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Business Wire
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Viridian Financial Group Welcomes Strategic Growth Investment from TA Associates to Expand Leading Diversified Financial Services Business in Australia
MELBOURNE, Australia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Viridian Financial Group ('Viridian' or 'the Firm'), one of Australia's leading diversified financial services businesses, today announced that TA Associates ('TA'), a leading global private equity firm, has signed an agreement to make a strategic investment in the Firm. The investment has been approved by Viridian's founders, Board of Directors, and senior management team, who, upon completion of the transaction, will partner closely with TA to accelerate the Firm's next phase of growth. 'By combining the strengths of both companies, the Viridian Board anticipates significant synergies, strengthening our position in the market as well as expanding our capabilities. We believe this transaction will create significant value for our shareholders in driving future profitability. Along with my fellow Directors, I have no hesitation in supporting this strategic partnership,' said James Joughin, Chair at Viridian. 'Since Viridian's founding nearly a decade ago, we have remained steadfast in our client-centric philosophy, focused on empowering Australians through holistic financial advice, innovative solutions and exceptional service,' said Raamy Shahien, Joint CEO and Executive Director at Viridian. 'Having built a strong relationship with TA, and after collaborating closely with them to structure our partnership, we are confident that TA is the ideal partner to support Viridian's growth and vision moving forward. Our partnership with TA marks a significant milestone in our journey, serving as both a recognition of our strong track record thus far and a catalyst for future growth as we continue to expand in an ever-evolving market.' Since its founding in 2015, Viridian has become one of Australia's largest practices. Headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, the Firm manages ~$16bn of funds across three specialised business divisions, Viridian Advisory, Infinity Capital Solutions and Smartmove Lending, providing wealth advice, investment solutions and mortgage broking services to over 15,000 clients. By partnering with TA, Viridian will leverage TA's global resources and extensive experience in the financial services industry to expand its capabilities, enhance its integrated service offerings and fuel client success. 'TA has made over 30 investments in wealth management and asset management companies globally, establishing itself as a leading global investor in financial services. Their understanding and proven experience in scaling businesses and deep industry expertise will be invaluable in driving forward our vision of transforming wealth management in Australia,' said Glenn Calder, Joint CEO and Executive Director at Viridian. 'TA's support and partnership strengthens our ability to remain agile and forward-thinking, ensuring we incorporate international best practices into our business and deliver ongoing value to our clients and stakeholders.' "Throughout our multi-year, deep dive into Australia's wealth management sector, Viridian consistently emerged as a leading innovator in its market segment, driven by its compelling asset platform, diversified product offering and strong culture of client and advisor alignment,' said Edward Sippel, head of TA Associates Asia Pacific Ltd. and a Managing Director at TA, who will join the Viridian Board of Directors. 'Across our global wealth management investments, our focus is first and foremost on client outcomes and alignment with advisors. We are pleased that the Viridian team shares this commitment. We have high conviction in the long-term potential of Australia's large and growing wealth management market, and believe there is a significant opportunity to scale Viridian's platform both organically and through strategic acquisitions.' 'Viridian's strong position is underpinned by Australia's mandated savings environment and growing demand for advice,' said Lily Xu, Senior Vice President at TA, who will also join the Viridian Board of Directors. 'With multiple levers for organic growth and a proven ability to execute growth through M&A, we're excited to support Viridian's continued growth trajectory.' The agreement remains subject to customary conditions. Settlement is expected to occur in the third quarter of 2025. About Viridian Financial Group Viridian Financial Group is a leading Australian diversified financial services business. The business was established in 2015 by a team who understood the power of financial advice to make a profound difference in the lives of Australians. Viridian Financial Group consists of Viridian Advisory, Infinity Capital Solutions and Smartmove. It has a culture built on alignment between clients and advisors over the long term and employs over 400 people. More information about Viridian can be found at About TA TA is a leading global private equity firm focused on scaling growth in profitable companies. Since 1968, TA has invested in more than 560 companies across its five target industries - technology, healthcare, financial services, consumer and business services. Leveraging its deep industry expertise and strategic resources, TA collaborates with management teams worldwide to help high-quality companies deliver lasting value. The firm has raised $65 billion in capital to date and has more than 150 investment professionals across offices in Boston, Menlo Park, Austin, London, Mumbai and Hong Kong. More information about TA can be found at
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Meghan Markle's 'commitment failure' left key royal furious after huge sacrifice
