LHK Group goes gold as it scoops top prize at awards
Established in Louth in 1938 by Myles Kelleher, LHK Group has 85 years’ experience of providing advisory insurance and financial planning services across 16 sectors to over 10,000 clients nationwide. So, it is no wonder that the third generation, practitioner-led broker was presented with the Gold Award in the ‘Best Professional and Business Services’ category at the 2023 National Family Business Awards which took place at the Mansion House on Friday 3rd November 2023.
Following in his grandfather’s and father’s footsteps, Colm Kelleher is currently at the helm of the business leading an ambitious and hardworking team of over 50 professionals, operating from offices in Dublin and Drogheda. And he, along with the rest of the company, was delighted with the accolade.
“This award accurately reflects who we are as a longstanding family-owned business, operating in the professional business services sector,” he said. “The wider business was delighted for LHK to be recognised as a key player in our sector and it means a lot to us to be associated with some very credible family businesses in Ireland.
“Increasingly our business, as insurance brokers and advisors, has become commoditised and dominated by internationally owned groups, so to win this award is a recognition of our relatively unique position in the market. And, as a result, we have already had a number of prospective clients reach out to us to better understand our business and how we can advise them, given our greater understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing family-owned businesses.”
As a proud local employer in the Leinster region, LHK is not only one of the few remaining independently owned brokers in the Irish market, but it has also grown rapidly over the past decade – through organic means, coupled with the acquisition of likeminded owner-managed brokers who fit the LHK vision and strategy. And over the 10-year period, the business has grown almost five times in terms of turnover and employee numbers.
Future Looks Bright
So, despite the many changes brought about since the Pandemic, the future looks bright.
“As a business we will continue to pursue continued growth, both organically and inorganically. LHK is a third-generation family business and fortunate to be able to operate over a longer timeline than many of our competitors,” he said. “Risk and Insurance is evolving at a rapid pace with many developments, such as cyber-crime, inflation and climate change significantly altering how individuals and businesses consider and purchase insurance. Evolving market conditions, combined with the reality of a heavily consolidated broker landscape where advice is increasingly commoditised, has increased the demand for our tailor made, personal, local advisory services.
“As we look forward into 2024, we will continue to invest in technology and our people, building our specialist teams to strengthen our position as a trusted advisor to the family-owned business community in Ireland.”