• WT Financial Group partners with Merchant Wealth Partners in new joint venture
• Investco joint venture to provide strategic growth capital to financial advice practices
• First investment to unite three practices into a scalable, corporatised 'Hubco' structure

WT Financial Group Limited (ASX: WTL) has announced a joint venture with Merchant Wealth Partners Pty Ltd to establish WTL & MWP Investco Pty Ltd ('Investco'), which will provide strategic growth capital to high-potential financial advice practices across Australia. Investco will take non-controlling positions, typically 20-40%, in advice businesses to help drive their organic and inorganic growth while preserving their entrepreneurial autonomy. WTL founder and CEO Keith Cullen has been appointed as Managing Director of Investco, with Merchant partner David Haintz, AM, serving as Executive Director. The first planned investment by Investco will unite Titan Financial Planning, Darwin Financial & Retirement Services, and Wealth Connect Financial Services into a consolidated 'Hubco' entity, leveraging the operational capabilities of each founding practice and exploring further acquisitions and shared service opportunities. The Hubco leadership team includes David McLean as CEO, with Andrew Moo and Jeff Stella remaining as active advisers. Investco and WTL will provide strategic and operational support to help the Hubco team drive the business' expansion.

The joint venture with Merchant Wealth Partners and the establishment of Investco to provide strategic growth capital to financial advice practices represent a significant opportunity for WT Financial Group to play a pivotal role in the consolidation of the Australian wealth management industry, which is experiencing strong tailwinds and a supply-demand imbalance.