AZ NGA acquires latest Sydney advice practice
AZ NGA has acquired Sydney-based advice and wealth management firm Financial Decisions.
Based on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, Financial Decisions has 35 employees across two locations, including eight financial advisers.
It specialises in comprehensive strategic advice and multi-generational advice for corporate executives, professionals, small business owners and family offices.
Financial Decisions founder and chief executive, Damien Cooper, said working with AZ NGA would enable the firm to deliver succession and growth solutions and create a pathway for future partners.
For him personally, it will allow him to step back from his CEO responsibilities to focus on giving financial advice to clients. He will be replaced by the group’s managing director Blake Conde.
Money Management has previously explored how advice practices scaling up presents a challenge for its leadership who may find themselves having to focus more on management than their traditional role of providing advice.
It would also enable the firm to accelerate growth through M&A and organically by attracting experienced advisers as well as mentoring younger associates through their professional year.
AZ NGA has an active M&A policy to create ‘super sized’ firms by giving its partner firms more access to capital and debt solutions to do M&A and allowing them to multiply in size.
Cooper said: “We had a good look at the various strategic capital partners in the market and their offers, and the partners and shareholders came together and agreed that AZ NGA was the right fit for us, not just in terms of their model and offer but the cultural alignment,” Cooper said.
Paul Barrett, AZ NGA chief executive, said the attraction for AZ NGA was to be able to build a meaningful presence on the Northern Beaches area.
“We are excited to partner with Financial Decisions to grow the business and deliver quality advice to more people,” he said.
“The firm’s integrated, multi-disciplinary model supports AZ NGA’s strategy of providing end-to-end solutions, ensuring stronger and deeper client relationships, long-term client retention and a steady stream of high-quality referrals.”
Earlier this week, AZ NGA partner firm Eureka Whittaker Macnaught, also based in Sydney, announced it is in the process of acquiring three firms in Queensland. This will see its annual group revenue increase to $25 million as a result of the acquisition.
Eureka has also enacted two mergers with other AZ NGA firms. These were Brisbane-based Blue Harbour Financial Planning last April and Sydney-based Foster Raffan iPlan in March 2025.
AUTHOR
Laura Dew
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