Aquiline Capital acquires majority stake in Isio Group
Aquiline Capital Partners, a private investment specialist in financial services and related technologies, has agreed to a majority investment in Isio Group, “one of the fastest growing pensions, reward and benefit and investment advisory businesses in the UK.”
Isio, which provides pensions and wealth advice to thousands of clients, was created when private equity firm Exponent bought the unit from KPMG in 2020.
Since its launch under the new ownership, Isio had four successive years of double-digit organic growth and continues to gain market share. It has completed two acquisitions which expanded the company’s scale, geographical footprint, and range of services. Isio is now one of the UK’s largest retirement advisory businesses, with 1,200 employees and 10 offices across the UK.
In April, Sky News reported that Exponent was looking to sell the company for “several hundred million pounds.”
Aquiline’s investment will support Isio’s growth strategy of innovation by expanding its core services and growing adjacent practices, including rewards & benefits, investment advice and private capital. This will be achieved through a combination of targeted M&A to build additional service lines and advisory capabilities, and by attracting new talent to the business.
The transaction is subject to standard regulatory approvals.
“We are delighted to be investing in Isio. It operates in sectors where we have extensive experience and deep networks. Isio is a business we have admired and got to know well, not simply as an investment, but first as our advisor and then our partner. We have been particularly impressed by the depth of their expertise in creating better outcomes for clients. It has delivered impressive organic growth and successful expansion through strategic M&A. We look forward to working with Isio’s management team to continue to develop their offering, diversify the business, and support them in further accelerating growth.” – Igno van Waesberghe, Managing Partner at Aquiline.
“This new investment from Aquiline will enable us to continue the journey of bringing high quality service and better outcomes to our clients. Key to this is having a culture that appeals to the best talent in the sector with long-term, high quality career opportunities. I am personally excited about the future and look forward to continuing to lead Isio in its next phase of evolution and growth.” – Andrew Coles, Isio’s CEO.
