Bath-based wealth management firm Epoch has been acquired by Brewin Dolphin in a deal that will give the national investment management and financial planning firm its first office in the city.
Epoch managing partner Barry Newbury and his 37 staff will transfer to Brewin Dolphin along with its clients.
Epoch’s Queen Square office will be rebranded to become Brewin Dolphin’s 31st UK base. Financial details of the takeover have not been made public.
Epoch was founded in 2010 as a Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) by partners Barry Newbury, Markas Gilmartin and Gareth Rees to offer a full spectrum of services ranging from traditional portfolio management for individuals to specialist investment and tax planning for corporate clients including businesses, trusts and charities.
Barry and Markas had previously been an adviser director and associate director respectively at AWD Chase de Vere in Bath while Gareth joined from Bath-based Target Financial Management, where he had been a senior consultant. He had previously worked at AWD Chase de Vere as an adviser.
Last year Epoch and funds under management worth £512m – having increased from £370 in 2016 – and 711 clients – an increase of 130 on 2016’s figure. It made an operating profit of just over £2m on a turnover of £4.22m in the year to March 31, 2018.
Barry Newbury, who has been appointed head of office designate for Brewin Dolphin (Bath), said: “We’ve grown Epoch to this point by cultivating great people who have built strong relationships with clients and those who refer their clients to us.
“Becoming part of an integrated wealth management firm like Brewin Dolphin will give our clients even more support; whether it’s insight from their central research function, head office support or financial support to grow the business.
Meanwhile, we plan to go from strength to strength with ambitious growth plans with the same team that has served our clients so well for many years, but now under the Brewin Dolphin name.”
Brewin Dolphin managing director of financial planning Nick Fitzgerald said his firm was seeing “unprecedented pent-up demand for good financial advice, especially in these uncertain times”.
He added: “Barry and his team have built Epoch Wealth Management into a successful business trusted by their clients. We’re so pleased that their advice-led team are joining us to continue their growth journey, and as one of the UK’s largest wealth managers we’re able to provide them with the resources they need to provide their excellent advice to more clients and to grow.”
Pictured: Head of office designate for Brewin Dolphin (Bath) Barry Newbury, centre, flanked by partners Richard Barrington, Gareth Rees, Markas Gilmartin and Jon Rolfe
