National advice firms enact major merger
Coastal Advice Group (CAG) and Calder Wealth Management (CWM) have merged to form a national advice business.
The combined business will have offices in NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia, with over 100 staff and oversee $2.5 billion in funds under management.
Its executive team will be led by Ben Calder as chief advice officer, Michael Peters as chief financial officer, and Nicole Munday as chief operating officer, while Calder will also join the board alongside Coastal Advice CEO Daniel Brown and Merchant Wealth Partners director David Haintz, which backs CAG.
The merger will allow both firms to run an invigorated adviser development program to identify and train the next generation of advisers as well as dedicated resources to improve operational excellence, infrastructure and support.
Brown said: “This is more than just scale for scale’s sake. It’s about expanding what’s possible. The Calder wealth team brings depth, talent, and a fierce commitment to quality advice. Together, we’re building something better, stronger, and ready to meet the evolving needs of Australians, wherever they reside.”
Calder added: “This merger gives our people greater opportunities to thrive – to step into leadership roles, access national resources, and be part of something bigger, without losing the culture and values that make Calder Wealth special.
“We bring five decades of experience, a strong reputation, and a team of passionate professionals – and now, with the scale and support of a national business, we’re in an even stronger position to deliver for our clients and shape the future of advice.”
Both firms have been active in the M&A space in their own right.
Last September, CWM acquired Adelaide financial planning firm Retirement Strategies, which was founded in 2002, as its director Ben Cheney was looking to step away from advice. This was followed by the acquisition of Melbourne-based Next Step PMD Financial Planning in May 2025.
Meanwhile, CAG acquired Newcastle-based Folio Private Wealth in June 2023, RI Brighton in South Australia in December 2023, and Wealth for Life Financial Planning in January 2024, an Adelaide-based advice business.
In January 2025, it entered into a strategic long-term partnership with Merchant to unlock growth and innovation opportunities, strengthen its ability to attract and retain talent, invest in new technologies, and foster a supportive workplace culture.
AUTHOR
Laura Dew
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