The Clear Group has announced that co-founder Howard Lickens (pictured above) will retire at the end of the year, stepping back after more than two decades helping to shape and grow the business he founded with Gary O’Donnell in 2001.
Lickens played a key role in establishing Clear as an independent insurance brokerage and was closely involved in setting its early strategy, culture and client-led approach. Over the years, he helped steer the group through multiple phases of growth, including the expansion of its regional footprint, the broadening of its product offering across commercial insurance and risk advisory, and the development of Clear’s acquisition-led growth model.
As the group scaled, Clear said that Lickens was instrumental in building long-term insurer relationships and embedding governance and operational frameworks that supported its transition from a founder-led brokerage into a larger, more diversified insurance group. He also played an active role in integrating acquired businesses, helping to retain entrepreneurial autonomy while aligning them to group standards and strategy.
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Group chief executive Mike Edgeley said Lickens’ contribution had been central to Clear’s evolution, noting that his vision and commitment helped transform the business from a start-up into a leading player in the market. Edgeley added that the foundations laid since the group’s formation would continue to underpin its future growth.
Lickens said building Clear over the past 24 years had been a defining professional journey, adding that he was proud of the organisation’s development and the teams that had supported its expansion. He said he looked forward to seeing the business continue to progress as it enters its next phase.
The announcement comes as UK insurance brokers continue to face a challenging operating environment, marked by pricing pressure, regulatory scrutiny and ongoing consolidation. Clear said it remains focused on organic growth and acquisitions, with leadership continuity and scale seen as critical to maintaining insurer access and client service standards as the market evolves.
