Howden Forays Japanese Retail Insurance Market

Howden, a global insurance intermediary, has made its way into Japan's retail insurance broking and captive consulting sectors by acquiring Foresight Holdings Co Ltd. In connection with the relocation, Howden has designated Takuya Aibe as CEO of its retail operations in Japan.

Aibe has had senior positions at Marsh Japan for more than twenty years and most recently was the CEO of Gallagher Japan. The purchase is a key component of Howden's larger plan to expand its retail footprint in Japan by joining forces with local companies to leverage their specialized knowledge and captive capabilities.

Howden's acquisition of ARM Holdings in February 2024, one of Europe's biggest independent insurance managers specializing in captive formation and management, is succeeded by this deal. After acquiring both, Howden now oversees approximately 100 captives globally.

Founded in 2005, Foresight offers authorized retail brokerage services, enabling Howden to provide risk solutions to customers in Japan. The company runs captive consulting services in the US and captive management services in Micronesia, Singapore, and Hawaii. Based in Tokyo, Foresight has a team of 17 employees spread out across six different locations. The management team, made up of skilled professionals from top Japanese insurance companies, currently manages captive programs for 13 big Japanese corporations.