CountPlus reveals new name following brand revamp

Following 99.94 per cent of shareholder votes casting support for the move at an extraordinary general meeting in Sydney last Friday, CountPlus has announced a successful name change to Count Limited (Count).

Last month, CountPlus said it would hold an extraordinary general meeting with the purpose of voting to change the group’s name.

In raising Count as the proposed new name, the firm reasoned that it would “align and capture the operations and value the company is creating now and in the future”.

Count chief executive Hugh Humphrey said the rebrand has signalled a dynamic new phase of growth and unification of its corporate businesses.

“We’re incredibly pleased 99.94 percent of the votes cast by our shareholders endorsed our transformation to a single, strong brand focused on making a positive difference for our clients and investors at a time when accounting and advice services are needed more than ever,” Mr Humphrey said.

The CEO pointed to heightened uncertainty in global markets, the cost-of-living crisis, an ageing population, and reduced availability of financial advice as factors weighing on the increasing demand for the services offered by Count’s financial planners and accountants.

“As one of Australia’s only truly integrated provider of wealth and accounting services, Count is uniquely positioned to service this increasing demand.”

According to the firm, a phased roll-out of its new branding will be undertaken over the coming months. In addition, four equity partner firms have chosen to rebrand their firms as Count, which is the first time that partner firms have chosen to trade under the Count brand in the company’s 43-year history.

As such, Count expects to see an increasing number of firms take on the new brand and boost the company’s national reach.

“Our company name change, brand transformation, and new value proposition give our clients greater certainty about our offering, providing them with the confidence to look ahead,” Mr Humphrey added.

“We remain committed to delivering high-quality financial advice for our clients. This new strategy strengthens Count’s position as a major player in the future of wealth management advice in Australia.”

The brand revamp comes after Count’s recently announced strategic acquisition of Affinia Financial Advisers, TAL’s financial advice licensee. The transaction is expected to be completed later this month.

On completion, Count will represent around 400 advisers and $16.8 billion in client funds under administration.