New wealth manager and Financial Planner Liberate Wealth has acquired Yorkshire-based Ebor Financial Planning.

Ebor brings £200m of assets under management and administration on behalf of 500 clients to Liberate.

The team of 14 will join Liberate to create a regional hub serving the north of England.

Ebor founder David Dixon will remain with the firm in a consulting role.

Ebor was founded by Mr Dixon over 40 years ago and has enjoyed longstanding client relationships and low staff turnover, Liberate says.

Mr Dixon said: “Having spent many years nurturing Ebor into the successful business it is today, it is hugely exciting to move into the future as a cornerstone of Liberate Wealth’s business. Liberate Wealth’s culture and innovative infrastructure was a real draw for us, knowing that our team would be fully supported to let go of administrative burdens, refocusing their energy on developing their skills further and providing excellent client care.

“It has been hugely rewarding to witness my team advance in their own careers and I am pleased to know their progression will continue under the stewardship of a business with the strategic vision and resources to guide us onwards.”

Liberate, led by CEO Mark Howlett, a former joint CEO of EQ Investors, is proactively looking for more Financial Planning firm acquisitions.

Mr Howlett said: “Liberate Wealth’s launch is the result of much hard work and planning behind the scenes, so we are thrilled to introduce ourselves to the market with our inaugural acquisition.

"Ebor is an excellent quality business with a dedicated and professional team, and I am delighted they have chosen Liberate Wealth for this important next step in the evolution of their business. The north of England is an important region for us strategically and offers a great opportunity to continue to grow the business organically.

"We have taken the time to build a proposition that we know appeals to the advisers we want to work with – providing greater access to fund research, wider investment options for clients, improved transparency, technology and reporting functions, all underpinned by ethical values which prioritise clients, colleagues and the environment.”

Mr Howlett has spent 35 years in the industry across a range of Financial Planning, employee benefits and pensions roles. Most recently he was joint CEO of sustainable impact investing firm EQ Investors. He founded Liberate in February 2022.

The wealth manager and Financial Planner offers a suite of Financial Planning and investment management services nationwide.