Clifton Wealth Partnership (CWP) has strengthened its national presence with the successful acquisition of two financial planning firms based in Bristol and Yorkshire, following a comprehensive integration and onboarding process.
Over the past 10 months, the CWP team has collaborated closely with Grovebridge Financial Ltd and Clifton Business Consultancy to ensure a smooth transition, tailoring the approach to meet the specific needs of each business. Together, these acquisitions contribute an additional £146 million in assets under management (AUM) to CWP’s growing portfolio.
About the financial planning firms
Grovebridge Financial Ltd is based in Bingley, West Yorkshire, and has been providing financial planning services to 200 family groups in the Yorkshire area and surrounding counties for almost a decade. Director and Chartered Financial Planner Paul Smith will continue with the business while fellow Director Hilary Stephenson is retiring.
Hilary Stephenson, Director, Grovebridge Financial Ltd comments: “We spent a considerable amount of time understanding the potential purchasers in the market. CWP stood out because they are closely aligned to our culture, values and views of how clients really are the central pillar of our profession and how best to provide for their future needs.
“We are impressed with CWP’s forward-thinking approach and use of technology to enhance the service proposition.”
Clifton Business Consultancy has been operating for 16 years and is based in Bristol. Company Director Michael Lloyd will be retiring while his fellow Director Bob Thomas will be staying with the business.
Michael Lloyd, Director, Clifton Business Consultancy comments: “Building this business has been one of the greatest accomplishments of my life, and I am proud of what we’ve achieved together.
“As we looked toward the future of the company, we thought long and hard about who we could trust to carry on the values and service standards we’ve worked so hard to uphold. After careful consideration, we are confident in our decision to align with CWP. Their approach, ethos, and commitment to clients mirror our own, and we believe this transition will ensure a continued high level of service and care for all our valued clients.”
CWP also completed the acquisition of seven financial planning businesses from across England and Wales back in March 2025, adding a further £500 million AUM and 25 team members.
Clifton Wealth Partnership is a financial planning and wealth management business and is part of the Bristol-based Clifton Group, which has over 12,000 clients, 120 employees and greater than £2.5bn in assets under management.
Since its formation in 1986, Clifton has specialised in developing and implementing innovative financial services, products and technologies. Its continuous investment in market-leading financial technology and in-house expertise helps minimise the well-known challenges of integrating new advice firms.
Anthony Carty, Managing Director, Clifton Wealth Partnership, comments: “Selling your business is one of the toughest decisions you’ll ever make. Our job is to give financial planning firms absolute assurance that both their clients and team will continue to receive the best support as part of the CWP family.
“We know that integration processes in particular can be a daunting thought for a financial planning business. Technology is part of our DNA at CWP and our in-house capabilities make everything as smooth as possible both during the acquisition process and the day-to-day experience for advisers and clients.”
“As both Hilary from Grovebridge and Michael from Clifton Business Consultancy say in their own words, we are always upfront and honest about what we stand for, so that firms can judge for themselves if we’re the right fit for them.”
