Fast-growing Financial Planning group Independent Wealth Planners (IWP) has completed a deal to buy female-led Financial Planner Holistic Financial Leadership (HFL) for an undisclosed sum, adding £252m in assets to IWP.

IWP has grown strongly in the past few years and has acquired more than 30 advice firms, including recently Throgmorton Wealth Management.

HFL, based in Melbourn, Royston, on the Herts/Cambs border, has an 18-strong team including four financial advisers and four client relationship managers.

The firm was established by experienced IFAs Brenda Santimano and Patricia Hope in 2014 to focus on holistic financial advice.   

Following the deal, Brenda Santimano has been appointed CEO of HFL with the support of Patricia Hope, who will continue as a director of the business. All staff remain in post and the team is expected to grow. 

While based in East Anglia, HFL has a national presence and focuses on private client wealth.  The firm works with business owners and corporate clients and also provides executive care services to SMEs and large corporates. It also provides individual advice to company employees, those approaching retirement and employees facing redundancy. 

Ms Santiamo said: “Over the last eight years, at HFL we have built our business to take a truly independent holistic approach to financial advice. We believe that this is integral to all areas of financial decisions and focus on building long-term relationships with our clients.  Providing financial leadership in all areas from corporate care services, savings, investment portfolios and mortgages, to retirement, estate and business continuity planning is key. 

“As a female-led advisory firm, I am proud to say Holistic Financial Leadership is passionate about diversity, supporting women’s leadership and enterprise.  Now with the backing of IWP I believe we have an exciting opportunity to continue to grow and develop our proposition to reach new clients across the UK in whatever sector.”

Ms Hope said : “We have worked hard to create a culture where clients and the wider market respect our integrity and trust the independence, consistency and competitiveness of the services HFL offers to all our clients both private wealth and corporate.  With the support of IWP, we now have the resources to grow further, building on our existing success to provide our very personalised service to more private clients, business owners, executive care clients and corporate clients.”

While IWP has acquired many firms it leaves the the day-to-day management in the hands of local teams, who often retain part-ownership of the business.