the intersection of the banking and insurance sectors as well as our solutions to support M&A transactions in the sector. We believe that being part of Miller will foster our development and enable our clients to benefit from its long-term stability and sterling reputation as a leading specialist advisor of choice.”

Benjamin Bourseau, Managing Partner at 4809 Brokers, also said, “With its clear focus on execution, its commitment to service excellence and its deep understanding of client issues, Miller is a great fit for our business. Their specialist approach aligns perfectly with our own innovative offering and we’re proud and thrilled to be joining James, Shaun and the rest of the Miller team at this exciting time of growth.”