Grovebridge Financial and Clifton Business Consultancy have joined Clifton Wealth Partnership (CWP), following a successful integration process.

Together, the acquisitions have added £146m in assets under management to CWP.

The CWP team had been working with both firms for over 10 months to accommodate the individual needs of each firm in the lead up to the final acquisitions.

Grovebridge is based in Bingley, West Yorkshire, and has been providing financial planning services to 200 family groups in Yorkshire and the surrounding counties for almost a decade.

Director and chartered financial planner at Grovebridge, Paul Smith, will continue with the business, while fellow director, Hilary Stephenson, is retiring.

Stephenson said: "We spent a considerable amount of time understanding the potential purchasers in the market. CWP stood out because they are closely aligned to our culture, values and views of how clients really are the central pillar of our profession and how best to provide for their future needs."

Clifton Business Consultancy has been operating for 16 years and is based in Bristol.

Director at Clifton Business Consultancy, Michael Lloyd, stated: "Building this business has been one of the greatest accomplishments of my life, and I am proud of what we’ve achieved together.

"As we looked toward the future of the company, we thought long and hard about who we could trust to carry on the values and service standards we’ve worked so hard to uphold. After careful consideration, we are confident in our decision to align with CWP. Their approach, ethos, and commitment to clients mirror our own, and we believe this transition will ensure a continued high level of service and care for all our valued clients."

The latest acquisitions come after CWP completed the acquisition of seven financial planning businesses from across England and Wales in March, adding a further £500m AUM and 25 team members.

Managing director at CWP, Anthony Carty, said: "Selling your business is one of the toughest decisions you’ll ever make. Our job is to give financial planning firms absolute assurance that both their clients and team will continue to receive the best support as part of the CWP family.

"We know that integration processes in particular can be a daunting thought for a financial planning business. Technology is part of our DNA at CWP and our in-house capabilities make everything as smooth as possible both during the acquisition process and the day-to-day experience for advisers and clients."

---