IOOF subsidiary to buy bank’s books



An IOOF subsidiary, Bridges Financial Services Group, today announced to the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) that it would acquire Bendigo and Adelaide Bank’s financial planning books, as well as entering an exclusive referral arrangement that would see the bank’s clients referred to Bridges.
Bridges offered the bank cash consideration of $3 million on completion, which was expected to occur on 31 July, this year, plus a further payment payable on the first anniversary of completion subject to maintaining an agreed ongoing service client retention rate.
IOOF said that Bridges would see an increase in scale as a result, with the Bendigo Financial Planning advisers expected to add $1 billion of funds under advice.
The transaction was, of course, subject to satisfaction of customary conditions precedent. While Bridges didn’t uncover any material issues with the bank’s financial planning business during its due diligence process, Bendigo had provided indemnities in favour of Bridges and IOOF for any liability that arose from its conduct prior to completion.
Recommended for you
ASIC believes advice licensees are the “first line of defence” when it comes to future product failures and is urging them to monitor their approved product lists.
Assistant Treasurer, Daniel Mulino, is keen to progress the second tranche of DBFO reforms, acknowledging it is hard for advisers to get the full picture of the legislation without both parts.
A professional year supervisor has been banned for five years after advice provided by his provisional relevant provider was deemed to be inappropriate, the first time this is believed to have occurred.
Pinnacle Investment Management has made a strategic investment in private capital investment firm FinCap to support a new managed accounts platform.