Houlihan Lokey Advises NORTH

Houlihan Lokey is pleased to announce that NORTH, a portfolio company of Polaris, has been acquired by Howden, the global insurance group. The transaction was completed on 3 January 2024.

NORTH was founded in April 2021 by Lars Gundorph with support from Polaris, a leading Danish private equity investor, and is today Denmark’s largest independent advisory group within corporate insurance and pensions, financial procurement, and mortgage financing. NORTH has developed at a fast pace through organic growth and a total of 24 acquisitions of advisory firms, which have been integrated to expand the offering and strengthen value creation for clients. NORTH has realized the initial ambition of creating a strong and unique advisory boutique contributing to the consolidation and development of the Danish market and establishing a strong position for expansion into other Nordic markets under new ownership.

Houlihan Lokey served as exclusive financial advisor to NORTH. This transaction further strengthens the firm's leadership in the European insurance distribution sector, where the team advised on five completed or signed transactions in 2023, including GGW Group on investment from Permira, the sale of Klap to The Ardonagh Group, TA Associate’s minority investment into MRH Trowe, and the sale of Säkra to Cinven.