Southwestern Investment Group, a $5.8 billion registered investment adviser based in Franklin, Tennessee, has taken the plunge into a private equity partnership by selling a minority stake to Merchant Investment Management.
Like virtually all RIAs succumbing to the lure of PE capital, SWIG Chief Executive Jeff Dobyns said the move was about building scale in a fast-consolidating wealth management industry.
“In our search for growth partners, Merchant stood out with its deep, practical understanding of capital structure and a team of experts that truly understands how financial advisers serve their clients and thrive as businesses,” Dobyns said in a statement.
“Merchant’s flexibility in approach to equity and debt capital and willingness to go the distance with us has been one-of-a-kind,” Dobyns said.
Private equity investors have been flooding into the wealth management space with increasing momentum over the past several years, and Merchant has emerged as one of the higher-profile PE players ever since Matt Brinker joined as a managing partner a year ago.
“We jumped into this partnership with Jeff and the team because they are building an advisory firm that can sustain for decades to come,” Brinker said in the statement.
“Their approach to partnering young talent with experienced advisers, paired with firm ownership, allows SWIG to deliver high-quality financial planning and investment management services,” he added. “Everything we do at Merchant will be to preserve what makes SWIG great and help them lean even further into their strengths.”
From outstanding individuals to innovative organizations, find out who made the final shortlist for top honors at the IN awards, now in its second year.
Cresset's Susie Cranston is expecting an economic recession, but says her $65 billion RIA sees "great opportunity" to keep investing in a down market.
“There’s a big pull to alternative investments right now because of volatility of the stock market,” Kevin Gannon, CEO of Robert A. Stanger & Co., said.
Sellers shift focus: It's not about succession anymore.
Platform being adopted by independent-minded advisors who see insurance as a core pillar of their business.
RIAs face rising regulatory pressure in 2025. Forward-looking firms are responding with embedded technology, not more paperwork.
As inheritances are set to reshape client portfolios and next-gen heirs demand digital-first experiences, firms are retooling their wealth tech stacks and succession models in real time.