In June the private equity house Warburg Pincus completed its purchase of Kestra.

Merkel Financial, a US wealth management house, has used Kestra Financial as its independent advisor platform.

Columbus, Ohio-based Merkel is led by Michelle M Merkel. The firm, founded in 1992, provides wealth management and estate planning services to high net worth individuals, families, business owners, and entrepreneurs. 

In a statement from Kestra, it pointed out that as a female entrepreneur, Merkel “maintains a unique focus on business owners and women. She has an appreciation for the similar and significant role they hold in planning for their family’s financial health.” Her business oversees $206 million in assets under management.

In June private equity house Warburg Pincus completed its purchase of financial advisor platform business Kestra Financial. Funds managed by Stone Point Capital, the firm’s previous majority owner, maintained a minority stake in the company, as do Kestra Financial’s management team and a number of the company’s financial advisors.

Kestra is based in Austin, Texas, and supports more than 2,000 independent financial advisors.