Technology and back-office solutions provider Liberty Blume has acquired Lloyd’s broker PHL Insurance Brokers Ltd. Liberty Blume said the deal would strengthen its financial services arm and open up new insurance markets for the business and its clients. Liberty Blume employs 900 people across seven locations in the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands.

Aniqa Sandhu, MD, financial solutions at Liberty Blume, said: “This marks the start of an exciting chapter for Liberty Blume and our financial solutions business in particular as we build capability, expand what we offer and take it to a bigger market. M&A is a critical pillar of our growth strategy and we look forward to making more announcements along similar lines in the coming months.”

Richard Packman, MD at PHL Insurance Brokers, added: “Joining Liberty Blume allows us to continue our legacy of client-first service while gaining access to new resources, expanded carrier relationships, and international reach.”

Liberty Blume is wholly owned by Liberty Global and said it was proactively on the lookout for further acquisitions.