Insurance: M&A transactions show highest growth rate in 10 years

A total of 242 deals were concluded globally by the end of June 2022 against 197 a year earlier, increasing by 23%.

After a slowdown in 2021, M&A operations have also picked up in the Middle East and Africa with 16 deals signed in the first half of 2022 compared to 12 in the same period of 2021. In Africa, most buyers are from the continent: four from Côte d'Ivoire, three from South Africa and two from Kenya.

In Asia Pacific, the number of completed transactions jumped from 24 to 27 during the same period.

According to Clyde & Co, insurers have focused on external growth opportunities to address the severe economic pressures of inflation, rising energy costs and recession.

The number of deals valued at more than 1 billion USD remained relatively stable at 13 in the first half of 2022 compared to 14 a year earlier. With a value of 7.7 billion USD, the acquisition of the US insurer Athene Holding by Apollo Global Management is considered the largest transaction of the year so far.