Robeco sells Dutch online investment platform

To focus on its business in the wholesale and institutional markets

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Amsterdam-headquartered wealth manager Van Lanschot Kempen has acquired Robeco’s online distribution platform for investment services.

The financial terms were not disclosed, but the two companies have agreed to enter into a partnership as part of the deal.

Once finalised, Robeco Retail will merge with online savings and investment platform Evi van Lanschot, and the combined business will have around €6bn (£5.3bn, $6.5bn) assets under management (AuM) and 150,000 clients, as of the end of 2022.

The merged platform will continue to offer Robeco’s investment funds and Robeco’s clients will be able to retain their current investments with no change of conditions.

Robeco said that the deal is part of its strategic focus on its core business in the Dutch and global wholesale and institutional markets.

Karin van Baardwijk, Robeco’s chief executive, said: “Since its inception nearly 95 years ago, Robeco has evolved from a Netherlands-based investment consortium into an international asset manager that serves institutional investors and distributes its investment funds through platforms such as banks, insurers and other intermediaries.

“This new partnership fits in with our strategic focus on further enhancing this position, with the Dutch market remaining a key priority. We’ve took extreme caution and care in our search to find a partner that would offer a new home, sufficient growth and future-oriented perspective to both our online distribution platform clients and our colleagues. We look forward to expanding and enhancing this partnership and offering our combined proposition to clients.”

Maarten Edixhoven, chair of the Van Lanschot Kempen management board, added: “This acquisition provides an opportunity for us to fuel our growth aspirations for Evi van Lanschot. The partnership will turn Evi van Lanschot into the leading platform for online investment services in the Netherlands.

“We’re seeing a strong demand from clients for an independent Dutch player. I’m delighted to welcome the Robeco Retail employees into our organisation and look forward to combining Evi’s and Robeco’s investment proposition to create the country’s best personal and online investment services provider for our clients.”

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