Preservation Capital Partners is acquiring a minority stake in BPL in a deal expected to close in Q4, marking the end of BPL’s status as a fully employee-owned firm.

The London-based private equity firm is expanding its presence in the insurance sector through this latest deal, which adds BPL to a growing portfolio that already includes BMS and Optio.
BPL, a specialist broker in trade credit and political risk insurance, was founded in 1983 and transitioned to full employee ownership a decade later. Founder Charles Berry said the investment signals a return to the firm’s roots, noting that PCP brings “financial firepower” while enabling the firm to maintain majority employee ownership and its niche focus.

BPL CEO Sian Aspinall said the company aims to accelerate its growth trajectory to match its market influence. “External minority investment, of course, is a powerful tool here,” she added.

PCP highlighted BPL’s robust financials, including fully contracted multi-year policies and strong visibility over future revenues. For the year ending March 31, BPL reported a 46% operating margin and £20.5m in group profit from £69.8m in turnover.

Despite recent EU regulatory reforms, BPL said there has been “no evidenced deterioration” in demand for credit insurance, and the market remains resilient amid global geopolitical tensions.

PCP managing partner Jatender Aujla said, “We have been following BPL’s market-leading performance over a number of years and have been impressed by its outstanding growth and unparalleled reputation.”

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