GI Partners has launched a new Managing General Agency (MGA) platform in partnership with insurance executives Brad Emmons and Brian Hanuschak.
MGAs are a specialized type of insurance firm that works on behalf of insurance companies but has more authority than a typical insurance broker. MGAs can handle key functions like evaluating risk, setting prices, approving policies, and sometimes even managing claims.
MGAs are often used in specialized areas of insurance where knowledge of a specific market is important. For insurance companies, partnering with an MGA is a way to serve customers more efficiently without building out their own full teams. In the case of GI Partners’ new platform, the goal is to grow a group of MGAs with strong underwriting skills, modern technology, and high service standards across a range of insurance products. The new MGA platform will invest in founder-led companies, sponsor-backed operations, and corporate carve-outs.
Messrs. Emmons and Hanuschak have extensive operational and leadership experience. In 1998, Mr. Emmons co-founded Orchid Insurance, a Florida-based Managing General Underwriter (MGU) that specialized in catastrophe-exposed property insurance. MGUs are a type of MGA with a stronger focus on underwriting complex or specialty risks, often without handling policy issuance or claims. Mr. Emmons grew Orchid Insurance through acquisitions and private equity partnerships – Gryphon Investors in 2014 and TowerBrook Capital in 2018 – before selling the agency to publicly traded and Florida-based Brown & Brown in 2022. Most recently, Mr. Emmons was the CEO of Forza Insurance and is a board member and advisor to several insurance startups.
“GI Partners has a strong track record of building growth platforms,” said Mr. Emmons. “We are excited to partner with MGA founders to accelerate their growth, strengthen capabilities through technology and analytics, and bring differentiated solutions to market.”
Mr. Hanuschak previously served as CEO of Victor Insurance Managers, a subsidiary of Marsh & McLennan, where he oversaw more than $3 billion in annual premium and built one of the world’s largest underwriting managers.
“I’m thrilled to support the next generation of MGA leaders alongside GI Partners,” said Mr. Hanuschak. “Innovation, scale, and culture will define the winners in this space, and we’re committed to helping entrepreneurs thrive.”
“We see significant opportunity in the MGA market, where specialized underwriting and scalable technology drive real differentiation,” said Steve Johnson, a director at GI Partners. “We have been actively evaluating opportunities across the MGA landscape, from founder-led firms to corporate carve-outs and sponsor-backed businesses. Brad and Brian are uniquely positioned to help us identify, partner with, and scale leading MGAs.”
GI Partners has experience investing in the insurance sector with past transactions in Insurity, a provider of cloud-based software and analytic services to property and casualty (P&C) insurance companies, in 2019; and Patriot Growth Insurance Services, a national insurance brokerage platform serving local employee benefits and P&C agencies, in 2021. Both Insurity and Patriot Growth are current portfolio companies of GI Partners.
“This launch reflects GI’s long-standing ambition to build great companies,” concluded Hoon Cho, a managing director and co-head of private equity at GI Partners. “We look forward to partnering with Brad and Brian to build a world-class MGA platform that creates compelling value for our carrier partners, management, employees, and investors.”
GI Partners makes control equity investments in companies with enterprise values up to $2 billion that are active in the healthcare, IT infrastructure, services, and software sectors. In June 2021, the firm held a final closing of GI Partners Fund VI LP at an oversubscribed $3.9 billion. GI Partners was founded in 2001 and is based in San Francisco, with five additional offices across the US and in London, UK.
© 2025 Private Equity Professional | May 13, 2025
Mesirow has expanded its technology and services investment banking practice with the appointment of Bob Lockwood as a managing director. Mr. Lockwood will co-lead the technology and services practice, one of Mesirow’s ten investment banking verticals, along with Managing Director Shane McDaniel.
“Joining Mesirow Investment Banking represents a unique opportunity to be part of a scaled and growing firm with a long track record of success and a strong culture,” said Mr. Lockwood. “I’m excited to work alongside such a high-quality team, collaborate with Shane on advising clients across the technology and services sector, and I look forward to contributing to the firm’s accelerating momentum.”
“Bob joining the firm is a testament to the strength of our platform and the reputation we have built in the market. Our investment banking group is focused on attracting senior-level M&A talent and continues to grow organically, driven by referrals, shared values, and a collective focus on delivering successful outcomes for clients,” said Rocky Pontikes, a co-head of Mesirow Investment Banking.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Bob to Mesirow,” added Adam Oakley, a co-head of Mesirow Investment Banking. “His experience and collaborative approach align perfectly with Mesirow’s client-first culture and commitment to providing excellent service to our clients which include private company owners, private equity firms, family offices and large corporations.”
Southfield Capital has held a final close of its fourth fund, Southfield Capital IV LP, with $560 million in capital commitments. Fund IV closed above its original hard cap as a result of strong demand from both returning and new institutional investors across the United States and abroad.
“We are grateful for the continued trust and support of our limited partners, both returning and new. The successful closing of Fund IV is a testament to the strength of our investment strategy and the caliber of our team,” said Andy Levison, the managing partner at Southfield Capital. “We remain committed to partnering with outstanding management teams to unlock significant value through digital transformation and strategic growth to deliver exceptional returns for our investors.”
A recent example of Southfield Capital’s acquisition strategy is its July 2024 purchase of 
Safety Marking (SMC), a pavement marking services provider backed by Highview Capital, has acquired Straight Line Industries.
“Rick and Straight Line have built a longstanding track record of delivering exceptional service to the state of New York and we’re excited to support their continued growth,” said P.J. Gilbert, a managing director at Highview.
