Evans & Partners and Dixon Advisory announce merger

In a joint statement, Evans & Partners and Dixon Advisory said they have entered into a heads of agreement to merge their two entities and create one firm, known as Evans Dixon.

As part of the deal, the businesses – which include Evans & Partners, Dixon Advisory and Walsh & Company – will retain their identities under the new group.

Evans Dixon will be a “significant Australian investment and wealth management business with enhanced capability and broad client offerings across asset management, corporate advisory, institutional equities and debt, private wealth management and self-managed superannuation”, the statement said.

Evans & Partners executive chair David Evans said, “Evans Dixon will see two powerful wealth management brands working together to deliver Australian headquartered, but global facing, innovative and client-focused advisory services."

Chief executive of Dixon Advisory USA Allan Dixon said, “Evans Dixon will be a pre-eminent financial services company with a broadened offering, expanded funds management operation, and a consolidation of the presence of our brands in Australia and also in the United States.”

Mr Evans said, “While we have seen various wealth management businesses vacate the field in recent times, we believe that there is a great opportunity to deliver a broader range of services, particularly to our private wealth clients.

"The combination of the companies will also provide scale, consolidating our market positions and investment in the institutional and capital markets services that we offer.”

The combination of the two groups will have offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane and New York, with over 600 staff servicing over 8,000 clients representing in excess of $20 billion in capital, the statement said.

Formal completion of the merger will occur at the end of November 2016.