Shackleton Advisers has announced an agreement to acquire Hurst Point Group in what represents its largest acquisition to date. The deal would create one of the United Kingdom's biggest independent financial planning businesses, with combined assets under advice and management totalling £17.5 billion.
The transaction brings together Hurst Point's financial planning and investment management operations, adding more than 44,000 clients, 233 FCA-authorised advisers and investment managers, 38 offices across the country, and over 850 employees to the enlarged Shackleton Group.
The deal remains subject to regulatory approval.
Upon completion, Andrew Fisher and Paul Feeney will continue in their respective roles as Non-Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Hurst Point's current Chief Executive, Andrew Westenberger, will join the Shackleton Executive Committee.
Hurst Point's existing majority shareholder, Carlyle, will become a minority investor in Shackleton alongside Lee Equity Partners, which took on the role of Shackleton's majority shareholder in November 2025.
Feeney said the acquisition strongly supported Shackleton's founding goal of making fair and affordable financial advice available to all across the UK. He described Hurst Point as a natural fit, citing the alignment of cultures and values between the two firms.
Fisher said the increased scale would enhance Shackleton's ability to invest in technology, propositions, and regulatory capabilities. He also noted that clients would benefit through alignment with Shackleton's charging structure and the firm's focus on reducing the cost of investing.
Evercore and Proskauer Rose advised Shackleton on the transaction, while Rothschild & Co and Linklaters advised Hurst Point.
Why it matters
The combined £17.5 billion in assets under advice and management would position the enlarged group among the UK's largest independent financial planning businesses, a scale that is relatively rare outside the major bank-owned wealth managers.
Carlyle's transition from majority shareholder of Hurst Point to minority investor in Shackleton reflects a structural shift in how private equity exits wealth management positions — through consolidation rather than a traditional sale or IPO.
The addition of 233 FCA-authorised advisers expands the regulatory headcount significantly, which carries direct compliance and supervision obligations under FCA rules that the enlarged firm will need to integrate.