When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle dramtically announced they were quitting their royal roles - one key royal was apparently disappointed with Meghan's 'commitment' It's no secret that marrying into the royal family comes with a huge level of responsibility and sacrifice, with no modern royal understanding this burden more than the late Prince Philip. Before he became the Duke of Edinburgh when he married Queen Elizabeth in 1947, Philip gave up his birth citizenship, his naval career and even his surname. As he was happy to live on the sidelines next to the late Queen Elizabeth while he still attended royal events and focused on his own philanthropic efforts, it's no wonder he expected the same level of dedication from others marrying into the royal family. But according to royal biographer Ingrid Seward, Philip took particular umbrage with Meghan Markle and her unwillingness to fully devote every aspect of her life to the Firm when she married Prince Harry in 2018. Speaking to Sky News in 2020, Ingrid said: 'I think he's very, very disappointed because I think he feels he gave up his naval career in order to stand by the Queen and help the monarchy. 'And why can't Meghan just give up her acting career, support her husband and support the monarchy? He just cannot understand why she couldn't support Harry and help him rather than wanting to have her voice.' According to Ingrid, after Harry and Meghan announced they wanted to step down as working royals in January 2020 and the late Queen had called a summit in Sandringham to try to resolve the family crisis, Philip opted not to be a part of the talks about the Sussexes' future outside of the monarchy. The meeting was attended by the late Queen Elizabeth, Prince Harry, Prince William and the then Prince Charles, while Princess Kate, Camilla and Prince Philip did not attend. Meghan was reportedly outraged that she was unable to go to the meeting as she was in Canada with baby Archie. Seward claims that the late Duke just wanted to wash his hands of the whole affair, as she said: 'Of course, it irritates him hugely. And when they had the Sandringham Summit, Prince Philip was seen leaving the house very swiftly before they all arrived. He simply doesn't want to get involved any more.' Philip's quiet fury over Meghan and Harry's lack of dedication to the royal family stems from his decades of sacrifices in the name of the Firm. Before marrying Queen Elizabeth, Philip had to renounce his Greek and Danish citizenship to become a fully fledged Brit. He also changed his full name from Philippos Andreou of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderberg-Glücksburg to Philip Mountbatten, and earned the title Duke of Edinburgh after his wedding to the late Queen. The Duke also had to leave behind his successful career in the Royal Navy to take up new royal duties as the consort to the late Queen.
New York Post
25-06-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Prince William decides on Prince Andrew's fate in the monarchy: report
Prince Andrew will not be returning as a working member of the royal family under Prince William's reign, according to insiders. The Prince and Princess of Wales reportedly see the disgraced Duke of York, 65, as a 'threat' to the Firm — and the future king refuses to even explore the premise of allowing him to return to public-facing duties. In fact, William, 43, believes that Andrew's previous connections to convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein and alleged Chinese spy Yang Tengbo, make him a 'risk' to the monarchy, the Times of London reports. 4 Prince Andrew will not be returning as a working member of the royal family under Prince William's reign, according to insiders. Earlier this year, it emerged that the former working royal's business adviser had been accused of being a Chinese spy. Andrew was embroiled in yet another scandal when Tengbo was sensationally banned from entering the UK following an MI5 investigation. As a result, William has been 'adamant' about his uncle not returning to the royal fold. 'The door to a return is firmly closed,' an insider previously told The Sun. The Post has reached out to Kensington Palace for comment. 4 The Prince and Princess of Wales reportedly see the disgraced Duke of York, 65, as a 'threat' to the Firm. AP William's most recent run-in with his scandal-scarred uncle was on Easter Sunday, when the duke joined the rest of the royals at St George's Chapel in Windsor. The prince actively avoided interacting with Andrew throughout the service. More recently, Andrew was excluded from last week's Garter Day ceremony for the fourth consecutive year. The royal sit-out took place just days after this year's Trooping the Colour ceremony — an event Prince Andrew did not participate in, nor did his daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. 4 It's been widely reported that both King Charles and Prince William are keen to limit Andrew's public appearances with the rest of the royals. WireImage It's been widely reported that both King Charles and Prince William are keen to limit Andrew's public appearances with the rest of the royals. When the duke stepped down as a working royal shortly after his friendship with disgraced financier Epstein came to light, he was kept at arm's length by Charles and the rest of the Windsor clan. William has previously signaled that he is carving out his own path as the future monarch, saying he's trying to do things 'differently' when asked about his outlook on the future of the Firm. 4 According to insiders, William is 'adamant' about his uncle not returning to the royal fold. MEGA 'I'm doing it with maybe a smaller 'r' in the royal, if you like,' he said last year during a four-day trip to Cape Town for the Earthshot Prize awards. The future king described his eventual reign as more of a 'collaboration,' with 'helping people' remaining at the center of his core values. 'I'm also going to throw empathy in there as well because I really care about what I do,' he added. It's believed that William may also get back to the drawing board when it comes to slimming down the monarchy, as his estranged brother Prince Harry remains detached from the Windsor clan.
