HedgeCo.net – Citigroup has agreed to buy wealth manager fund Quilter from rival Morgan Stanley as it seeks to expand in the UK. The acquisition places Citigroup among the top 10 wealth managers inthe UK, the bank said in an e-mail.

Quilter, which manages $11 billion, will become part of the bank’s global wealth-management division in Europe, run by Marianne Hay, Citigroup said.

Quilter has more than 18,000 clients and 300 employees in 10 offices in Britain, Ireland and the Channel Islands. The fund manages assets worth more than 5.6 billion pounds, has 18,000 clients andemploys 300 staff, said the companies, which did not disclose details of the transaction such as the price paid by the bank.

“With strategic investments geared especially for Brazil, India and greater China, Quilter is an important step in establishing a meaningful presence in the UK, with an excellent platform to support the further growth of our Private Bank and international Smith Barney businesses,” said Todd Thomson, Chairman and CEO of Citigroup Global Wealth Management, in the Citigroup statement. The bank said it plans to fuse Quilter into its CWA unit.

Alex Akesson
Contributing Writer
HedgeCo.Net
Email: Editor@hedgeco.net