Bain Capital has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Jensten Group, the UK-based commercial insurance distribution platform, from Livingbridge.
The investment is being made by Bain Capital’s dedicated insurance investing platform. Terms were not disclosed, and the transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2025, subject to regulatory approvals.
Founded in 1986, Jensten has grown into a multi-channel distribution business serving small and medium-sized enterprises across the UK. It operates across retail, wholesale and MGA segments, has completed 37 acquisitions to date (including 14 from its own franchise network), and now controls around £600 million of gross written premium. The group employs more than 1,000 people across 50 locations.
Bain Capital said it would partner with Jensten’s management team to invest in sales and distribution, technology and operations, as well as continuing the broker’s successful M&A strategy to strengthen its regional footprint. “Jensten is a highly respected platform with a national footprint, broad product offering and a proven M&A engine,” said Matt Cannan, partner at Bain Capital. “We believe there is significant potential to accelerate Jensten’s organic growth journey, utilise data for strategic decision making and add further value by leveraging the company’s scale and forming partnerships with insurers.”
Livingbridge has played a central role in Jensten’s recent expansion, supporting the group through 37 acquisitions and the development of a single operating platform. Reflecting on that journey, Simon Peet, partner at Livingbridge, said: “We’ve appreciated the opportunity to support Jensten’s growth journey to a national multi-channel platform with strong M&A capabilities and a scalable operating model. The team has built a business with scale and resilience, and we believe Jensten is exceptionally well-positioned to thrive in its next phase of growth with Bain Capital.”
For Jensten, the deal marks another step in a rapid transformation. Robert Organ (pictured), CEO of Jensten Group, noted: “We are proud of the business we’ve built with Livingbridge and our teams across the UK. With Bain Capital’s backing and deep sector experience, we’ll continue to attract new talent, expand our product offering, empower our brokers, and strengthen our position as a leading independent broker in the UK market.”
Advisers on the deal included Continuum Advisory Partners, Travers Smith and Deloitte for Jensten; Macquarie Capital, Proskauer Rose, Weil Gotshal & Manges, PwC and Oliver Wyman for Bain Capital; and Jamieson Corporate Finance and DLA Piper for management.
Jensten has been one of the UK’s most active consolidators in recent years. In November 2023, it completed the purchase of One Broker Group, adding around £60 million GWP, 115 staff, and a regional hub in East Anglia. In April 2024, Jensten secured £170 million in new borrowing facilities from LGT Private Debt and Bridgepoint Credit, alongside continued support from majority shareholder Livingbridge, to fund further growth.
During 2024, the group also acquired Chris Knott Insurance Consultants, Robert Gerrard & Co, and Asprey Harris, which pushed its workforce past 1,000. Other acquisitions, such as Henry Seymour & Co (Salon Gold) and Melville Burbage, added more than £20 million GWP and strengthened Jensten’s schemes and affinities expertise.
For Bain Capital, the Jensten deal follows other significant moves in UK insurance. In April 2025, it agreed to sell esure to Belgian insurer Ageas for approximately £1.3 billion, a transaction that will create one of the UK’s top three personal lines insurers when it completes in the second half of 2025. Bain Capital has also made a minority investment in The Openwork Partnership, a major UK advice network, as part of its broader insurance and financial services strategy.
What the deal means for brokers and MGAs
The acquisition underscores two clear trends shaping the UK insurance landscape: the continued consolidation of independent brokers into larger, private equity-backed groups, and the growing emphasis on technology, data and digital distribution. For brokers, Jensten’s expansion under Bain Capital will likely mean even stronger competition from well-capitalised consolidators able to invest in scale and niche schemes. For insurers, the deal highlights the value of distribution platforms with a broad footprint and specialist expertise. And for MGAs, it reinforces how investor backing can accelerate both regional reach and product innovation in an increasingly competitive market.
