National Australia Bank (NAB) and Goldman Sachs JBWere (GSJBW) today announced an agreement for NAB to acquire 80.1% of Goldman Sachs JBWere’s private wealth management business in Australia and New Zealand, which will be branded JBWere, with Goldman Sachs JBWere retaining the remaining 19.9%. JBWere will remain a centre of specialist expertise, focused on delivering advice driven wealth solutions to high net worth clients, and become a portfolio business of NAB’s wealth division, MLC & NAB Wealth. The alliance incorporates a strategic distribution relationship which enables GSJBW to distribute certain products to JBWere on an exclusive or preferred basis.
NAB will outlay $99 million for JBWere, with additional performance related consideration payable dependent on revenues generated by the business over a period of three years. The contribution to NAB Group earnings and ROE is not expected to be material in the first year.
JBWere is a leading wealth advisory business with more than 22,000 active client relationships, assets under advice exceeding $38 billion, and funds under management of around $10 billion. JBWere advisers will retain full access to the existing range of services, investment research and products currently available through Goldman Sachs JBWere, as well as accessing additional services from NAB and MLC.
“JBWere’s pre-eminent reputation for providing wealth management services to high net worth individuals and National Australia Bank’s strong footprint in business and private banking is a great combination,” National Australia Bank Group Chief Executive Officer Cameron Clyne said. “Our Australian Wealth business, MLC & NAB Wealth, has a long history in developing and nurturing wealth management businesses that service private wealth and institutional clients under their own distinct brands, including JANA and Godfrey Pembroke. “At the NAB strategy update in March, I indicated private wealth was a business with significant upside and JBWere adds to our capability and brands in that area,” Mr Clyne said.
