Equilibrium

Founded in 1995 by Colin Lawson, Equilibrium had established itself as one of the North West's most respected independent financial advisory and wealth management firms by the time we invested in 2025.

Managing approximately £1.3bn in assets across 1,300 clients, the Wilmslow-based business had delivered exceptional organic growth over the preceding decade, achieving a compound annual growth rate of 10% and increasing revenues from £5.1m to £13.1m. This impressive performance was underpinned by strong net client inflows, a scalable paraplanner-led operating model, and a vertically integrated proposition combining financial planning with discretionary fund management.

Employing approximately 90 people, Equilibrium has built a well-invested platform characterised by a strong compliance culture and a robust technology infrastructure.

Colin and his team wanted to secure the business's long-term future and accelerate expansion in what remains a highly fragmented sector. In Equilibrium, we identified a high-quality business that had consistently focused on both client and employee value propositions, demonstrating an ability to grow ahead of the market organically while navigating market volatility. The business was well-positioned to consolidate the IFA and wealth management sector through strategic acquisitions whilst maintaining its reputation for exceptional service quality.

As part of the acquisition, the management team has been joined by two senior appointments. David Campbell joined as Chair, bringing extensive board-level experience from his time as Managing Director at Deutsche Bank Wealth Management and CEO at Tilney, where he led a private equity-backed management buyout and subsequent sale to Deutsche Bank. Most recently, he served as Chair of Global Reach, a foreign exchange services provider. David Chennell was appointed as CFO, having previously held senior finance roles at Churches Fire & Security and Stackhouse Poland.

With Sovereign's backing, Equilibrium is now accelerating its expansion through enhanced investment in people, technology, and client experience. The business is pursuing a strategic acquisition strategy focused initially on the North West, targeting high-quality financial planning firms that align with Equilibrium's values and can benefit from integration into its proven platform.