Douglas McCrea

McCrea Financial Services is an established full suite planning firm led by Douglas McCrea servicing individual and corporate clients throughout the UK primarily across the West of Scotland.

This is One Four Nine’s largest acquisition to date and expands the firm’s national footprint with 31 advisers now servicing 4,000 clients with £1.3 billion from seven locations plus its head office across the United Kingdom.

Established in 1999, McCrea holds chartered status which drives the team’s professionalism and commitment to excellence in client advice and care.

The acquisition of the Glasgow-based firm is a further step in One Four Nine’s strategy to build a nationwide, integrated financial advice and fund management business and follows the recent expansion of its leadership team with the appointment of Barry Strathearn joining as chief compliance officer and Stuart Harding assuming the chief operating officer role. Furthering strengthening of its senior team is set to be announced in the coming weeks.

With over 100 employees across the country, the addition of these seasoned individuals to the One Four Nine team provides further impetus to accelerate One Four Nine’s strategy to create a unified brand identity across all its locations.

Matthew Bugden, CEO, said: “I am delighted to welcome the McCrea team to One Four Nine Group and see our energetic momentum for growth continue at pace for 2023.

“This is the single largest purchase we have made and highlights the depth and scale achieved in just over a year. We are now a sizeable business overseeing more than £1.3 billion of client assets and expect to continue this progress over the next 12 months.

“With seven locations now established across the UK, plus our Head Office and an experienced and entrepreneurial leadership team in place, our integration strategy will now be rolled out to drive operational efficiency, and enable our high quality advisers to spend more time delivering excellent service to our valued customers.”

Patrick Goulding, CFO, added: “I have got to know Douglas well over recent months. He is an exceptional individual with a tremendous track record and a strong work ethic.

“We are delighted that he will be continuing with the business and we know he and his excellent team will remain focused on their core strengths of client advice and business development.

“A high-calibre firm such as McCrea choosing to join our business is a strong endorsement of our strategy and we look forward to continue to attract similar high quality firms to the One Four Nine Group.”

Mr McCrea, managing director, McCrea Financial Services, said: “We are delighted to be joining One Four Nine as we felt the emphasis they place on looking after clients was paramount.

“They are very much a people business both with staff and also with their aim to look after both new and existing clients which is very much at the heart of how we have built McCrea over the last 24 years. After almost 40 years in the industry I felt a huge responsibility to ensure the future of our staff and clients are in good hands for the many years ahead.

“Having spoken to many companies over recent years they were a stand out and my staff and I are looking forward and excited for the next stage in our journey as of a nationwide, independent advisory firm delivering excellence in customer service looking after our clients.”