Insurance broker Jelf on growth trajectory with opening of new Glasgow base

Ben Bailey, managing director for Scotland, with Catherine Kelly, Jelf regional director. Picture: Elaine Livingstone

The office, located in the G1 building on the city’s George Square, is the firm’s biggest trading centre in Scotland.

Jelf, which specialises in insurance, risk management and employee benefits, has secured almost 32,000 square feet of space, reflecting its “long-term growth ambitions and commitment to Scotland’s largest city”.

Some 80 staff are based in the G1 building, including employees from relocated branches on the outskirts of the city and new “strategic” appointments. The latest hires are said to be central to the firm’s ambitions to grow its customer base and expand its range of services.

The move to a new base follows the acquisition of Clark Thomson, which was formerly Scotland’s largest independent broker.

Founded in 1989, Jelf became part of Marsh & McLennan Companies (MMC) in December 2015. In January 2017, Jelf was brought together with Bluefin to create one of the UK’s biggest insurance brokers for mid-size companies and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The firm said it was now pushing forward with plans to build the “leading community-based risk advisory business for SMEs in Scotland”, with 14 offices across the country.

Ben Bailey, managing director of the Jelf business in Scotland, said: “Our G1 branch is home to one of the most comprehensive broker teams in the UK including an in-house claims department, specialist risk management advisors and our own employee benefits division.”

Across the UK, the firm has almost 3,000 employees serving some 250,000 clients from more than 75 branches.