Global insurance intermediary Howden has acquired Thomond Asset Management, the trading name of Folk Asset Management Limited, a Limerick-based financial advisory firm providing specialist advice on financial planning, pensions, investments and estate planning to individuals and business owners across Ireland, as reported by Howden Ireland. The acquisition is Howden's first financial advisory move into Limerick City and its third such deal in Ireland within 2026, following the additions of Maven Financial Planning in April and Opes Wealth Trust in May.

Thomond Asset Management was founded by Tom Fitzgerald, Neal Kelly and David O'Neill, all three of whom will remain with the business following completion. The firm's nine professionals will join Howden's growing financial advisory division, which is led by managing director Dermot Gaskin and now comprises more than 80 professionals supporting clients across Ireland. The acquisition remains subject to Central Bank of Ireland regulatory approval.

Gaskin said Thomond had built a strong wealth management business in Limerick City with values that closely align to Howden's own, and added: "Thomond's focus on long-term client relationships, built on trust and openness, mirrors our commitment to putting clients at the centre of everything we do. This acquisition will offer their clients an even wider range of services, while ensuring they continue to access expert advice close to where they are based."

The co-founders of Thomond Asset Management said joining Howden as its first financial advisory acquisition in Limerick City was an exciting development, and noted that the partnership would give their clients access to greater resources and broader expertise while maintaining the personal service those clients value.

Howden Ireland manages €2bn in assets under management, €300m in gross written premium and €850m in mortgages on behalf of clients across its network of more than 600 employees in 27 offices. The wider Howden group operates across 57 countries, employs over 24,000 people and manages premiums totalling over $50bn (approximately €46bn) globally.

For finance professionals advising clients on wealth structuring, pension planning and estate management in Ireland, the consolidation of independent advisory practices into larger intermediary groups is reshaping the competitive landscape and the range of integrated services available to business owners and high-net-worth individuals.