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

W1M, Vermeer 
UK-based W1M Wealth Management has wrapped up its acquisition of Vermeer Partners after securing regulatory approval by the Financial Conduct Authority, it said last week.

Vermeer’s integration into W1M is already underway, with Vermeer colleagues expected to move to the W1M London office in the coming weeks, where they will continue to serve their existing client base with minimal disruption, W1M said.

Simon King, former Vermeer CEO, will continue at W1M in an advisory role during the integration.

Evelyn Partners
UK wealth manager Evelyn Partners has announced that it has completed the sale of Evelyn Partners Financial Services Limited (EPFS), its employee benefits consultancy business, to Howden, a global insurance intermediary group.

This marks the formal transfer of EPFS and its team to Howden, completing the transaction first announced on 11 November 2025. The sale arose from Evelyn Partners' decision to focus solely on wealth management which has also seen it sell its Professional Services and Fund Solutions businesses in transactions that were completed in early 2025.

“We are pleased to confirm the completion of this transaction which concludes the streamlining of Evelyn Partners, ahead of us becoming part of the Natwest Group plc,” Paul Geddes, chief executive officer of Evelyn Partners, said. On 9 February 2026, it was announced that Natwest Group had agreed to acquire Evelyn Partners. The transaction, which is subject to regulatory approval, is expected to complete in the summer of 2026.

Gresham House, Molpus Woodlands Group
Gresham House, a London-headquartered specialist alternative asset manager, has agreed to acquire a majority interest in Mississippi-based Molpus Woodlands Group, creating a large timberland investment manager with about $8 billion of forestry assets under management (AuM). The financial terms were not disclosed, and the transaction remains subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.

Gresham House, one of the largest global forestry managers with $5 billion of forestry AuM, and Molpus Woodlands Group, with $3 billion forestry AuM, will form the third largest timberland investment manager by AuM globally with operations in the UK, Ireland, the US, Australia and New Zealand, managing over 2.2 million acres.

Molpus Woodlands group’s leadership team, comprising Terrell Winstead, Michael Cooper, George Dahduh, Tyler Rosamond, Chad McElvany, and Ashley Harris, will continue to lead operations in the US, the firm said in a statement. They will also join the Gresham House global executive management team and investment committees for the enlarged forestry platform alongside members of the Gresham House executive team. The Molpus team will continue in their current role and will maintain day-to-day operations, investment process and client service. The combined business will remain privately owned, aligning employee incentives with client outcomes.

"The acquisition of Molpus Woodlands Group will significantly expand our global client offering and deepen our investment and operational capabilities. The combined business will provide an exciting opportunity for our investors to gain exposure to the US market in key areas like timberland, afforestation, reforestation, carbon credits and land optimisation,” Tony Dalwood, chief executive officer of Gresham House, said:

Gresham House and Molpus Woodlands Group have raised about $2.5 billion in timberland mandates since 2020, including more than $1 billion in 2025.

In connection with the transaction, Eversheds Sutherland is serving as legal counsel to Gresham House. Moelis & Company is serving as financial advisors, and Morgan Lewis and Bradley Arant are serving as legal counsel, to Molpus Woodlands Group. Deloitte provided financial, tax and regulatory due diligence advice to Gresham House.

See more about Gresham House here.