Two firms of contrasting size and scope, that both cater to international clients such as US expats, have reportedly entered a transatlantic M&A deal.

US-based Creative Planning has agreed to acquire Maseco Private Wealth, a UK wealth management firm that helps those with cross-border US links, media reports said, citing unnamed sources.

Family Wealth Report contacted Maseco and Creative Planning today about the matter; it had not received a reply at the point of going to press.

Creative Planning and its affiliates at the end of September had more than $390 billion in combined assets under management and advisement; Maseco had $4.8 billion as of the same date, the firms’ websites said. 

Such a transaction would be a natural fit for both firms in certain ways. Creative Planning, established in 1982 and bought in 2004 by president and CEO Peter Mallouk, says it “provides comprehensive wealth management for international families and American citizens abroad in more than 90 countries.” If confirmed, the deal comes after the firm – announced December 9 – acquired Marshall Financial Group (Marshall Financial), an RIA in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. That acquisition added 19 employees and more than $900 million in assets under management to Creative Planning.

This type of deal also fits with a transatlantic pattern of tie-ups, such as US-headquartered Corient’s purchase earlier this year of UK-based multi-family offices Stonehage Fleming and Stanhope Capital.

One media report (wealthmanagement.com) said Houlihan Lokey is working as Maseco’s financial advisor.

Private equity firms TPG and General Atlantic have minority stakes in Creative Planning.

Maseco Private Wealth was founded in 2008 by Josh Matthews and James Sellon. It is among a niche group of UK and other firms that specialize in serving US expats or those from outside the US who have links to the country. They typically face having to handle the extra-territorial powers of the US Internal Revenue Service, which can deter foreign financial institutions from serving US expats because they are regarded as a compliance burden. After the US FATCA legislation was enacted in 2010, major banks such as Deutsche Bank and HSBC ceased to offer financial services to such expats.

Another UK-based firm operating in the space is W1M, born from the merger in 2024 of Waverton Asset Management and London & Capital. Another example is Schroders.