Cetera Financial Group, the renamed and rebranded broker-dealer group once owned by ING and now owned by the private equity firm Lightyear Capital, announced on Monday that it has completed the acquisition of Genworth Financial Investment Services. Genworth Financial becomes Cetera’s fourth broker-dealer and investment advisory firm, composed mainly of accountants (similar to HD Vest) who complement their practice by providing financial and investment advice to clients.
The announcement also said Cetera and the firm are working together to establish a new name, which will be announced in the coming months.
Genworth Financial, which claims 1,800 advisors, will join Cetera’s three other independent broker-dealer and investment advisory firms: Financial Network Investment Corp., with 2,100 advisors; Multi-Financial Securities Corp., with 1,100 “entrepreneurial” advisors, and PrimeVest Financial Services, a self-clearing broker-dealer that focuses on 1,500 bank channel advisors.
Combined, Cetera now claims a total of more than 6,500 advisors.
“CPAs and tax professionals are in a great position to be the financial quarterbacks of their clients financial future,” Valerie Brown (left), Cetera’s CEO, told AdvisorOne. “The GFIS model–supporting tax and accounting professionals–is unique among our firms and it will become our fourth distinct broker-dealer. We don’t believe that one size fits all and this allows us to further demonstrate our commitment to supporting the multiple faces of independence.”
GFIS brings approximately $13 billion in total client assets to Cetera, including $3.7 billion in fee-based advisory assets.
“Cetera is dedicated to the success of the independent advisor,” added Enrique Vasquez, president and chief executive officer of GFIS. “Our advisors are uniquely qualified to be the financial quarterbacks for their clients. Now, with Cetera’s significant scale and broad resources our financial professionals will be best positioned to serve their clients’ needs. This will drive our collective growth and success.”
Vasquez will serve as president and CEO of the fourth distinct firm, reporting to Brown and serving on Cetera’s executive committee.
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