Financial planning firm Wren Sterling Group has acquired a majority stake in the Stockdale Group.

The Bodmin-based group is comprised of financial advisory firm, Stockdale & Co, and DFM business, Stockdale Asset Management, that has been running for over 20 years. The group has around 700 clients and all 12 members of staff have joined the Wren Sterling Group.

In July, Wren Sterling also completed a deal to acquire Messer & Matthews Ltd, a Guildford-based IFA headed by Charles Matthews, a chartered financial planner looking after around £150m assets under management (AuM) for 300 clients. Wren Sterling will retain the Guildford office for the foreseeable future and the team will work closely with Wren Sterling’s Oxford office.

Following both transactions, Wren Sterling has welcomed around 1,000 clients in the last couple of months, with both deals adding over £400m of AuM to its books in the process.

Wren Sterling chief executive, James Twining, said: “The South West has always been a bit of a gap for Wren Sterling, despite this being a region with increasing wealth, fuelled by the trend to move out of London post-pandemic. The timing is perfect for us and allows us to increase our footprint in the same way we have done with the North West and Northern Ireland in the last 12 months.

“Keith Stockdale and his team have the entrepreneurial drive we’re looking for and a very loyal client bank. It’s a great foundation to build on and Keith will be central to developing our brand in the Devon and Cornwall area, particularly as he is retaining a stake in the business.”

On Messer & Matthews, Twining added: “Messer & Matthews is a fantastic IFA business. Charles is a highly qualified adviser who has provided an exemplary service to clients over the years, and I’m excited to have him in Wren Sterling to drive up standards through his example.”

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