UK-based Ardonagh Group has formed a global division to oversee its expanding portfolio of international businesses and to pursue further growth plans in markets including Australia.

Ardonagh Global Partners (AGP) will include Australian authorised representative network Resilium, mergers and acquisitions specialist Hemsley Wynne Furlonge, located in Germany and London, and recently acquired US healthcare and benefits specialist AccuRisk Solutions.

“The creation of Ardonagh Global Partners opens an exciting new chapter in our story with presence in three continents in addition to our global wholesale operations,” CEO David Ross said.

“With every acquisition, we aim to become a strategic partner to high quality businesses and management teams, leveraging our collective scale and expertise to build value for all concerned.”

Resilium, acquired in February, will act as the centrepiece of the Australian operations and allow AGP to leverage opportunities for the wider portfolio within the country, Ardonagh says.

AGP will be led by Des O’Connor who ran a buy-and-build strategy with UK insurance brokers network Bravo Group, which became part of Ardonagh last year.

Chairman John Tiner told a financial results briefing last month that the company expects its international expansion to continue “at pace”, with the group flagging plans to enter the key US market.

Ardonagh confirmed last week it had acquired Chicago-based AccuRisk, a managing general underwriter, in a joint venture with Amynta Group.

The company’s earnings release highlighted strong growth in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) as it pursues expansion plans.

EBITDA rose 36.2% to £151.5 million ($275.8 million) last year, while on a proforma adjusted basis it reached £308 million ($557 million), based on annualised figures including the impact of all acquisitions completed by March 24.