Houlihan Lokey Advises WTW

Houlihan Lokey is pleased to announce that WTW has acquired a stake in atomos, a leading U.K.-based, advice-led wealth manager backed by Oaktree Capital Management. The transaction closed on 3 October 2024.

WTW (NASDAQ:WTW) provides data-driven, insight-led solutions in the areas of people, risk, and capital. WTW’s Investments business is focused on creating financial value for end investors through its expertise in risk assessment, strategic asset allocation, fiduciary management, and investment manager selection. It has assets under advisory of more than US$4.7 trillion and US$187 billion of assets under management.

atomos is a U.K.-based, digitally enabled, hybrid wealth business providing a full financial planning service and bespoke portfolio management to U.K. clients (retail and professional). Originating from the Sanlam Wealth U.K. business, atomos is led by CEO Jonathan Polin. The company has ~£7 billion of assets.

WTW’s investment into atomos follows a successful alliance between the two companies over the past 18 months, during which WTW’s investment engine successfully powered atomos’ multi-asset investment solutions. With its scale and investment rigour, WTW provides atomos’ clients access to a broader, more diversified range of asset classes and investment choices, previously only available to institutional-sized investors. This next step in the partnership grants WTW part ownership in the business, providing additional capital designed to drive further growth.

Houlihan Lokey acted as the exclusive buyside advisor to WTW and assisted the company in structuring and negotiating the transaction. This deal further strengthens Houlihan Lokey’s position and expertise in the U.K. and European wealth management sector and adds to a host of announced transactions, including Perspective, Cinerius Financial Partners, Säkra, Saltus, Solomon, Ascot Lloyd, Cardale Asset Management, Wren Sterling, and Formuesforvaltning.

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