UK financial planner merges with wealth manager

Deal increases assets under influence to around £700m

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Unique Financial Planning has launched a wealth management division in a bid to attract more high-net worth clients and widen the scope of its offering.

This follows the merger of Unique and part of Bright Blue Wealth (BBW), a Surrey-based wealth manager founded in 1999. Both businesses are part of Openwork.

As part of the deal, BBW founder and owner Rhiannon Vallis and three advisers have merged with Unique to create Unique Wealth, based in an office in Weybridge, Surrey.

Vallis’ team will focus on HNW individuals looking for generational planning services and to preserve wealth.

The fusion will increase Unique’s assets under influence to just under £700m ($965m, €797m) and expands the firm to 32 advisers across five locations in Dorset, Surrey, Hampshire and Wiltshire.

The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

‘Transformative step’

Stewart Williams, chief executive of Unique Financial, said: “We are delighted to welcome Rhiannon and her team to Unique and are incredibly excited for the opportunities that await us in the wealth management space.

“Over the past few years, we have been gradually expanding our offering to ensure we can provide the full range of services to our clients throughout their lives.

“The creation of Unique Wealth is a transformative step for us and will allow us to offer a wider range of wealth preservation and generational planning services to those with more complex financial needs.’

Vallis added: “The added support that being part of a bigger organisation such as Unique will allow us to offer an even better service to our clients.

“I speak for all four of us when I say that we can’t wait to get working with our new colleagues to create an offering of genuine benefit to clients looking to preserve and grow their wealth.”

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