Willis Towers Watson has purchased a minority stake in Atomos for an undisclosed sum, as it looks to boost its presence in the UK wealth space.
The deal will allow Atomos’ clients to have access to a broader, more diversified range of asset classes and investment choices, previously only available to institutional sized investors.
This comes off the back of a partnership that began between the two organisations in 2022, when WTW’s investment engine powered Atomos’ multi-asset investment solutions.
Mark Calnan, head of investments for Europe at WTW, said: “Our investment in Atomos is the natural next step in our successful partnership and extends our investment capabilities to a wider audience.
“Our stake in Atomos enhances our ability to shape how the industry services the needs and aspirations of savers in the UK. This is particularly important as individuals take increased responsibilities for their retirement through defined contribution schemes and personal savings.
"It also enables us to bring our experience and capabilities built over many decades in occupational pensions to Atomos’ individual clients.”
In 2022, Sanlam Wealth rebranded to Atomos in an effort to better represent what it had called its "strong internal culture of collaboration, inclusivity and diverse perspectives".
Sanlam Wealth was the business acquired from Sanlam UK by funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management.
Commenting on the deal, Federico Alvarez-Demalde, managing director at Oaktree, said: “In a highly competitive market, WTW’s strategic minority stake in Atomos is both a clear indication of the value of the UK wealth management sector, and an endorsement of the company’s differentiated vertically integrated business model. The deal is designed to deliver better outcomes for a broad range of clients.”
Jonathan Polin, chief executive of Atomos, added: “WTW’s investment in Atomos, having seen first-hand the strength of our client relationships and quality of our people, is further recognition of the health and growth potential of this business.
“As we look for more ways in which we can enhance the Atomos client experience, our closer alignment to such an established, well- resourced business will play a key part.”
alina.khan@ft.com
