Vista Financial Group has announced the acquisition of financial planning firm, Orange Wealth, which services Millennial clients in Melbourne.
With this, the group’s team grows to 20 professionals, including five experienced financial planners, a dedicated mortgage broker and 14 support staff.
Additionally, Orange Wealth chief executive, Jason Chew, will assume the role of head of advice at the group.
According to Vista, joining forces with the South Yarra firm is another step towards strengthening its presence in Melbourne.
“We are pleased to welcome Jason Chew and the talented team at Orange Wealth into the Vista family. This strategic move aligns perfectly with our mission to ‘achieve your tomorrow today’,” said Vista’s managing director, Tyson Roberts.
“We believe in creating a brighter financial future for all our clients, and this partnership will enable us to do just that.”
Chew added: “Joining Vista Financial Group is a remarkable opportunity for us. The cultural fit between our teams is evident, and we look forward to offering our clients an even greater level of financial expertise and service.”
Vista has also flagged the potential for further acquisitions, with Roberts stating that a larger, collaborative network has become increasingly important in today’s dynamic market.
“Vista Financial Group remains open to further acquisitions, recognising the benefits of shared resources, expertise, and the ability to navigate the high costs of operating as a sole financial planning practitioner,” he said.
The acquisition of Orange Wealth comes just six months after Vista’s successful integration of Master Your Money Now. Founded in 2018, the advice firm operates under the Affinia AFSL and has a specialisation in assisting nurses and midwives, and millennials.
It continues the trend of merger activity in the advice space with licensees Count and Diverger agreeing to merge, and Count acquiring Affinia Financial Advisers from TAL.
There’s also the merger between Ironbark Asset Management and national advice firm Invest Blue to create a $64 billion diversified financial services firm. The merged entity will have more than 500 staff across 35 locations.
AZ Next Generation Advisory (AZ NGA) has also taken stakes in several financial advice businesses, including Perth advice firm The Wealth Designers (TWD) and Foster Raffan iPlan in Sydney in August.
In May, AZ NGA made a strategic partnership with Rose Partners, a Melbourne-based accounting and advisory business with a high-net-worth and healthcare professional client base.
