Gallagher, the global insurance broking and risk management company, today announced the appointment of Alex Peake as Head of Warranty & Indemnity (W&I), UK & Ireland further strengthening its fast-growing Private Equity and M&A practice (PEMA) and reinforcing its commitment to providing market-leading transactional risk solutions to clients across Europe.
Based in London, Alex will be responsible for leading the continued growth and development of Gallagher's W&I insurance offering across the UK and Ireland, as part of its pan-European PEMA practice focused on providing in-country expertise that sits close to client communities. He will work closely with private equity sponsors, corporates, advisers and legal partners to deliver tailored risk transfer solutions that help protect value, accelerate execution, and unlock deal certainty for clients as they navigate increasingly complex transactions.
Alex brings a decade of experience dedicated to providing effective transactional risk insurance solutions and optimising deal outcomes, with a strong track record advising private equity sponsors, corporates and their advisers on complex domestic and cross-border M&A transactions. He joins Gallagher from WTW, where he most recently served as Director in the Mergers & Acquisitions, Transactional Risks team.
Alex's arrival as Head of Head of W&I, UK & Ireland, is part of a wider investment in UK talent, with Sean Grogan also joining the PEMA practice as a Director, Emily Sawyer joining the M&A Advisors team and Max Marshall strengthening the Insurance Due Diligence team within the PEMA practice.
Sean joins with eight years' experience across transaction services, corporate tax and M&A finance gained at PwC and Deloitte, with a recent focus on private deals and mid-market PE diligence across buy-side and sell-side processes, working with private equity, founder-led and corporate clients. While Max and Emily transition into the PEMA practice from wider roles within Gallagher — Max as a new business project manager and consultant in the corporate insurance and risk management tender team, and Emily as a former business development associate in Gallagher's retail insurance broking team.
Alex's appointment also follows last month's announcement that Philip Frerks has joined Gallagher as Head of Transactional Risks, Germany; while Federica Marcabruni joined in June as Head of Transaction Solutions, Italy; and Gabriella Eriksen Wingren joined in July as Head of Transaction Solutions for the Nordics. During the same period Sarah Dezes and Charles Amblard joined Gallagher in France as in-country PEMA leaders.
Steve Jones, CEO of Private Equity and M&A solutions in the UK & Ireland, said: "As a recognised market leader, Alex is a highly regarded transactional risks adviser who has dedicated the past decade to helping private equity and corporate clients navigate complex deals. The combination of his deep technical expertise, strong market relationships and commercial approach make him an outstanding addition to the UK and wider European leadership team across our expanding PEMA practice.
"With growing demand for insurance-backed risk transfer solutions that play an increasingly important role in facilitating successful M&A transactions, Alex's appointment further strengthens our ability to help clients deploy capital efficiently, deliver greater deal certainty, safeguard investment returns and maximise value."
Alex Peake said: "Gallagher is creating one of the most exciting growth stories in the transactional risks market. The opportunity to join a business that is attracting leading European talent across multiple disciplines to build a differentiated platform wholly focused on deliver exceptional outcomes for clients was compelling. There is a clear ambition to challenge the status quo, expand capabilities and deliver innovative risk transfer solutions that help clients achieve greater certainty and unlock value throughout the deal process and beyond. I'm delighted to be part of that journey."
Gallagher's PEMA practice offers specialist services and indemnity solutions for private capital and corporate transactions including risk and insurance due diligence, pension and benefit due diligence, warranty & indemnity, structured credit, tax liability and contingent liability. All of which are being increasingly embraced among private equity, other funds and corporates undertaking transactions to help them mitigate increased risks, protect value and optimise returns.
