Howden expands UK employee benefits reach with acquisition of Evelyn Partners consultancy arm 

Howden has announced plans to acquire the employee benefits consultancy division of Evelyn Partners, in a move that significantly strengthens the insurance specialist’s corporate health and benefits business across the UK. 

The deal, announced on 11 November 2025, will see Evelyn Partners Financial Services Limited (EPFS), which provides consultancy on group risk, healthcare benefits, employee engagement and wellbeing, join Howden’s expanding portfolio. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to complete in the first quarter of 2026. 

EPFS brings a 38-strong team based in London, Bristol, Glasgow and Guildford, led by Gareth Sawyer, Head of Employee Benefits at Evelyn Partners. Once the deal is finalised, Sawyer and his team will report to Cheryl Brennan, Managing Director of Howden Employee Benefits. 

Brennan said the acquisition “reinforces Howden’s investment in our market-leading, full-service employee benefits proposition”, adding that the EPFS team “bring a highly experienced group with an excellent reputation and a culture that mirrors our own”. 

The move follows Howden’s March 2025 acquisition of Barnett Waddingham, which created one of the largest global employee benefits and pensions advisory forces, with around 4,000 experts in 40 countries and combined revenues exceeding £500m. 

According to Howden, the addition of EPFS will further its strategy to grow scale and expertise in the UK market, particularly in serving mid-market and high-growth employers seeking integrated benefits solutions. The company says its goal is to provide “fresh thinking and trusted advice” to clients ranging from SMEs to multinationals, while expanding its global reach in corporate health and wellbeing. 

For Evelyn Partners, the sale forms part of a broader strategy to streamline operations and focus on its core wealth management activities. Chief Executive Paul Geddes said:

“This transaction follows our successful sales of our Professional Services and Fund Solutions businesses earlier this year. Howden will be a great long-term owner, providing continuity for clients and new opportunities for the employee benefits team.” 

The acquisition underscores the pace of consolidation within the UK’s financial and benefits consultancy sector, as firms seek to deepen expertise and offer broader, integrated solutions spanning wellbeing, health, pensions and employee engagement. 

When completed, the deal will reinforce Howden’s position as one of the UK’s largest and fastest-growing employee benefits specialists, and marks another step in its ambition to combine local expertise with a global advisory network.