Howden acquires Sherpa, expanding its presence in New Zealand

Howden acquires Sherpa, expanding its presence in New Zealand

Christchurch, New Zealand, 8 July 2025: Howden, the global insurance intermediary group, announces that it has acquired Sherpa Ltd (Sherpa), a general insurance broker based in the commercial centre of Christchurch, New Zealand (NZ). 

Established in 2017, Sherpa has rapidly grown to be a leading insurance broker in Christchurch under the leadership of the founder, Daniel Mathieson. It is focused on commercial and retail SME customers, with its team of highly experienced brokers servicing clients across the corporate spectrum. 

This acquisition reinforces Howden’s strategy to build a leading broking operation in the Pacific region, and a nationwide presence across NZ. Locally, the acquisition materially increases Howden’s footprint in Christchurch, a key commercial hub in the country.

Sherpa will complement and strengthen Howden’s combined broking business in New Zealand, now comprising Howden Broking NZ, Bridges Insurance, Howden Commercial Affinity (formally Apex Group) and Howden Corporate (formally Wallace McLean), and solving the end-to-end needs of the full spectrum of corporate to SME clients.

Matt Bacon, CEO, Howden Pacific commented: “We are honoured that Sherpa chose to partner with Howden as we see significant synergies in the combination of our companies. Sherpa has had an impressive track record of growth in the Christchurch market and has an ongoing commitment to client service excellence. This acquisition complements our New Zealand broking strategy, which has seen us grow significantly through organic and inorganic means. Sherpa will reinforce our existing presence in a key geographical region. We see huge potential in Howden combining with Sherpa to provide their existing and new clients easy access to key broking talent and leading insurance solutions across the globe.” 

Daniel Mathieson, Director, Sherpa said: “We’re excited that Sherpa is becoming part of the Howden family in New Zealand and the Pacific. While this partnership with Howden will greatly expand our local presence and further strengthen the service offering to all our clients, it’s not just about growth – it's about aligning with a team that shares our values: putting people first, backing our team, and delivering genuine, expert advice to our clients.

From the beginning, it was clear that Howden's people-first philosophy, client focus, and professionalism closely matched our own. That alignment was a key factor in our decision to join forces”.