The latest mergers, acquisitions and other corporate actions in the wealth management sector.

Saltus Group
Wealth manager Saltus Group has acquired Higgins Fairbairn  Advisory, a London-based financial planner, to support its long-term growth strategy.

According to the firm, HFA was chosen due to its well established and respected London presence which will enhance Saltus’ offering in the capital.

The acquisition also supports Saltus’ longer-term strategy of acquiring established owner-managed firms that share its client-centric, goal-based financial planning approach, the firm added.

The deal is the third acquisition in less than a year for Saltus – in September 2021 the firm acquired Fish Financial and in March 2022 it acquired NSL Wealth. The HFA deal will bring staff numbers at Saltus to over 120, and assets under management to £2.3 billion ($2.7 billion).

HFA was spun out from accountancy practice Higgins Fairbairn & Co, with Gianpaolo Mantini leading the advisory business. The LLP was incorporated in 2009 and first authorised in 2010. The acquisition will see all HFA staff move across to Saltus with Mantini becoming a partner.

Speaking about the acquisition, Mantini said that the move will offer HFA’s clients the technological advancements that being part of a larger firm can bring.

“We have always embraced technological change, however, to get more out of technology and to deliver a 'state of the art' financial advice proposition to our clients. We needed greater flexibility and responsiveness, so we are delighted to have become part of the Saltus Group,” he added.

All HFA staff will be based in Saltus’ four offices in London, the Solent, Bournemouth and Farnham, with most predominantly working from the Mayfair base. All HFA clients will be keeping their HFA advisor.