Saltus has acquired Tavistock’s financial advice businesses, Tavistock Partners Limited (TPL) and Tavistock Partners (UK) Limited (TPUK) subject to approval from the regulator for a total consideration of up to £37.75m.
The deal which includes the leading Abacus and Duchy brands, sees the new combined businesses with assets under advice and management of over £7bn and more than 300 staff – with this transaction contributing £2.4bn of assets under advice, over 140 advisers and staff of 95
The business will continue to be managed by existing managing director of Abacus Associates Financial Services, Mal Harper, who will report to Saltus managing partner, Jon Macintosh. It will operate as a discrete business unit, complementing Saltus’s existing business units.
The deal is scheduled to complete in the Autumn following regulatory and Tavistock shareholder approval.
The transaction represents a new milestone in the Saltus story, as the company continues to invest in its business and develop its offering for the benefit of a greater range of partners and clients.
This business complements Saltus’s existing activities, a client facing financial planning business, and the Saltus Partnership Programme which provides services to entrepreneurial third party financial advisers, the statement further said.
Saltus managing partner Jon Macintosh said: “We are delighted to welcome Mal and his team on board. We are impressed by the record of growth Mal has achieved and the quality of care he and his colleagues provide to their clients.
“There’s a strong strategic case for this deal and the complementary nature of our two businesses will ensure that 1+1=3.
“Abacus is already an important client for Saltus; we have been looking after some of Abacus clients’ investments for some time. We have been helping to turn around the performance of their in-house investment management proposition and we have got to know each other well. The entrepreneurial attitude, track record of putting clients first and wider culture at Abacus fit well with our own, recently recognised in our success in The Sunday Times Best Places to Work awards.”
Macintosh continued: “Saltus enjoys the highest rate of organic growth in the industry, driven in part by a very strong sales and marketing operation, which the Abacus business will benefit from.
“Moreover, the combined business will benefit substantially from having access to the investments we have made at Saltus, particularly in our platform and our client and adviser facing technology.
“This is an important deal for us, and it represents an important milestone in our continued story of investing in our proposition to the benefit of partners, colleagues and clients. We are excited about the future.”
Brian Raven, Tavistock’s chief executive said: “We have worked with Mal and his businesses since 2014, so it was important for us to find the best home for him, his advisers and his staff. We believe that is Saltus. Our two businesses may now be moving in different directions, but we wish Mal and his team all the very best for the future.”
Malcolm Harper, managing director of Abacus Associates Financial Services, said: “We have been impressed by the quality of Saltus and what Jon and the team have achieved and the professionalism and quality of the Saltus operation. Abacus and our associated operations fit neatly into the Saltus mould and will do much to extend the company’s footprint.
“There is plenty more scope for development and investment to come across the entirety of the business and there is much to be gained from applying Saltus technology across our activities. It’s a great cultural fit and our people, partners and clients will be very happy at Saltus and I am thrilled to be joining.”