Daily Mail
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Inside Peter Phillips' NHS girlfriend Harriet Sperling's 'tough' secret battle before dating the royal - as her 'posh' background is revealed
As she wore royal-approved brands and conversing easily with senior members of the Firm, Peter Phillips ' girlfriend Harriet Sperling seemed in many ways the new belle of the family as she attended Royal Ascot last week. But the NHS nurse, 45, who herself boasts wealthy connections and is related to the Duke of Gloucester through her late father, has previously opened up about a 'tough' battle she's faced behind the scenes. Last week, Harriet seemed to have been given the ultimate symbol of royal approval as she arrived at Ascot in the official carriage procession with senior royals. Behind the scenes, she is mother to one daughter, Georgina, born in 2012, from her previous marriage to private school-educated fitness instructor Antonio St John Sperling. A paediatric nurse specialist, Harriet is said to have commuted to London from her home in Gloucestershire for many years for her job in the NHS. In a piece written for Christian magazine Woman Alive last year, she admitted that she'd often found life as a single parent difficult, but found comfort after turning to her faith. Writing under her maiden name - Sanders - Harriet referred to comments comedian Katherine Ryan had made about parenting as a single mother to her daughter. She said: 'In the earlier years of my journey as a single mother to my daughter, resources were scarce, and the future was uncertain. Yet, in the absence of material security, I discovered the strength and life that comes from true selfless love. A love that is able to be solely devoted to your child. 'My daughter and I journeyed 10 years with only each other. I liken us to an island and it has often felt hard to imagine anyone joining that island. 'But of course beauty comes from relationships, relationship with our maker and relationship with each other. It is often tough parenting alone but although there is a stigma to endure, God is able to step in and turn it for good.' Harriet trained as a nurse in London where, by her own admission, she was something of a 'party girl', going to nightclubs and spending her summers in Ibiza. 'My faith was always in me, but it was kind of dormant,' she revealed in an interview in 2009. 'Somehow it didn't seem relevant to my life in London. But the end of a seven-year relationship was the turning point for me. I went to church as I felt there was something missing.' According to an online bio, Peter's girlfriend Harriet lives in Gloucestershire and works as a Paediatric Nurse Specialist for the NHS. She is 'passionate about early brain development in babies and seeing children thrive,' the bio notes. In 2010, Harriet was a key member of a team of medics, doctors and clinicians who helped save the life of a critically ill baby, named Phineas, after he was struck down by a deadly virus aged just three weeks. Like her boyfriend Peter (Princess Anne's son and the late Queen's first and favourite grandson), Harriet also boasts connections of a very high status. The Mail revealed last week that her late father Rupert was the 'only son of Mr and Mrs Geoffrey Sanders, of Buckhorn House, Bisley, Gloucestershire'. Rupert, who died in 2023, was a well-known solicitor who ran his own firm in the Cotswold town of Cirencester. His father Geoffrey, Harriet's late grandfather, served during the Second World War with the Royal Artillery and was a D-Day veteran – reaching the rank of major, going on to become High Sheriff of Gloucestershire and a long-standing church warden, as well as editor of the Stroud News and Journal for 20 years. Harriet's paternal grandmother Eleanor was the daughter of Dorothy Courage, of the Courage brewing dynasty. Dorothy's brother Raymond was Lord of the Manor of Edgcote, in Northamptonshire – an 18th century estate, once owned by Anne of Cleves (wife of Henry VIII). Harriet herself attended Dean Close School, a Christian boarding and day school, in Cheltenham. Last week, the mother-of-one appeared very much to have been granted the royal seal of approval as she joined senior royals in the traditional carriage procession arriving at Royal Ascot. She appeared to be getting on swimmingly with the royals, chatting with Princess Anne on the balcony, while Peter's sister Zara Tindall was at one point seen helping out by fixing her hat. Harriet Sperling and Peter Phillips during day three of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse on June 19 Attending once again on Thursday, she and Peter held hands and exchanged a kiss. Following the procession, Harriet was seen in conversation with a very amused King Charles - yet another indication that she's been granted the royal sign of approval. At £3,720, her outfit was certainly fit for mingling with high society. Her heels on Tuesday were by Emmy London, a brand worn by the Princess of