History
What began in 1879 with the Berlin general agency Th. Funk has evolved over five generations into a global system provider for risk solutions. Independence, continuity, and a strong sense of responsibility run like a common thread through our company’s history, shaping the development of the family business Funk at every stage.
Moving forward in major milestones: The development of the Funk family business
From a small general agency in Berlin, Funk has grown into an international system provider for risk solutions. The history of this family business is defined by steady growth and a deep understanding of its clients. Discover how Funk has evolved through different phases and across generations.
Founding Phase to Post-War Period
In 1879, Theodor Funk founded the general agency Th. Funk in Berlin, initially focusing on transport insurance. Over the following years, his son Leberecht Funk expanded the business to include all insurance lines and a wide range of insurance companies. In 1933, Dr. phil. Leberecht Funk and Dipl. rer. pol. Ulrich Funk, the elder sons of the third Funk generation, joined the company and particularly developed the mid-sized and large industrial sectors.
After the end of World War II, Leberecht Funk Sr., together with his son Dr. phil. Leberecht Funk, rebuilt the Berlin-based companies. From Hamburg, Ulrich Funk and Heinz Winkelmann, along with the younger brothers of the third Funk generation — Klaus and Heinz Funk — reconstructed the companies L. Funk & Söhne and L. Funk Versicherungsdienst.
Building the Branch Network
In the 1950s, Funk began the steady expansion of its branch network across Germany. The first offices were established in Hamburg, Essen, Frankfurt, Hanover, Munich, and Reutlingen. Additional branches followed in key economic regions, including locations in the new federal states after the opening of Germany’s inner borders. Today, Funk is close to its clients nationwide with 15 offices across Germany.
Internationalization
Under the leadership of Dr. rer. pol. Leberecht Funk, great-grandson of the company’s founder, Funk, Stewart Wrightson (International) GmbH was established in 1973 together with business partners in London to manage the growing international operations. In 1987, the company was renamed Funk International GmbH.
Following the founding of the European brokerage firm FDG (Funk Diot GrECo S.A., Luxembourg) in 1994, Funk — together with its cooperation partners — created the platform for close global collaboration, resource pooling, and knowledge transfer through “Funk-JLT-SIACI, The European Alliance.” Since 2000, Funk has served its clients worldwide through its own partner network, The Funk Alliance. Then as now, The Funk Alliance remains the only broker network operating globally that is managed from the German-speaking region.
After establishing its own international offices in Poland and Italy, Funk expanded its global presence between 2000 and 2006 to include Austria, Hungary, and Romania. In 2008, the company added Switzerland, followed by Liechtenstein in 2018 and Shanghai in 2019.
Growth and Industry Specialization
Since the 1970s, Funk has achieved consistent and significant growth in the industrial sector within the national market. A clear focus on individual client needs has also led to increased industry specialization and a holistic approach to risk management — complemented by the ambition to provide tailored IT solutions.
Creative, industry-specific insurance concepts; the establishment of specialized brokers in the healthcare and real estate sectors; and the founding of a risk management–oriented consulting firm for the healthcare industry have, since the 1990s, been the result of this strategic advancement — driven primarily by Dr. Dieter Schwanke, Dr. Wolfgang Bühler, and Claudius Jochheim.
Development into a System Provider for Risk Solutions
As early as the year 2000, Funk, through its newly founded consulting subsidiary, became one of the pioneers in the German market to offer holistic business risk management — and soon established itself as a market leader in this field.
In 2006, Funk further strengthened its expertise in the area of occupational pension schemes by acquiring a consulting firm specialized in retirement planning.
Since 2011, the company’s experts in pension and benefits solutions have operated under the brands Funk Vorsorgeberatung and Funk Pensionsmanagement. With its service components of insurance management, pension solutions, and risk management, Funk has evolved into a comprehensive system provider for risk solutions — supporting clients with an integrated, holistic perspective.
Funk – The Family Business
Since 1879, members of the founding family have played active roles as leading figures in the management of the expanded family business. After the founding phase and the world wars, in 1970, Dipl. rer. pol. Klaus-Ulrich Funk and Dr. rer. pol. Wolfgang Bühler became managing partners. In 1980, the company transitioned from the third to the fourth generation of leadership, consisting of Dr. rer. pol. Leberecht Funk, Dr. jur. Jörg-Heiner Funk, and Dr. jur. Dieter Schwanke.
In 2012, the shareholders initiated the generational transition at the shareholder level from the fourth to the fifth family generation. The next generation of shareholders includes Dr. Anja Funk, Alexander Funk, Robert Funk, and Bernhard C. Schwanke.
In 2021, the group of managing partners — previously consisting of Thomas Abel, Christoph Bülk, Yorck Hillegaart, and Claudius Jochheim — was expanded. Ralf Becker, Dr. Anja Funk, Hendrik F. Löffler, and Bernhard C. Schwanke were appointed to the management team. At the same time, Ralf Becker and Hendrik F. Löffler became Funk Partners. Together with the shareholders Alexander Funk (executive management) and Robert Funk, the company’s successful history continues into its fifth generation.
Current
In 2024, Funk celebrates its 145th company anniversary. The group of shareholders has been expanded to include Janna Gebauer-Jochheim and Justus Jochheim. With 1,740 employees and an annual total turnover of 275 million euros, Funk’s steady organic growth is clearly reflected. In transferring risks to the insurance market, Funk represents its clients with an annual premium volume of 2.7 billion euros.
Funk develops innovative products and services for an evolving risk landscape, particularly in the context of digitalization and globalization. With 37 international locations and its network “The Funk Alliance,” Funk operates worldwide. This makes Funk the largest owner-managed insurance broker and risk consultant in Germany and one of the leading brokerage firms in Europe.
People, Companies, Industries: The Chronicle of Our Corporate Group
Discover the milestones of our company’s history: In our chronicle, you can explore how the individual companies within our group have evolved and which strategic and personnel decisions shaped this journey. Click through the defining years and see how we have grown step by step.
Historical Film
Entrepreneurial courage and a passion for innovation inspired Theodor Funk to found his general agency in Berlin more than 145 years ago. His values and ideals continue to shape Funk to this day.
Our historical film from 2019 takes you back to the beginnings of Funk and shows how our company’s founder, with foresight and entrepreneurial spirit, laid the foundation for an internationally successful enterprise.