Ironbark acquires family office firm

Ironbark Investment Partners has expanded its private wealth business with the acquisition of Mercury Private, a Sydney-based high-net-worth and family office firm.

Established in May 2015, Mercury offers a range of financial services from investment advice, asset protection, tax structuring, succession, estate planning and philanthropy to high-net-worth individuals.

Ironbark head of private wealth Jason Harwood said the acquisition was a step forward for Ironbark in its mission to build a national HNW advice business.

"Mercury has a reputation for comprehensive service and advice, and an experienced, long-standing team that has looked after their clients for many years," Harwood said.

"Ironbark's vision is to be the trusted partner for holistic advice and investment solutions and Mercury's philosophy of deep understanding of clients' goals, combined with personalised strategies, aligns with that vision.

"We are excited to welcome not just the clients and people of Mercury but their expertise and insights as we continue to build our business."

Mercury principal adviser and founder Tim Eustace said the business had been looking for a partner that would be the right fit.

"Our focus has always been on delivering for our clients. After a strategic review we felt that we needed a new partner who wanted to invest in the HNW space and bring new leadership and innovation to our business," Eustace said.

"Whilst we saw many worthy potential capital partners, Ironbark was the clear standout. Ironbark is led by industry experts and, unlike others, is backed by permanent capital so they are focused on building a long-term business.

"Our philosophy is to develop long-term relationships of enduring quality with our clients. And we do this through our people who all share a passion for delivering the highest level of professional service. Ironbark shares this passion, and our team is excited to play a part in the ongoing evolution of the Ironbark Private Wealth business."