AZ NGA-backed advice firms, Coastline Advice and Edge Advisory Partners, have announced a merger to form a multi-disciplinary business with $10 million combined revenue.
Founded in 2002 by Darryn Jacobs, Coastline Advice is a financial advisory firm and has four offices across Victoria including Torquay, Anglesea, Barwon Heads and Wonthaggi.
Edge Advisory Partners was launched in 2017 by Shaun McWilliams, with both firms’ founders having worked closely together over the years.
AZ NGA initially gained a minority interest in Edge Advisory after acquiring AMP’s equity portfolio in a 2024 deal ahead of the bank’s exit for the financial advice sector. Then, earlier this month, AZ NGA increased its shareholding in the firm while also entering a strategic partnership with Coastline.
The firms have now decided to merge their operations, with the joint entity continuing under the Coastline Advice brand to offer strategic financial advice across superannuation, retirement planning, personal insurance, mortgage broking and corporate super.
It will have more than 45 team members and 1,500 clients, bringing in more than $10 million in revenue with Jacobs acting as chief executive of the collective firm following the merger.
Chesne Stafford, AZ NGA executive general manager, said the merger is part of its broader plans to build scaled advice businesses across Victoria and New South Wales, fuelling its national expansion by providing succession and business growth opportunities to advice firms.
“There is a strong cultural and strategic alignment between Coastline, Edge and AZ NGA, and this has enabled significant progress to be made in defining the structure and vision of the combined entity, which will be a key regional hub for the AZ NGA network,” Stafford said.
“This merger delivers immediate scale, across Victoria’s surf coast, Geelong, Bellarine Peninsula and Bass coast, which are areas that AZ NGA currently has limited representation but a strong strategic interest due to the region’s affluent demographics and growing retiree population.”
With their collective experience and aligned business approach, Stafford suggested that these firms are well matched, building a business on the founders’ existing relationship.
McWilliams said by the combination of the two firms will allow them to provide service across key specialist areas of advice under one roof, which he said will offer real benefits for their clients.
Jacobs said: “Our clients are at the core of everything we do, and we want to grow to take our offering to more individuals, families, businesses and communities in regional Victoria and New South Wales. We are passionate about professional advice because of the positive impact it can have to change lives, and this is what drives us to succeed.”
McWilliams added: “AZ NGA is very supportive and responsive. They’ve bought into our vision and we’ve bought in theirs, and this is the next step in our exciting journey.”
