Cinven and La Caisse to acquire Optio

International private equity firm, Cinven, together with global investment group, La Caisse, have reached an agreement to acquire Optio Group, a specialty insurance MGA platform headquartered in the UK.

Founded in 2018, Optio originates, underwrites and manages specialty risk on behalf of more than 60 third-party capacity providers. The business underwrites a highly diversified portfolio of specialty risks across six business lines – Profession & Specialty, Transportation, Property & Energy, Healthcare, Transactional Liability, and Surety & Credit – spanning more than 30 products. The company has an established European core with an international footprint, comprising 18 offices across 15 countries spanning the UK, Europe, the US, the Middle East and Asia.

“Optio is a marquee opportunity in the MGA space, a financial services sub-sector where Cinven has deep expertise and a strong track record. Deepak and the wider management team have built a leading and differentiated home for specialty underwriting talent, and we are excited to partner with them as they continue to scale the business both organically and through further M&A. We are also delighted to be partnering with La Caisse on this transaction and look forward to working together to support Optio’s next phase of growth.” – Luigi Sbrozzi, Partner and Co-Head of the Strategic Funds at Cinven.

“Specialty insurance is a market where technical underwriting expertise, disciplined risk selection and scale increasingly matter. Optio is well positioned in that environment, with a differentiated platform serving complex insurance markets, a strong European base and clear international growth potential. Our investment reflects La Caisse’s conviction in the long-term fundamentals of the sector, our experience across the insurance value chain, and our focus on backing high-quality businesses alongside sophisticated, like-minded partners.” – Martin Longchamps, Executive Vice-President and Head of Private Equity and Private Credit at La Caisse.

“We are delighted to welcome Cinven and La Caisse as our partners as we embark on the next chapter of the Optio story. Over the past few years, with the support of Preservation Capital Partners, we have successfully built a diversified global platform through investment in our teams and the acquisition of high-quality specialist MGAs. Throughout this period, we have remained focused on delivering strong underwriting results for our insurer partners and outstanding service to our brokers. We are confident that, together with our new shareholder group, we will continue to build on these foundations, pursuing our growth strategy and expanding our capabilities while preserving the entrepreneurial culture and specialist expertise that define our business.” – Deepak Soni, CEO of Optio.