BGC Partners Acquires Besso Insurance Group

Leading Lloyd's Of London Insurance Broker

Complementary Property & Casualty Business

LONDON, Jan. 4, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- BGC Partners, Inc. (NASDAQ: BGCP) ("BGC Partners", "BGC", or "the Company"), a leading global brokerage company servicing the financial and real estate markets, today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Besso Insurance Group Limited ("Besso"), an independent Lloyd's of London insurance broker with a strong reputation across Property, Casualty, Marine, Aviation, Professional and Financial Risks and Reinsurance.

, President of BGC Partners, commented on today's announcement: "We are excited about this strategic acquisition in the insurance brokerage sector. After extensively researching the insurance brokerage industry, Besso stood out as providing an excellent platform on which to establish a new vertical. Over time, we expect to build a sizable insurance brokerage division within the Company". 

Besso generated revenue of approximately £44 million in the financial year ended December 31, 2016. The transaction is expected to be immediately accretive upon closing.

"I am delighted that Besso is joining BGC Partners, a large and well capitalised company with a global footprint and demonstrable success in building brokerage businesses", said , Chairman and CEO, Besso Insurance Group. "The opportunities this deal presents are substantial. BGC and its affiliates have deep relationships with leading companies in real estate, financial services, and other industries, which we believe will help us grow our franchise".

About BGC Partners, Inc.
BGC Partners is a leading global brokerage company servicing the financial and real estate markets. BGC owns GFI Group Inc., a leading intermediary and provider of trading technologies and support services to the global OTC and listed markets. The Company's Financial Services offerings include fixed income securities, interest rate swaps, foreign exchange, equities, equity derivatives, credit derivatives, commodities, futures, and structured products. BGC provides a wide range of services, including trade execution, broker-dealer services, clearing, trade compression, post trade, information, and other services to a broad range of financial and non-financial institutions. Through brands including FENICS, BGC Trader, Capitalab, and BGC Market Data, BGC offers financial technology solutions, market data, and analytics related to numerous financial instruments and markets.

BGC, BGC Trader, GFI, FENICS, FENICS.COM, Capitalab, Swaptioniser, Newmark, Grubb & Ellis, ARA, Computerized Facility Integration, Landauer, Landauer Valuation & Advisory, and Excess Space, Excess Space Retail Services, Inc., and Grubb are trademarks/service marks, and/or registered trademarks/service marks and/or service marks of BGC Partners, Inc. and/or its affiliates. Knight Frank is a service mark of Knight Frank (Nominees) Limited.

Discussion of Forward-Looking Statements about BGC Partners
Statements in this document regarding BGC's businesses that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. Except as required by law, BGC undertakes no obligation to release any revisions to any forward-looking statements. For a discussion of additional risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see BGC's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including, but not limited to, the risk factors set forth in its public filings, including the most recent Form 10-K and any updates to such risk factors contained in subsequent Forms 10-Q or Forms 8-K.

About Besso Insurance Group Limited
Founded in 1967, Besso offers insurance broking services across a number of divisions including Property, Casualty, International, Marine, Aviation, Professional and Financial Risks and Reinsurance. The firm covers its markets globally from its headquarters in London, with additional overseas offices in Turkey, Brazil and Hong Kong. Besso Limited, the Lloyd's of London registered broker and Optex Group Limited, both wholly owned Besso subsidiaries, are Authorized and Regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority. The Turkish subsidiary, Besso Sigorta ve Reasürans Brokerliği Ltd, the Brazilian subsidiary, Besso Re Brasil Corretora de Resseguros Ltda and the Hong Kong subsidiary, Besso (Asia Pacific) Limited are regulated in their respective countries.   

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