A new Financial Planning and fund management firm launched today with the acquisition of Charter Financial Planning and Rice Whatmough Crozier.

One Four Nine Group also includes a discretionary fund management business offering active, passive and sustainable portfolio solutions.

The new firm is backed by private equity house Copper Street Capital and said it expects to make further acquisitions soon.

Today’s acquisitions bring 7 advisers, over 700 clients and over £300m in assets under management to the new firm.

Charter Financial Planning has a 40-year history offering Financial Planning services to clients in Preston and the North-West. The business has 3 advisers and 8 support staff with over £100m in assets under management.

Rice Whatmough Crozier, is an investment and pensions advisory firm based in Middleton, Greater Manchester. It was established in 2010 following a management buyout from the professional services firm Deloitte. With 4 advisers and 7 support staff the business manages over £200m in assets under management.

The new firm is led by CEO Matthew Bugden has a banking background including over 16 years at NatWest and most recently specialist media and real estate investment manager The Ingenious Group.

Joining him from Ingenious Group is managing director Gabrielle Beaumont who was senior investment director at the investment manager. Earlier in her career she spent 6 years as a Chartered Tax Adviser and Chartered Accountant at Deloitte.

Other senior leadership team members include former Independent Wealth Planners finance director Steve Cohen, CIO Dr Bevan Clair, and chief risk officer Shaun O’Leary who was formerly interim head of compliance at St James’s Place, Tavistock, Sanlam and Rowan Dartington.

Matthew Bugden, CEO at One Four Nine Group, said: “Our management team have collectively spent decades building extensive relationships within the adviser industry, giving us a unique insight into the firms we are looking to connect with.

"As 15% of advisers are expecting to sell in the next 5 years, we have a strong pipeline of exceptional advisory firms across the UK and have built an entrepreneurial business with a dynamic and collegiate culture which will make us the natural partner of choice for quality advisory firms. We are already speaking with other adviser firms and expect to make further acquisitions soon.”

One Four Nine said the firm is building a nationwide, independent financial advice and fund management group primarily targeting accountancy firms and other professional services firms that own or have a joint venture with financial advice firms, as well as standalone advisory firms that “reflect the collaborative, innovative and professional values” of the group.