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Jardine Lloyd Thompson and HSBC Actuaries and Consultants join forces to strengthen their benefits offering

The Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group (JLT) has acquired HSBC Actuaries and Consultants (HACL) in the hope of increasing its expertise in the employee benefits market.

Duncan Howorth, CEO of JLT, said of the deal: "This acquisition brings together two market leading employee benefit consultancies which have great synergy in both culture and client offerings. As a combined business we will be at the forefront of industry developments in all our principal areas of operations: defined-benefit (DB), defined- contribution (DC) pension solutions and wider employee benefits services.

"JLT continues to develop offerings for pension schemes and working with our new colleagues we shall be able to provide the technology offerings we have pioneered to their clients as well as ours. I look forward to welcoming our new colleagues from HACL to a group in which employee benefits is right at the centre of our strategic ambitions."

 Dominic Burke, chief executive, JLT Group, added: "The acquisition, which fits squarely with our stated strategy of bolt-on acquisitions, adds substantially to a core component of the JLT Group. It is a complementary deal, playing to our strengths and adding capabilities in important professional fields. This transaction underlines our determination to see our employee benefits business grow as a strategically central part of the JLT Group.

In the year ended 31 December 2008, HACL revenues were approximately £40 million.

Employing 440 staff, HACL operates across six practice areas:  trustee consultancy; corporate consultancy; administration services; defined contribution consultancy; investment consultancy' and health and risk consultancy.

Richard Reid, CEO, HACL, said: "We are focused on ensuring that our customers continue to benefit from high-quality service and financial solutions.  The JLT Group is a market leader in the provision of pension solutions and wider employee benefits and we are now working together to ensure that all of our existing customers benefit seamlessly from our combined expertise."