Website: hubinternational.com/en-CA/
Head office address (Canada): 1900 – 505 Burrard St., Vancouver, BC V7X 1M6
Year established: 1998
Ownership structure: private, backed by Hellman & Friedman (controlling interest)
Target market/client profile: businesses, individuals, and employer groups across industries such as agribusiness, construction, entertainment, financial institutions, healthcare, hospitality, real estate, and transportation in Canada and the US
Number of professional staff: over 20,000 across NA
Canadian office locations: Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Northwest Territories, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island, and Yukon
HUB International Limited (HUB) is a Chicago-based insurance brokerage with Canadian roots and more than 570 offices in North America. The firm covers commercial and personal insurance, employee benefits, risk services, and retirement and private wealth. HUB reported US$4.8 billion in revenue for 2024 and serves over two million clients.
HUB International formed in 1998 when 11 Canadian insurance brokerages merged under one brand. The firms wanted to build a national brokerage that could match the scale of larger competitors.
Martin Hughes, the founding CEO, led the merger and took the new company public on the Toronto Stock Exchange. The IPO gave HUB the capital it needed to start growing beyond Canada.
HUB International used that capital to buy US brokerages and quickly grew its footprint south of the border. The firm moved its corporate headquarters from Vancouver to Chicago in 2001 to reflect its North American reach.
British private equity firm Apax Partners then took HUB private in 2007 in a deal worth roughly US$1.8 billion. That transaction set the stage for an even bigger ownership shift six years later.
Hellman & Friedman, a San Francisco-based private equity firm, acquired HUB International in 2013 and sped up the pace of acquisitions. The firm has since closed more than 800 deals throughout North America.
HUB's revenue reached US$4.8 billion by 2024 with over 20,000 employees across more than 570 offices. Toronto-based Altas Partners and other global investors took minority stakes in May 2025 at a US$29 billion valuation.
HUB published its 2026 North American Report in late 2025 with findings from research within 10 industries. The report found that one-third of companies still lack a mature risk management strategy despite rising cost and cyber pressures.
HUB International's 2026 benefits outlook then flagged rising drug costs and mental health claims as top pressures for plan sponsors in January. The same report noted that upcoming generic GLP-1 medications could ease cost pressures for employer benefit plans.
HUB offers business insurance, employee benefits, retirement and private wealth, and personal insurance across Canada:
HUB acts as a brokerage and places coverage through insurance carriers rather than underwriting policies itself. The firm also runs a wholesale division and programs for independent brokers and professional associations.
Marc Cohen is president and CEO of HUB International and sits on its board of directors. He led HUB's US East Region before becoming president in 2017 and CEO in 2018. Cohen started his insurance career in 1988 at Walter Kaye Associates, which HUB later acquired.
Cohen leads HUB International's executive management team:
HUB's board of directors includes members from its private equity partners. The board includes as of December 2025:
The board also has representatives from Hellman & Friedman, Altas Partners, and Leonard Green & Partners. HUB International separated the chair and CEO roles in December 2025 to broaden board oversight as the firm grows.
HUB International serves businesses, employer groups, and individuals in eight Canadian sectors:
The firm also runs group insurance programs for professional associations. Non-insurance businesses can partner with HUB to offer personal insurance to their own customers.
HUB operates in every Canadian province and territory except Nunavut. The Canadian arm includes six regional retail entities along with HUB Financial, Cansure wholesale, and Totten Insurance Group.
Those divisions are among more than 24 HUB subsidiaries registered in Canada.
The firm's investment consulting team also advises plan sponsors on retirement readiness and decumulation. A 2026 BPM interview with HUB International explored the longevity crisis and updated CAP guidelines for plan members.
HUB International has earned workplace and employer awards from several organizations in recent years. The firm and its Canadian leaders have also been recognized for community and conservation work.
Two HUB professionals were also named to BPM's Rising Stars list (2025) for top benefits and pensions professionals under 40 in Canada. The list featured Jarrett Zavitz, employee benefits and retirement advisor at HUB Zavitz, and Stephen Bromley, senior group retirement consultant at HUB International Canada.
HUB International runs a community program called HUB GIVES where each regional office picks a local cause. Focus areas include:
HUB also appears in BPM's consultant directory with full contact and service details.
'Retirement is one of life’s biggest transitions... Members have to take a much more preventative and proactive ownership over their own retirement,’ argues HUB’s Joe Connolly
While rising drug costs, mental health claims are set to challenge plans in 2026, employers can maintain a resilient benefits strategy, argues HUB International’s Phillip Benda
Survey shows most firms manage risk at basic level as 2026 pressures build
'Your gravy is in your internal data,' says UPEI's Kelly Drummond
'Benefits aren't really a side perk anymore and the data is really clear about that,' says HUB International Canada's Faizal Mitha
2025 index shows flexibility and work-life balance now lead employee benefit priorities over pay
'We can't underestimate the impact of financial uncertainty on individuals'
The secret to a successful benefits strategy? It all boils down to this leadership skill
