Shackleton

Shackleton was founded as Skerritts in 1990 by Richard Skerritt from his home office. In the years that followed, the business earned a reputation with clients for the quality and strength of its service offering and went from strength to strength.

Eight acquisitions were made and Skerritts continued to grow and develop. Keen to further scale the business in the UK, the management team began to look for an investor that could help them achieve their ambitions in this highly fragmented market.

They chose Sovereign.

Supported rebrand to Shackleton

Expanded geographic presence through 15 acquisitions since our investment

Former Quilter CEO Paul Feeney named new CEO to succeed founder Richard Skerritts as he became a Non-Executive Director.

Andrew Fisher was appointed Non-Executive Chair. Andrew was previously CEO of Coutts & Co and CEO of Towry Group.

Significant investment in the Group’s technology capabilities

Since supporting the MBO in 2021, we have partnered with the management team on an ambitious Buy & Build programme, aiming to consolidate the highly fragmented IFA and wealth management sector and position the business as Britain’s financial adviser of choice.

With 18 acquisitions to date, Shackleton has significantly expanded its UK footprint, evolving into a truly national group. Its team of around 300 professionals now operates across 17 offices in key cities and towns nationwide.

In 2023, founder Richard Skerritts decided to step away from the day-to-day running of the business, and we facilitated the recruitment of his successor as CEO, Paul Feeney, the former CEO of FTSE 250 wealth manager, Quilter. During our investment we have also supported the appointments of Andrew Fisher as Chair, formerly CEO of Coutts & Co and Towry Group, and Grant Hotson as CFO, previously CFO of The Openwork Partnership and Commercial Finance Director at abrdn asset management.

Rebranded as Shackleton in December 2024, the business now operates as a single, nationwide financial advice firm, headquartered in London, with 17 offices across major UK cities and towns. With a unified identity, values, and culture, Shackleton is committed to delivering trusted financial advice through a single investment management approach and an affordable, transparent charging structure.

Sovereign continues to support the management team in their ambition to establish Shackleton as Britain’s premier chartered financial planner.