Here is the story, revised for compliance with the style guide and ready for publication: Howden Acquires Evelyn Partners’ Employee Benefits Arm to Boost UK Scale Howden acquires Evelyn Partners Financial Services Limited (EPFS), the employee benefits consultancy arm of the wealth management group Evelyn Partners. The acquisition immediately strengthens the scale of Howden’s corporate health and employee benefits offering in the United Kingdom, aligning with its strategy to invest in expertise for the benefit of clients. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and is set to complete in the first quarter of 2026. EPFS supports a high-quality client list with a strong focus on mid-market, scale-up, and fast growth firms. It provides a wide range of consultancy services to employers and trustees, offering advice on group risk and healthcare benefits, employee engagement and communications services, as well as wellbeing and ancillary benefit packages. The EPFS team of 38 professionals, located across London, Bristol, Glasgow, and Guildford, transfers to Howden in Q1 2026. Gareth Sawyer, Head of Employee Benefits at Evelyn Partners, leads the team and reports to Cheryl Brennan, Managing Director, Howden Employee Benefits, following completion of the acquisition. This announcement follows Howden’s acquisition of Barnett Waddingham in March 2025, which created a market leading force in the global employee benefits and pensions advisory sector. The combined entity boasts approximately 4,000 experts across 40 countries, delivering total combined revenues exceeding £500 million. Cheryl Brennan, Managing Director, Howden UK Employee Benefits, says: “EPFS bring a highly experienced team with an excellent reputation and a culture that mirrors our own. This acquisition reinforces Howden’s investment in our market-leading, full-service employee benefits proposition, strengthening our ability to deliver fresh thinking and trusted advice for corporates seeking a global employee benefits broker with a client-first approach. We’re delighted to welcome the EPFS team and to build on our strong relationship with the wider Evelyn Partners group as we continue to grow our scale and impact in the corporate health and benefits market.” Gareth Sawyer adds that the deal provides clarity on the team’s future and will bring exciting opportunities as they become part of a global organisation that has grown to become one of the UK’s largest employee benefits specialists. Paul Geddes, CEO, Evelyn Partners, comments that the sale further streamlines the firm’s activities as part of a strategic decision to focus solely on wealth management, following the successful sales of its Professional Services and Fund Solutions businesses earlier this year.
