British broking company BMS Group will acquire Bluebook Insurance Brokers, a specialty brokerage in Brisbane that specialises in the mid-market corporate sector. 

BMS says the acquisition, its sixth in Australia in the past 12 months, will further strengthen its operations here. Terms of the transaction have not been disclosed. 

“This transaction is in line with BMS’s global strategy to deepen our expertise in our chosen areas of specialisations and be a realistic alternative to the large broking houses,” BMS Australia CEO Andrew Godden said. 

“Bluebook was particularly attractive to us because it also shares very similar cultural values to BMS, and its senior management are passionate about supporting their staff and clients to achieve success.” 

Bluebook CEO Stephen Moore and MD Peter Apolakiatis will remain with the business and will take on expanded regional leadership roles with BMS. 

Mr Apolakiatis, who started the business in 2018, has more than 30 years’ industry experience. He started Stand Underwriting in 2021 and was a director with Bellrock Broking for more than eight years until 2018, according to his LinkedIn. 

Mr Moore, a former captain of the Wallabies rugby union team, joined Bluebook last year. He has worked previously at Queensland Treasury Corporation and Queensland Investment Corporation. 

“This is an exciting new chapter in Bluebook’s history,” Mr Apolakiatis said. “Stephen and I have taken a long-term view of Bluebook’s future and we felt this partnership with BMS would provide even greater opportunities to achieve success moving forward.” 

Mr Godden told insuranceNEWS.com.au last October that BMS’s Australian business has been growing rapidly, doubling its gross written premium to more than $160 million in the past 18 months.