Fairstone Ireland, a leader in financial planning & wealth management, celebrates a significant milestone with the establishment of its fifth strategic partnership in Ireland with Killeen Financial Services Ltd trading as Cleere Life & Pensions. This achievement not only highlights Fairstone Ireland’s relentless pursuit of innovative financial solutions but also marks a significant leap forward in its growth trajectory as Fairstone Ireland surpasses €1 Billion of assets under management (AUM) since entering the market in 2022.
Under the leadership of CEO Paul Merriman, Fairstone Ireland now have four additional Financial Brokerages into their Irish operation, Carey Financial, Murray & Spelman Financial Services, Premier Financial as well as Cleere Life & Pensions.
Paul Merriman, CEO of Fairstone Ireland, commented “Our partnership with Cleere Life & Pensions not only exemplifies our commitment to become the leading wealth management firm in Ireland but also accelerates our growth momentum. Together, we aim to enhance our capabilities, foster mutual growth, and set a new benchmark of partnership excellence in wealth management, building stronger relationships with Financial Brokerages across Ireland. We eagerly anticipate collaborating with Gearoid and the entire team at Cleere Life & Pensions.”
Cleere Life & Pensions, a reputable financial planning firm headquartered in Kilkenny since 2015, is renowned for its client-centric approach and comprehensive range of financial services. The partnership with Fairstone opens up exciting prospects for Cleere Life & Pensions and their clients, to utilise Fairstone’s vast resources, expertise, and cutting-edge solutions.
Gearoid Cleere, Managing Director of Cleere Life & Pensions expressed excitement about the partnership: “Our partnership with Fairstone Ireland marks an exciting new chapter for Cleere Life & Pensions. Fairstone’s innovative model ensures that we can uphold our commitment to delivering top-tier financial services whilst leveraging Fairstone’s scale and expertise. This strategic move positions us for sustained growth and innovation in the dynamic financial landscape.”
Anthony O’Driscoll, Head of Mergers & Acquisitions at Fairstone Ireland added “We are very excited to partner with Cleere Life & Pensions via our unique Downstream Buy Out (DBO) model which allows the owners of ambitious financial advisory and wealth management firms to secure a liquidity event for themselves, whilst continuing to grow their business and benefit from the resulting upside”.
Fairstone remains dedicated to offering high-quality financial advice and exceptional service, perfectly aligning with Cleere Life & Pensions ethos. The partnership reaffirms Fairstone Ireland’s commitment to revolutionising the financial services sector and serves as a beacon of a new era of partnerships, emphasising teamwork, innovation, and a shared focus on client success. Fairstone Ireland are actively seeking to partner with other growing firms.
In a strategic move set to reshape the financial landscape in Ireland, Fairstone has unveiled its revolutionary Irish buyout model, just one year after making waves with the acquisition of Dublin-based Pax Financial. Following a number of senior appointments, including Financial Planning Director Derek Delaney, Head of M&A, Anthony O’Driscoll, and Marketing Director Fergal Lynch, Fairstone is now poised to introduce its premium Downstream Buy Out (DBO) model to the Irish market.
At the core of Fairstone’s ambitious growth strategy, the Downstream Buy Out model seamlessly integrates culturally aligned firms before a complete acquisition, with the primary goal of maximising capital value. Throughout the integration phase, partnering firms gain access to Fairstone’s investment, cutting-edge technology, abundant resources, empowering them to realise their growth aspirations.
Fairstone Ireland CEO Paul Merriman commented, “The DBO is a market leader in the UK, and I am thrilled to extend this proposition to forward-thinking financial planning firms in Ireland. We are actively seeking partnerships with firms uninterested in an outright sale today; our focus is on investing in growth and supporting business owners dedicated to optimising their business value through a long-term partnership with Fairstone.”
Merriman emphasised the DBO’s distinctive nature, stating, “This is not your typical M&A transaction; it is crafted for visionary business leaders committed to their enterprises, eager to capitalise on future growth.”
Fairstone’s success in the UK is evident, boasting its best-ever dealmaking year, in 2023, with twelve firms embracing the DBO model. Fairstone Group, CEO Lee Hartley celebrated the Irish launch, saying, “Over the last 15 years, we’ve demonstrated the effectiveness of the model. Our unconventional approach to dealmaking consistently yields year-on-year outperformance, with the latest figures revealing fully acquired firms surpassing their target sale values by an average of 113%.”
