Optio Group, a leading specialty MGA, today announces it has acquired a strategic investment in Italian MGA Heca S.r.l. (Heca) for an undisclosed sum. This investment demonstrates Optio’s confidence in Heca’s potential for continued success and supports Optio’s European expansion strategy.

Founded in Ortona, province of Chieti in Abruzzo, in 2010, Heca has rapidly grown to become a leading MGA in Italy. The company gained Lloyd’s coverholder status in 2018 and offers solutions in professional liability and surety.

Heca is renowned for its cutting-edge proprietary all-in-one customer relationship management platform, which offers brokers and intermediaries the highest standards of support. A blockchain policy verification service, the first of its kind in Italy, is also available to guarantee transparency and trust in every surety transaction. The combination of Heca’s high-tech approach and specialised product suite with Optio’s existing capabilities will create further opportunities for both companies.

The transaction follows Optio’s acquisition of Netherlands and Brussels based MGA Den Hartigh in July and marks a further significant step in Optio’s ambition to create a balanced buy-and-build platform, with acquisitions across Europe core to achieving that.

Deepak Soni, CEO, Optio Group said: “The impressive growth of Heca, led by the exceptional vision of founder and CEO Emmanuele Menicucci and managing partner Nick Evers, perfectly encapsulates the kind of entrepreneurial business culture Optio is proud to endorse. We seek to remain a long-term stakeholder and intend to support them as they continue building on their ambition, for customers and partners.”

Menicucci added: “We are delighted to announce this alliance with Optio, whose cultural values and entrepreneurial spirit mirror our own. This is a very exciting time for European MGA’s and we look forward to working with Optio to fulfil our strategic ambitions and those of our new partner.”