Brad Tresidder says his working life is far from over after sealing a major deal for his eponymous broking business.

The “win-win” acquisition by global group Gallagher comes after Mr Tresidder moved from Melbourne to Geelong, founded the highly regarded commercial brokerage and expanded with an office in Toowoomba, Queensland.

Speaking to insuranceNEWS.com.au as the deal was announced, Mr Tresidder said: “It’s great for Gallagher because they’ve been wanting to get a bit of a foothold in our region of Geelong, and now they have that.

“They’ve been wondering how we’re doing it, and so they’re wanting to tap into that IP of ours that we have in the mid-market space. Gallagher is a great fit for us – we’ve had other businesses interested in us, but their values really came through. We’re thrilled.”

With a staff of about 30 across three offices – its other Victorian branch is in Melbourne – Tresidder Insurance Brokers serves commercial and personal lines clients nationwide, specialising in large agriculture, manufacturing and construction businesses.

Gallagher says the deal strengthens its Australian presence and expertise in manufacturing, food and beverage, biotech and agriculture, and that Tresidder has built a reputation for “deep client relationships and tailored coverage”.  

Compound annual growth of 26% over many years, according to Mr Tresidder, would also have been a drawcard.  

“We’ve had a very high growth rate and that’s been through not losing any clients and then ... procuring new ones in that mid-market to corporate space,” Mr Tresidder said. 

“It gets to a stage where we probably become a bit of a nuisance to some insurance brokers – our brand was starting to get recognised, not just within some sectors and industries that we specialise in nationally, but also internationally as well, in Singapore and London. It’s nice to get that kudos, but at the same time it was nice to have a partner like Gallagher come to us. We’re pretty excited.”

Mr Tresidder – who spent about seven years at Honan and seven at Heath Fielding before founding the brokerage in 2009 – will stay on as executive chairman.

Also staying is CEO Dean O’Halloran, who has held the role since 2021 and is a former Adroit Insurance & Risk EGM, Chubb state manager and AIG national partnership manager.

The deal, for an undisclosed sum, means Tresidder becomes part of Gallagher Australia under departing country CEO Sarah Lyons. Melbourne staff will relocate to Gallagher’s office in East Melbourne while the Geelong and Queensland offices will operate as usual.  

Mr Tresidder, 52, says he has plenty more energy to bring to his team of broking experts and their client base.

“I am a bit young to retire. My father used to say, ‘retire young, die young’ and I enjoy what I’m doing ... this feels like still making a difference, still having impact on key staff and the clients.”