The Williams de Broë brand is to be consigned to history following the acquisition by UK and South Africa-listed Investec of the UK wealth manager’s parent firm, Evolution Group.

Williams de Broë is to take on the Investec Wealth & Investment name following the two firms' integration, possibly from autumn of this year it has been reported by various media outlets. Investec acquired Evolution in October of last year for £233 million ($371 million).

It is thought that the integration of Williams de Broë into its new parent will take in the region of a year, but several board-level appointments have already kicked off the process. Williams de Broë’s chief executive Philip Howell has joined the board of Investec Wealth & Investment, while the CEO of that firm, Jonathan Wragg, has joined Williams de Broë’s board.

Evolution Group itself last year acquired BNP Paribas Private Investment Management in a deal which transferred around £1.8 billion of assets to Williams de Broë.

Williams de Broë has had several owners during its 150-year history; before it became part of Evolution Group in 2006 it was bought by ING in the 1990s.

Investec’s decision to drop the Williams de Broë brand is unsurprising; it did the same with Rensburg Sheppards in May 2011, around a year after fully acquiring the firm (it had had a substantial minority stake for some time).