March 2025
The MECO Group
Adviser to The MECO Group on their sale to Markel
£undisclosed
Grant Thornton team
Financial services
Sell side
Corporate finance
Flag of the United Kingdom

Grant Thornton are delighted to have advised on the sale of The MECO Group to Markel

The MECO Group is one of the world’s leading, independent specialist MGAs, providing marine insurance products to a diverse range of global clients.

MECO provides cover through its three core insurance brands - The Charterers P&I Club, Transmarine and Aurora P&I - and complementary legal services are offered through its law firm True North.

Joining forces with Markel presents a great opportunity for the MECO team to expand on the strong presence they’ve built in many key markets over the past 50 years, and to leverage Markel’s capabilities to provide a more comprehensive and competitive offering for their clients. 

Given the specialist nature of the MECO business, we focussed on a select number of trade and Private Equity-backed trade parties who we felt were best placed to build upon the success of the business and its strong market position, offer a strong cultural and strategic fit to benefit both its existing team and its clients, and ultimately pay a premium price for the business

Using our in-depth sector experience and knowledge, we selected the most appropriate potential buyers and ran a tight and highly competitive process before selecting Markel as the preferred bidder. Working in tandem with the shareholders and their legal advisors we then led negotiations to a successful conclusion. 

“We are delighted to have had the opportunity to work with Simon Blackburn and his team at Grant Thornton. They are an approachable and professional team, and we always felt that they had our back through every stage of the process. Their knowledge and experience was key to helping us achieve a successful outcome”
Chris Else CEO and majority shareholder, The MECO Group