Howden, the global insurance and reinsurance broking group, acquired a 68.3% majority stake in Holos Holdings, a Kyoto-based retail insurance broker founded in 2001 by Kei Horii.
Holos employs more than 400 people across 20 locations in Japan and provides retail insurance services in both life and non-life segments.
This acquisition represents a key milestone in Howden’s strategy to expand its operations in Japan, where it established a presence in 2024. With the addition of Holos, Howden’s workforce in Japan exceeds 450 employees.
The transaction strengthens Howden’s credibility, relevance, and service capabilities in the Japanese market, enabling it to serve individuals, SMEs, corporates, and insurers across a full spectrum of reinsurance and retail services.
Earlier in 2024, Howden Japan undertook several strategic initiatives, including launching Howden Re Japan, partnering with Keystone ILS Capital, and entering the Japanese retail insurance sector through its acquisition of the Foresight Group.
David Howden CBE, CEO of Howden, emphasized the importance of local expertise and described the move as transformational.
He noted that Holos brings strong knowledge and history in the Japanese market, which complements Howden’s commitment to delivering comprehensive services in the region.
Right from the very start we’ve known that to provide the best services to clients you must have strong local expertise on the ground. Holos has incredible know-how and like us they have a rich history in the market. And joining forces now gives us strength-in-depth across Japan, enabling us to provide individuals, SMEs, corporates, and insurers with a full suite of services from reinsurance to retail.
David Howden CBE, CEO of Howden
Kei Horii, CEO of Holos, stated that after 25 years of growth supported by employees and clients, Holos decided to join Howden to combine its experience in the life insurance sector with Howden’s global resources and expertise in corporate general insurance.
He expressed confidence that the combined group would become an even more trusted and valued provider for clients.
For the past 25 years, Holos has grown its business with the strong support of our employees and clients. As the Japanese insurance industry enters a new phase, we have decided to join Howden.
Kei Horii, CEO of Holos Holdings
“By combining Holos’ deep experience in the life insurance sector with Howden’s global resources and advanced expertise in the corporate general insurance field, we aim to grow into a trusted and valued insurance group, even more loved by our clients,” Kei Horii said.
Kentaro Tada, CEO of Howden Japan, highlighted the shared corporate culture of independence and client-focused solutions. He expressed enthusiasm about working with Holos to grow the business and maintain client trust.
