Member News

Howden Middle East & Africa (Howden MEA) has distinguished itself through consistent market-leading growth whilst maintaining a people-first culture that has transformed the regional broking landscape. The company's employee-owned structure enables colleagues to become shareholders, fostering a culture valuing trust over control, purpose over process, and impact over hierarchy.

The firm's commitment to workplace excellence has been recognised through multiple Great Place to Work certifications, with the Oman office joining Dubai and Abu Dhabi operations in achieving this distinction. This recognition reflects Howden MEA's success in attracting top talent from competitors, with professionals choosing an organisation where decisions are made close to clients and collaboration defines daily operations rather than remaining mere corporate rhetoric.

Howden MEA has positioned insurance as a force for good, actively building sustainability offerings supported by the company's global Climate, Risk and Resilience practice—now the largest in the market. The firm helps businesses navigate climate risk whilst supporting sustainable finance solution development, using insurance to drive real-world change.

Innovation at Howden MEA focuses on substance over show, designing products and services solving real client challenges. The firm launched bespoke cyber insurance specifically tailored for small and medium-sized enterprises, a historically underserved segment. The offering delivers broad coverage with minimal underwriting complexity and highly competitive premiums, achieving extraordinary uptake across various industrial sectors. Howden MEA served as strategic partner at the UAE Government Cyber Security Summit, affirming leadership in this critical space.

The company became the first broker in the region launching a dedicated Asset Management Division serving hedge funds, family offices, private equity, and venture capital firms. This sophisticated client base receives tailored, high-impact solutions reflecting deep sector knowledge and proactive advisory approaches, establishing Howden MEA as market leader in this segment.

International recognition came through invitation to join the Lord Mayor of the City of London's delegation on an official Middle East visit, acknowledging regional operations as outstanding examples of British insurance excellence abroad. As principal sponsor of the British and Irish Lions, Howden demonstrates global scale whilst maintaining local client focus.

Howden MEA's success stems from leading with empathy, building genuine partnerships with clients and insurers, innovating with purpose, investing in people, moving fast unburdened by bureaucracy, and bringing heart to operations. The firm recognises that culture and care remain as important as capital and coverage, redefining what winning means in regional insurance broking.