Following Gallagher Bassett’s acquisition of leading marine claims management provider W K Webster on 1 February 2025, the two companies have achieved numerous cultural and commercial successes within the first 60 days.
A key driver of this success has been the trusted partnership built between leaders in both companies throughout the due diligence phase. Commenting on this process, W K Webster CEO Anthony Smith shared,
“You certainly expect with a deal of this size and nature to experience some degree of tension, but we made a concerted effort with Gallagher Bassett to start with a foundation of trust. From weekly meetings and near-daily contact, it was clear that W K Webster was closely aligned with Gallagher Bassett’s family-run culture and entrepreneurial values.”
Adding his perspective as leader of the acquiring entity, Manan Sagar – Gallagher Bassett’s CEO of Europe, Middle East and Asia – commented,
“It was crucial for Anthony and me to take a collaborative approach to this deal and the way that we would work together. This alleviated the tension often found in such deals, and ensured our teams could see the incredible opportunities that this deal would present.”
Gallagher Bassett and W K Webster did not have to wait long for these opportunities to be realised, with the pathway for growth immediately apparent following deal close.
“We had a really affirming moment during due diligence when a tender opportunity arose, and Gallagher Bassett was asked about our capability to manage marine cargo claims. This was a clear indicator that our expansion and investment in W K Webster was something the market not only wanted but needed. Since then, we have clients asking to be presented with our new offering and the teams seem to naturally involve each other as such discussions emerge,” Manan Sagar said.
“This acquisition has seamlessly extended our core capabilities in corporate and carrier claims and risk management, enabling us to offer a comprehensive suite of solutions. With Webster’s vast geographic footprint, we have a clear platform for further expansion in the Middle East and Europe.”
The shift from an owner-managed business model to a part of Gallagher Bassett has enabled W K Webster to invest in high-growth areas such as inland marine.
“Our team are experts at managing risk and claims associated with any point of the cargo distribution process, but historically we have honed our focus on ocean marine. As a result of Gallagher Bassett’s investment, we’re pushing further into inland marine to apply our expertise across the entire marine claims environment,” Anthony Smith said.
“The structure and scale provided through this acquisition allows us to keep building our business, and with the backing of Gallagher Bassett’s entrepreneurial culture and global operations, W K Webster has an exciting future ahead.”
