New commercial broker Attis Insurance expects to top the £50 million premium milestone in 2022 - having launched less than a year ago.
Backed by industry veteran, chairman Joe Henderson MBE, it has gone from two to six locations, with a rapidly-growing headcount now at 75.
He sold his 30-year-old eponymous firm to Aon for £90 million in 2017 - and now chairs the start-up led by several former employees of his.
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Having begun with bases in his home patch of northern Lincolnshire and Leeds, four further branches have opened in Manchester, Halifax, Teesside and Leicestershire - with plans for London looming.
Mr Henderson said: “Attis is being viewed as a breath of fresh air in an industry that has suffered from apathy during the Covid months. Our primary focus on demonstrating that we care about our staff and clients has put people before profits and, in doing so, has helped us achieve a much faster expansion than we anticipated.”
Mr Henderson took his previous venture from a sole-trader outfit in Scunthorpe to a 400-strong brokerage with 16 UK offices before its sale to the US-based insurance group Aon.
He was awarded an MBE for services to business and the community in Lincolnshire, where he lives, in 2019.
Leeds was a strong location for Henderson, and it continues to be in the new chapter, while the northern Lincolnshire office is also relocating to larger premises.
In West Yorkshire, Attis’ office is headed up by Keith Browne, Neil Beck and Justin Chadwick, all former Henderson employees.
Mr Browne said: “Our rapid growth is a reflection of our strategic drive to scale the business so that we can provide a really strong regional presence for commercial customers across the UK and across a range of industries.
“We are differentiating ourselves quite clearly from other brokers in the market, as a modern and dynamic business helping directors protect their balance sheets from risk with bespoke insurance cover planned properly by people who actually understand clients’ businesses and the sectors they work in.
“Because everything is actioned in-house we are able to guarantee swift decision making and innovative support for our clients at all times. Throughout the challenges presented by Covid we have been determined to put our clients first, providing a level of personal service and professionalism that has been massively appreciated.”
Further growth is planned for Attis Insurance into 2022 with more hires scheduled and potential acquisitions in the pipeline.
Mr Beck said: “As we continue to recruit, creating quality jobs in Leeds and across the north and Midlands, we are very much aware that we are aiming to be an employer of choice, creating the best brokerage by attracting and retaining the best people.
“We’re really proud of what our team has achieved and by investing in people and their careers we hope to make the next six months and beyond even more successful.”
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