Nick Dignam from Fortitude Investment Partners shares insights with Lachlan Maddock from Fortitude Investment Partners on how a diversified portfolio in mid-market private equity is structured. The Inside Adviser
The world of alternative investments is at a crossroads. As markets defy expectations and liquidity concerns take centre stage, investors find themselves forced to rethink how they deploy capital in an increasingly complex environment.
Viola nabs high-profile family office adviser Angus Mann
The movement of advisers at the top end continues, with Viola Private Wealth adding another high-profile adviser to its ranks less than two months after bringing on rugby league personality Cooper Cronk to attract wealthy athlete clients.
This week Viola announced the signing of Angus Mann from Mutual Trust, the country’s largest multi-family office. Mann keeps a low profile but is well respected in family office circles and carried a client book worth close to $500 million at Mutual Trust.
For Viola, the hire fortifies what is already a strong start his new venture. The Barrons-listed adviser led a bunch of senior staff in a buyout of Pitcher Partners high-net-worth client base back in September, taking with him over $2 billion worth of client funds after 21 years spent building up the converged tax and accounting specialists’ wealth management division.
Viola became the executive chair of the new outfit, with former Pitcher Partners executives Andrew Levi and Sean Ward instilled as COO and CEO respectively. Around a dozen former Pitcher Partners staff, in total, joined the inaugural Viola Private Wealth team.
At the time, Viola said “approximately 40 per cent” of the new outfit’s clients were shared with Pitcher Partners.
A few weeks after the defection, Viola Private Wealth announced that they had brought on ex-international rugby league player Cronk as a brand ambassador for the firm. The hire continued the high-profile athlete theme at Viola Private Wealth, which also has ex-international cricket player Peter Nevill on its books as a financial adviser.
The Mann hire, however, instantly becomes Viola’s biggest scalp and should see a significant tranche of client funds migrate to the new firm, which has been public about its ambition to reach $10 billion to $12 billion in client funds within five years.
Commenting on the hire, Viola Private Wealth chief executive Sean Ward said he was “delighted” to welcome the adviser to the team.
“Angus’s ability to guide families through the complexities of wealth management, while always prioritising their broader goals, will be a tremendous asset to our clients,” Ward said. “A trusted family adviser, Mann is highly regarded by clients who often describe him as ‘a member of the family’.”
Given his experience in the family office environment, it’s expected Mann will help build out Viola Private Wealth’s intergenerational wealth management capabilities.
“Viola Private Wealth’s bespoke approach to wealth management resonates deeply with my own values,” Mann commented. “I look forward to working with a team that prioritises long-term relationships and helps families define the purpose of their wealth, ensuring it serves their needs today and leaves a meaningful legacy for future generations.”
