BMS Group Limited (“BMS”), the independent specialist insurance and reinsurance broker, today announces the launch of its Asia broking operations, headquartered in Singapore and with proposed operations in Hong Kong pending regulatory approval. BMS Asia will initially focus on M&A insurance broking, enhancing the group’s existing capabilities in that class of business in London, Canada and Australia.
Sandra Lee will be CEO of BMS Asia and is joined by Martijn de Lange and Aris Wong, who will be Managing Directors in the regional Private Equity, M&A and Taxation (“PEMAT”) operation, and by Amy Fu, who is Executive Director in Singapore.
Nick Cook, CEO of BMS Group said: “This is the latest stage in our strategy to provide our clients with a competitive and diverse, globally integrated offering by establishing scalable hubs in the key insurance markets around the world. The M&A insurance market in Asia is evolving and maturing at pace, and we are delighted that Sandra and the team will be driving our initial offering in the region.
“We will look to expand out from M&A insurance into additional specialisms, extending our existing areas of expertise into other sectors, potentially including reinsurance, renewable energy, marine, and capital markets. We hope our ambition and entrepreneurial culture will continue to attract the very best talent in the market.”
Sandra Lee, CEO of BMS Asia said: “The creation of BMS Asia is a really exciting development for insurance buyers in the region. As a leading independent broker, we can offer a genuine alternative to the world’s largest intermediaries and our independence gives us the freedom to be innovative and entrepreneurial and thus pursue the very best solutions for our clients.
“Growth in the Asian M&A insurance market is accelerating and we expect a robust increase in deal flow in 2021, with buyers looking for ways to protect their investments and sellers seeking the best solutions to reduce their liability post closing.”
From launch, the key initial members of the BMS Asia team are:
- Sandra Lee, CEO of BMS Asia, brings with her more than 16 years of legal and insurance experience, mostly spent advising leading international private equity and corporate investors on the legal aspects of their M&A transactions as well as placement of various M&A insurance solutions.
- Martijn de Lange leads the Tax Liability Insurance practice. He has over 12 years of combined insurance, legal and tax experience, with a focus on Tax and M&A, having advised private equity and corporate investors on tax and transactional risk insurance solutions in the region.
- Aris Wong leads the M&A insurance practice in Singapore and the SE Asian region. She has more than 10 years of legal and insurance experience, most recently in advising investors on various transaction risk insurance solutions across the broader Asian region.
- Amy Fu’s role includes driving the strategy and growth of the broker operation, working with diverse corporate and public stakeholders, and reinsurance. Most recently, she led the distribution strategy and stakeholder engagement for Lloyd’s Asia, having established an international marine portfolio for Pioneer Underwriting and worked for Swiss Re across the region.