Wealth manager and Financial Planner Kingswood is to raise a further £20m to fund its acquisition war-chest.

Wealth manager has completed the £7.8m takeover of Chartered Financial Planner firm Harpsden Wealth Management it announced in November.

Chris Ralph, former chief investment officer at wealth manager St James’s Place, is to step down at the end of this year after 11 years with the company.

Transact is to cut some of its charges in April with annual commission charges and buy commission charges both reduced.

Fast-growing Chartered Financial Planner Fairstone has acquired South Wales-based UskVale Financial Planning for an undisclosed sum.

Global private equity firm Bain Capital, the owner of esure and other financial businesses, is to acquire the savings, retirement and protection business of mutual insurer LV= for £530m.

Private equity firm AnaCap Financial Partners has acquired the £8bn Novia adviser platform, its third platform acquisition in 12 months.

Private equity firm Aquiline Capital Partners and fintech Allfunds have pulled out of the bidding race for adviser platform Nucleus.

Financial adviser network and wealth manager Tavistock Investments has postponed a general meeting planned to approve a boost to the earnings of senior executives.

Wealth manager and Financial Planner Kingswood has recruited Schroders Personal Wealth’s chief commercial officer David Lawrence to be its new UK chief executive for wealth management.