Howden has launched into the Japanese retail insurance broking and captive consulting and management markets with the acquisition of Foresight Holdings.
The firm also appoints Takuya Aibe as CEO of its Japanese retail business. Aibe was CEO of Gallagher Japan and held a number of senior positions at Marsh Japan for over 20 years.
Founded in 2005, Foresight is a licensed group offering retail brokerage and captive consulting services in Japan, as well as captive management in Micronesia, Singapore, and Hawaii.
Earlier this year, the company announced its entry into the Japanese market with Kentaro Tada as CEO of Howden Japan, launching Howden Re Japan and forming a strategic capital partnership with Keystone ILS to offer reinsurance brokerage, strategic advice, and ILS services.
Howden, following its February 2024 acquisition of ARM Holdings, an European independent insurance manager specialising in captives, now manages around 100 captive insurance companies worldwide.
Tada comments: "Howden Japan can now offer retail broking and captive management services alongside its reinsurance and ILS capabilities.
“We are delighted to welcome Aibe-san and believe that his many years of experience working with international brokers, combined with Howden’s global platform, will enable Howden Japan to best serve its retail customers.”
Kenichiro Hamada, CEO of Foresight, says: “Together, we can leverage the full force of our expertise and Howden’s global capabilities, enabling us to better serve clients and develop a leading market position in a highly fragmented captive market.”
Aibe adds: “I am very excited to join Howden at a time when the role of insurance brokers in Japan has never been more promising. I look forward to using my experience to serve our Japanese clients and contribute to the expansion of Howden Japan.”
