M and A

Oak Group Acquires Bahamian Trust Company

Editorial staff 14 April 2025

Oak Group Acquires Bahamian Trust Company

The integration will begin immediately, with no change to the service that Amber clients receive.  

Oak Group
Under the new private ownership of Opera Limited, Oak Group, a fiduciary, corporate, and fund administration business, will expand with the acquisition of Amber Trust Ltd, a Bahamian fiduciary business.

Opera’s aim of growing its ultra-high net worth client portfolio to build a dedicated service offering is part of its broader plan for sustainable growth through acquisitions, operational efficiencies, and innovation, the firm said in a statement.

Opera is backed by Pula, the family office of Stephen Lansdown, co-founder of Hargreaves Lansdown, along with shareholders such as Sealyham, the family office of Tom Scott. The name Opera stands for O for Oak, P for Pula, and E-R-A for a new era in financial services. With a focus on people, process, technology, and data, and a commitment to embracing innovation to meet the needs of an evolving global market. Opera says it is aiming to become a world-class portfolio of business providing "exceptional client service and employee experience."

Amber is a well-established trust company which offers fiduciary services and concierge-level service to ultra-high net worth individuals and families. Amber’s asset structuring services support families with a global asset base seeking long-term wealth succession. Their service portfolio also includes family governance advice and assistance with establishing and operating single-family offices. The business is led by managing director Katie Booth (pictured below), who has a background of managing the assets of some of the world’s wealthiest entrepreneurs.  

Amber will operate under the Oak brand, leveraging Oak’s resources and technology.

“This acquisition is an exciting opportunity to enhance our global reach and provide deeper, more focused services to our ultra-high net worth clients,” Kim Sgarlata (pictured below), group chief executive officer, said. “We believe that Amber’s expertise and strong client relationships, combined with Oak’s resources and technology, will create a powerhouse of bespoke services for our clients across the globe.” 

Left to right: Kim Sgarlata and Katie Booth

The integration will begin immediately, with no change to the service that Amber clients receive.

Oak Group, the first business within Opera’s portfolio, dates back to 1999 and operates from offices in Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man, and Mauritius. 

This acquisition is part of Project Overture, Opera’s five-year strategic plan focused on platform optimisation, organic growth, and inorganic growth.

Register for WealthBriefing today

Gain access to regular and exclusive research on the global wealth management sector along with the opportunity to attend industry events such as exclusive invites to Breakfast Briefings and Summits in the major wealth management centres and industry leading awards programmes