Fiducian buys PCCU’s financial planning business



Fiducian Financial Services has acquired People’s Choice Credit Union’s (PCCU’s) $1.1 billion financial planning business.
The acquisition was expected to strengthen distribution in South Australia and Northern Territory, lift funds under advice to $5 billion and grow its national adviser network to 92, the company said in the announcement made to the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX).
Total funds under management, administration and advice (FUMAA) was expected to increase to $12.3 billion post-acquisition.
Fiducian said it would pay $12.6 million from internal cash resources with 70% being up front and the rest after 12 months for a recurring revenue of $7.6 million. Additionally, the company said it already had processes in place to ensure that completion “involving the transition of clients, staff and contracts, can occur in the coming months consistent with the agreement signed today”.
Fiducian’s group executive chair, Indy Singh, said that its financial services team, headed by Robby Southall, were instrumental in this development, as well as in-house legal, human resources and financial teams, supported by PCCU chief member officer Maria-Ann Camilleri.
“The acquisition significantly increases Fiducian’s distribution footprint across South Australia and the Northern Territory, and we look forward to welcoming more than 50 People’s Choice financial advisers and support into the Fiducian family,” Southall said.
“It is a testament to the expertise, technology systems, client centric processes and proven skills of the financial planning network developed by Fiducian over the last 25 years.
“We look forward to working with those selected as Fiducian authorised financial planners and staff and are confident of a seamless transition into the Fiducian family culture where client needs come first.”
Recommended for you
With the final tally for FY25 now confirmed, how many advisers left during the financial year and how does it compare to the previous year?
HUB24 has appointed Matt Willis from Vanguard as an executive general manager of platform growth to strengthen the platform’s relationships with industry stakeholders.
Investment manager Drummond Capital Partners has announced a raft of adviser-focused updates, including a practice growth division, relaunched manager research capabilities, and a passive model portfolio suite.
When it comes to M&A activity, the share of financial buyers such as private equity firms in Australia fell from 67 per cent to 12 per cent in the last financial year.