Charles-Henri Gridel joins Howden M&A to lead European Business Development

Paris, 15 September 2022: Howden M&A, the international M&A and structured solutions insurance broker, has announced the appointment of Charles-Henri Gridel as Associate Director, Business Development Europe. Charles-Henri brings with him more than 20 years of experience in the professional services sector, with his appointment reflective of Howden M&A's commitment to expand its European platform.

Charles-Henri will lead the Business Development function across Continental Europe, building Howden M&A's brand profile with investment funds, lawyers, M&A bankers, corporates and the financial services industry. He will be also responsible for developing the portfolio of clients for M&A insurance solutions, including warranty and indemnity, title and real estate risks, tax risks and structuring, environmental issues and contingent risks.

Charles-Henri began his career in Marketing at BNP Paribas before joining the leading international law firm Gide as part of the Business Development team, holding positions in Paris and Shanghai during his tenure. Most recently Charles-Henri was Head of Business Development for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) at Herbert Smith Freehills and a member of the firm’s EMEA Executive Committee.

A graduate of the EM Lyon School of Management, Charles-Henri holds a Masters in Law from Pantheon Assas University.

Charles-Henri’s onboarding marks another significant senior hire for Howden in France, following the appointment of Nicolas Aubert as CEO of France earlier this year.

Lucie Bocel, Co-Head, Howden M&A, France said: "Charles-Henri’s appointment reinforces our commitment to the French M&A market and our continued ambition to strengthen Howden’s position in Europe. We are delighted to have Charles-Henri on board and welcome the on-the-ground, local support he will provide as part of our development strategy for the region.”

Andras Haragovitch, Co-Head, Howden M&A, France commented: “Charles-Henri will have a pivotal role in bringing our expertise closer to our clients”.

Drew Wardrope, Managing Director, Howden M&A continued: “Charles-Henri’s appointment is reflective of Howden M&A’s broader strategy to invest in talent and expertise. His proven track record and experience of business development in the professional services sector will make him an invaluable addition to our growing M&A insurance team in Paris.”

Luigi Sturani, CEO, Howden Europe added: “Our ambition to position ourselves as one of the leading brokers in Europe is no secret. Attracting top talent is key in enabling Howden to rapidly grow across the continent and establish itself as the European-focused alternative in the broking market, bringing more choice to clients. I am delighted that Charles-Henri has decided to join our team and I look forward to welcoming him to Howden.”

Charles-Henri will join Howden M&A in September of this year adding to a highly skilled and multi-disciplinary team with a proven track record of creating tailored solutions for Financial Institutions and Corporate clients.

Howden M&A is part of HowdenCAP, the new capital, advisory and placement business providing solutions at the convergence of the insurance and capital markets space to corporate clients, investors and all non-(re)insurance industry clients in the financial services sector.

Howden M&A is made up of multi-disciplinary experts, with backgrounds in law, investment banking, accountancy, structuring and insurance who advise clients across the full spectrum of M&A insurance and structured solutions. In 2021, Howden M&A placed more than 1,200 insurance policies on almost 800 deals with an aggregate enterprise value of €167 billion.

ENDS

About Howden Broking

Howden Broking, a leading independent provider of (re)insurance brokerage, risk consulting and employee benefits advice, is headquartered in the UK and comprises owned businesses across Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and New Zealand, Latin America and the Middle East.

Established in 1994, today Howden employs more than 10,500 people worldwide. Together with network partners aligned to its specialty-led proposition, Howden operates in more than 90 territories.

For more information, please visit http://www.howdengroup.com/

About HowdenCAP

HowdenCAP, part of Howden Broking, is a new capital, advisory and placement business for financial institutions, investors and corporates.  The division provides a blend of insurance and investment solutions to help manage complex risks and optimise capital for clients in the private equity, banking and asset management sectors. 

HowdenCAP leverages the skills and expertise of those with backgrounds in banking, law and ‘Big-Four’ consultancy with the breadth and depth of insurance specialisms. HowdenCAP houses the broker’s market-leading Mergers & Acquisitions practice, its Global Credit Solutions and Surety practices, and specialists in regulatory capital, risk weighted assets, private equity, insolvency, tax, credit and structured finance.