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Wealth manager buys UK financial planning company for £164m

Deal also includes a DFM business

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Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management (CGWM UK) has entered into a share purchase agreement to acquire financial planning firm Punter Southall Wealth (PSW) from Punter Southall Group.

The deal, which requires regulatory approval, also includes discretionary fund management business Psigma.

PSW offers a range of advice and wealth management solutions to high net worth individuals. It has approximately £5bn ($6.62bn, €5.86bn) in client assets.

Several of PSW’s team will become active members of CGWM UK’s existing investment committees.

Finances

As part of the deal, CGWM UK will pay £164m cash and an equity interest comprising newly issued ordinary shares in the business to PSG.

Also, CGWM will pay £6m to “certain key employees of PSW”, dependent on agreed post-sale targets.

David Esfandi, chief executive of CGWM UK, said: “Our acquisition of Punter Southall Wealth represents an exciting strategic opportunity to further develop our integrated wealth management business, adding national scale and exceptional capability to our advice-led offering.

“We see a strong cultural fit between CGWM UK and PSW and we look forward to supporting this talented team, as we work together to build upon the strong foundations that both of our businesses have established to date.”

Jonathan Punter, chief executive of PSG, said: “The market for financial advice to high net worth individuals is consolidating and we felt that Punter Southall Wealth would benefit from a larger partner which can take it to the next level of its development.

“After long and careful consideration, we chose Canaccord Genuity as the best partner for our clients and our people.”

Funding

In connection with the closing of the deal, the wealth manager will add £100m to its existing bank facility.

HPS Investment Partners, on behalf of investment accounts and funds it manages, has agreed to make an additional investment in CGWM UK on closing of the acquisition through the purchase of a new series of convertible preferred shares of the business in the sum of £65.3m.

The company will hold an approximate 66.9% equity equivalent interest in CGWM UK on a converted basis.

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