Ascend Broking Group’s success at the Health & Protection Awards was a “massive step up” and was a contributor to the broker attracting the funding to drive the business forward.
This is according to Kristian Breeze, director of healthcare at Ascend Health (pictured second from left), who spoke to Health & Protection about the broker’s recognition as Best Sales and Retention Advice Team and Advice Firm Of The Year at Health & Protection Awards last October.
Not just another award
“For me personally, I’d always worked at larger, corporate companies,” Breeze tells Health & Protection.
“While I wasn’t isolated to it as such, we would win awards and it would just be another thing as it were and it was almost like we’d come to expect it.”
But Breeze adds the broker’s awards wins were one of the “greatest” personal and professional achievements in his working career.
“It’s a validation of what I believe my team achieves and does on a regular basis,” Breeze continues.
“For that to be recognised by such an exceptional judging panel, there were some really big, important names in there, for them to recognise us for what we do, without perhaps the resources that the large companies have, honestly is a dream come true. It really, really was.”
Massive step up
However, things have changed for the company since their awards recognition as in January it was acquired by European mid-market private equity firm Inflexion.
“It really changed things for us actually,” Breeze continues. “It was a massive step up for us as a business.
“And also played a part among other awards that Ascend has won as a business, played a big part in our investment as well.
“Ascend is now cash rich as a result of a flagship investment by Inflexion and all of this just helps add to the picture and the story and it has helped us massively.”
Raising their profile
The awards win has also increased the company’s profile, Breeze continued.
“It has raised our profile massively,” he says.
“We have a dialling team, an outreach team, when they’re calling potential clients and those potential clients, say send us an email.
“If we send an email, we are now able to legitimately put the Health & Protection Awards winners thumbnail in our signatures, we get responses because it has given us that validation and raised our profile.”
Nothing to lose
As for whether brokers should enter the Awards, Breeze maintains it is “definitely worthwhile”.
“You have nothing to lose,” he continues.
“But be truthful. Just speak your truth. What you believe that you do right as a business, write that in your submission and the truth will find you ultimately.”
Voting for Health & Protection Awards 2026 is now open. Adviser entries are also now open.