Ian J Hunt is based in Thame, Buckinghamshire and will become part of Perspective’s nearby office in Woodstock, Oxfordshire.

Ian J Hunt looks after 70 households and has £37m in Assets Under Management. The deal, for an undisclosed sum, will allow the owner to retire.

The deal is the first to be announced by Perspective in 2023 but it says it has already lined up eight further acquisitions, all of which are now awaiting FCA approval.

Ian Hunt, founder and director of Ian J Hunt said: “After just over 35 years as a financial adviser, now has become the right time for me to retire. It has been a privilege to help many clients during my career.

“I have had many approaches over the years and whilst the timing was never perhaps entirely right, I have spoken to several firms in order to get a feel of whether there is a ‘meeting of minds’ in the way in which I seek to add value in the close, personal relationships I have with my clients. On too many occasions, I was somewhat underwhelmed.

"I am delighted to have found a company with a like-minded attitude and ethics in Perspective. They fully share my values and levels of professional care, whilst having the strength of a national firm. I am impressed by how well they retain the ‘local office’ approach.

Ian Wilkinson, CEO of Perspective said: “We are delighted that Ian J Hunt Chartered Financial Planners chose to become part of us. This deal adds a further 70 households as clients and £37 million in AUM.

“We are pleased to start 2023 with strong momentum which will lead to both the opening of new offices and growing existing ones. We have our biggest ever pipeline of acquisitions, both large and small, and relish the opportunity to grow further at scale and pace."