Wales, and the £395 clutch was from the same brand; the hat was a £945 number by Awon Golding Millinery, a brand once sported by Meghan Markle. Meanwhile her balloon-sleeved jacket and midi skirt were by designer Suzannah London, a label favoured by Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh and by Catherine, Princess of Wales. She and Peter revealed their relationship last May when they were seen strolling hand-in-hand at Badminton Horse Trials in Gloucestershire. Last year, the couple packed on the PDA before meeting with the King and Queen, embarking on their new romance just weeks after his split from Lindsay, after reportedly meeting at a sports event. The smitten pair have since attended an array of high society events together, including Wimbledon and the Badminton Horse Trials - as well as Cheltenham Races in January. Peter himself has two daughters - Savannah, 14, and Isla, 13, from his previous 12-year marriage to Autumn Kelly. Princess Anne rejected royal titles for her two children, meaning neither Peter nor Zara are 'working royals'. After his split from Autumn Kelly in 2020, Peter had a three-year relationship with Scottish divorcee Lindsay Wallace. As for the future of Peter and Harriet's relationship, rumours are already flying. The late Queen Elizabeth didn't include girlfriends in the Ascot procession unless they were engaged, so Harriet's presence has been viewed as something of an endorsement by the King. As to whether there might be any announcements brewing between the nurse and the 18th in line to the throne, Harriet's mother Mary Sanders said in an interview with the Mail last week: 'Well, it's not something I know anything about.'
Daily Mirror
23-06-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
Prince William tipped to hand over role 'he's never felt comfortable with'
Prince William is already said to be mulling over big decisions about changes he will make when he becomes King, with Zara Tindall tipped to be given an important job that has never be an real interest for William Prince William is already said to be mulling over big decisions about how he will revolutionise and modernise the royal family when he becomes King, including which members of the Firm will be handed important roles. While many senior working royals are expected to take a step back from their royal duties in the coming years as they get older, William is said to already be scouting who would be a good fit for certain royal responsibilities. According to one insider, who has a close relationship with William and the royal family at large, he has already selected one royal to take over a role he had "never felt comfortable with" when he ascends to the throne. A well-placed royal source revealed that one job William is keen to delegate when he becomes King is the racing responsibilities, and could hand them off to his cousin Zara Tindall. William doesn't share the same love of horse racing held by King Charles and Queen Camilla, with the family's passion for horses and racing stemming back to the late Queen Elizabeth. Zara, a former Olympian equestrian like her mother Princess Anne, may take up the reins of the royal racing calendar, given that it is a role Prince William has 'never felt comfortable with'. The royal source told The Times: 'I never get the feeling the whole top hat and racing is really his thing, and he's said as much. He's never really seemed comfortable doing it.' A source close to William added that 'he understands how important Ascot is, not just to the racing community but to UK plc', but will not be as hands on with Royal Ascot and the royal stud at Sandringham as monarchs have been in the past. Despite not being a big racing fan, William attended the second day of Royal Ascot last week, riding in the carriage solo after Princess Kate pulled out of attending at the last minute. William also rode on horseback during Trooping the Colour, in order to honour his father on the day of his official birthday celebrations. While Zara is tipped to hold a more major royal role when William becomes King, other non-working royal family members have also said to have been put forward to have a more senior capacity when he ascends the throne. Zara's husband Mike, Zara's brother Peter Phillips and the York sisters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, are all expected to step up when William becomes King, it has been reported. While none of them are currently working royals, they have been spotted supporting William and other senior members of the royal family at various events over the last year. With the Duke of Kent, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, and the Princess Royal all expected to scale back their royal duties in the coming years as they get older, William is also expected to lean on Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie as senior royals, while he decides which members of his family he will ask to step into more prominent roles.
