Imagine this: you’ve spent years building a relationship with your financial adviser. They know your family, your quirks, your fears, and your goals. Then one day, you get a letter or email—your adviser’s firm has been bought out. Suddenly, you have a new adviser. Not one you chose, but one you’ve been assigned.
This isn’t rare. In fact, it’s happening everywhere.
According to Citywire (early 2025), more than 6,000 financial advisers in the UK now work for private equity–backed firms. That’s 17% of all advisers—double the number just a year ago.
Private Equity’s Game
Private equity isn’t in the business of building long-term client relationships. They’re in the business of maximising profits and then exiting, usually within five to seven years.
How do you maximise profits in financial services?
For investors, that often translates into higher charges and a more transactional experience. The warm, personal advice you once valued can quickly become something else: a production line.
The Adviser You Didn’t Choose
When your adviser’s firm is sold, you don’t just inherit a new corporate owner, you inherit a new adviser too. But here’s the question: would you have chosen them if you had the chance?
You probably spent time selecting your original adviser. Trust was built. Rapport was developed. But when private equity steps in, you don’t get a say. Your relationship gets reassigned.
Do You Even Know Who Owns Your Advice?
Here’s the shock, many investors have no idea who actually owns the firm that advises them. You might think you’re with a local independent practice, when in reality, it’s now just another cog in a much bigger private equity machine.
That’s not inherently “bad,” but it does beg the question: is that what you signed up for?
At The Wealth Coach, we don’t have private equity owners pulling the strings. We’re independent, deliberately small, and focused on outcomes for you—not for a shareholder we’ve never met.
That means:
When you work with us, you’re choosing advice that’s built around your long-term goals, not someone else’s exit strategy.
So, if your adviser has changed—or if you’re just not sure who’s really pulling the strings behind your wealth—it may be time to ask some tough questions.
Because in wealth management, as in life, you should always know exactly who you’re trusting.
Nic Round is a Chartered Financial Planner and Chartered Wealth Manager, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
If you would like a conversation, book your consultation here today