London-based Shackleton Advisers Limited said it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire one of Scotland’s leading independent financial advice firms, Aberdein Considine Wealth Limited, trading as AC Wealth, from its existing shareholders.
Financial terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.
“This acquisition significantly expands Shackleton’s presence in Scotland, positioning the firm as a clear leader in the provision of independent financial advice across the country,” said Shackleton.
Upon completion of the deal, which remains subject to approval by the Financial Conduct Authority, the acquisition of AC Wealth will add to Shackleton £800 million in assets under management/advice, making for a new firm-wide Scotland total of over £1.3 billion, and 40 employees, including 14 FCA authorised and regulated financial advisers.
Following completion, Shackleton will operate in Scotland from offices in Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh, while maintaining local representation in Perth and Stirling.
“Given this significant growth in its presence in Scotland, Shackleton is today also announcing that, following completion of the transaction, it will serve its clients in Scotland through two regions: Scotland East, with a principal office in Aberdeen, and Scotland West, with a principal office in Glasgow,” said Shackleton.
“Most importantly, this approach will provide continuity for both existing Shackleton clients, and for clients of AC Wealth, who will continue to be looked after by the same advisers and teams as they are today. In time, it is expected that AC Wealth clients will benefit from Shackleton’s extensive resources and in-house investment capability and platform.”
Shackleton CEO Paul Feeney said: “The team at AC Wealth has impressed us from the outset, and I’m delighted that we have been able to agree the acquisition of such a highly regarded firm.
“This is a transformative deal for Shackleton in Scotland, a country with which our namesake, Sir Ernest Shackleton, had important connections.
“Scotland is a core market for us, and I believe today’s announcement represents an excellent outcome for all parties, most importantly existing clients of AC Wealth, who should in time benefit from our growing scale and strong track record of driving down the cost of investing, while retaining an absolute commitment to providing first-class advice and service.”
Aberdein Considine Wealth CEO Jennifer Paice said: “I’m excited for the opportunities this transition will present to our team and to support our continued development and success in the financial advice sector in Scotland.”
Jacqueline Law, Managing Partner of Aberdein Considine LLP, said: “This deal is aligned with our strategic decision to invest further and grow our core offering as one of the UK’s leading full-service legal practices.
“Having overseen the transition of AC Wealth to an independent limited company in June 2025, I believe that becoming part of Shackleton represents a very natural next step for AC Wealth, whose clients and staff will benefit not only from Shackleton’s scale and focus on financial planning, but also from the reassurance of the firm’s strong ethos and values, and clear aim of delivering continuity for clients.
“Over the years, we have naturally developed strong business relationships with our former financial planning colleagues and, following completion of the deal, where appropriate, we look forward to working with Shackleton in the future. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the AC Wealth team for their contributions over the years, and to wish them continued success as part of Shackleton.”