Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has acquired UK-based consultancy First Actuarial, expanding its pensions and benefits footprint in the British market. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
First Actuarial, which operates across multiple locations in the UK, provides pension administration, employee benefits, actuarial consultancy and investment services to employers and pension scheme trustees.
The First Actuarial team, led by partner David Joy, will remain in their existing offices following the transaction and will sit within Gallagher’s UK Benefits and HR Consulting Division, headed by David Piltz.
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“First Actuarial is a highly regarded firm that expands our pension service capabilities in the UK and complements our employee benefits consulting operations,” said J. Patrick Gallagher Jr., chairman and CEO.
He added that he was “very pleased to welcome David and his associates to our growing, global team,” framing the deal as part of Gallagher’s broader advisory build-out.
The First Actuarial transaction comes as Gallagher continues to reorganise and integrate its growing UK platform following recent acquisitions. After completing its AssuredPartners deal, which added around 1,000 employees and several new regional businesses in the UK and Ireland, Gallagher introduced a revised structure for its UK Retail division, splitting activities into distinct commercial and corporate units to align with mid-market and larger, more complex clients.
Alongside pensions and benefits, Gallagher has also been adding specialist broking capabilities in the UK. In April, the global brokerage agreed to acquire Bircroft Insurance Services, a London-based commercial broker focused on real estate risks for property owners, investors, managing agents and developers, with Bircroft joining Gallagher’s UK and Ireland retail real estate practice.
The group’s acquisition strategy also extends into continental Europe, where Gallagher has moved to acquire Finnish retail broker Finib OY, which serves more than 10,000 clients and offers lines including liability, construction and real estate. The deal was intended to complement Gallagher’s existing retail operations in Sweden and Norway.
These transactions also form part of a wider M&A pipeline contributing to the group’s financial performance. For the third quarter of 2025, Gallagher reported total revenue of US$3.33 billion, up 20% from US$2.76 billion a year earlier, with organic revenue supported by about US$450 million in incremental revenue from acquisitions.
