Howden U.S. launches Workforce Solutions practice to help clients manage workforce risk and improve performance

Led by industry veteran Ed Vargas, a new practice group bringing health, risk, and advisory expertise together for PEOs, staffing firms, and gig platforms.

London and Miami, May 11, 2026: Howden, the global insurance broking group, today announced the launch of its Workforce Solutions practice, a specialist-led advisory group dedicated to helping organizations better manage the cost, risk, and performance of their workforce.

As workforce challenges grow more complex, from rising insurance costs and shifting employee expectations to increasing regulatory scrutiny, organizations are under pressure to make more informed, defensible decisions about their people strategies. Yet many are still approaching these decisions through fragmented or evolving models that can limit visibility into their broader financial and operational impact.

Howden’s Workforce Solutions practice is built to address this gap, bringing together expertise across health and benefits, workers' compensation, captive management, and strategic advisory to help organizations design, distribute, and scale workforce and risk solutions. This approach enables clients to not only control cost and exposure but also unlock new value creation opportunities across their workforce programs.

The launch comes at a time when workforce decisions are playing an increasingly central role in both business performance and risk management. As Vice Chair, Workforce Solutions, Ed Vargas will leverage his extensive experience in the market to strengthen Howden’s client-forward strategy of building experienced specialty teams that work across disciplines to deliver clearer advice and better outcomes.

Mike Parrish, CEO, Howden Americas said: “Our Workforce Solutions team stands apart in the sector with a broader scope and deeper capabilities than a standalone PEO vertical. We are bringing together expertise from across disciplines onto a single platform, eliminating the need for clients to engage with multiple teams. 

It’s an honor to welcome Ed Vargas to Howden - he is a fantastic leader and visionary who I look forward to supporting as he and the team delivers for clients.”

Ed Vargas, Vice Chair, Howden U.S., Workforce Solutions Group Said: “Organizations are facing increasingly complex decisions around workforce structure, cost, and compliance. Our focus is on bringing the right expertise together to help clients navigate those challenges in a more structured and informed way, while staying ahead of evolving market dynamics.”

About Howden

Howden is a leading global insurance intermediary group with employee ownership at its heart. Founded in 1994, it provides insurance, reinsurance and underwriting services and solutions to clients ranging from private individuals to the largest multinational companies.

The Group operates in 57 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, the USA and Australia and New Zealand, employs 24,000 people and manages premiums totalling over $50 billion on behalf of its clients.

Further information can be found at www.howdengroup.com and www.howdengroupholdings.com.   

About Howden US

Howden US is Howden’s retail insurance broking operation, combining the full weight of its global capabilities with a model that empowers local leaders and talent to build differently. This completes Howden’s full range of capabilities in the US, which already represents more than a quarter of Howden’s revenue and $18 billion premiums annually. This is through its underwriting division DUAL, one of the world’s largest MGAs, Howden Re, a top four global reinsurance broker, and its wholesale business serving US-domiciled clients. 

Further information can be found at www.howdengroup.com/us-en 

CONTACT

Howden Group, Corporate Affairs

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FTI Consulting

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