Private equity firms GTCR LLC and Reverence Capital Partners, L.P. have announced that upon closing of their acquisition of Wells Fargo Asset Management, announced last February, the newly independent company will be rebranded as Allspring Global Investments. As part of the transition, Joseph A. Sullivan will become Chief Executive Officer, in addition to his previously announced role as Executive Chairman.
Sullivan will succeed Nico Marais, WFAM’s current CEO, who will retire upon closing of the transaction and continue to serve Allspring as a senior advisor. With this new name, the asset manager seeks to reflect its “rich history” in investment leadership and its commitment to renewal, growth, and meaningful client outcomes as a newly independent firm.
“I am honored and energized to have the opportunity to lead Allspring, as we enter a new era for the firm. In spending time with Nico and the organization over the past few months, I have been incredibly impressed by the depth of investment expertise and quality of our people and leadership. Our new name truly embodies a renewed corporate culture and commitment to continue to invest thoughtfully and partner with our clients to navigate the future”, said Sullivan.
Collin Roche, Managing Director of GTCR, highlighted that these announcements mark “key milestones” in the transformation of WFAM into a focused, independent, global asset management firm serving private wealth and institutional clients around the world. “We are excited about the possibilities of our new name and that Joe Sullivan will become Allspring’s CEO. He is recognized as one of the asset management industry’s most respected leaders, and he will be exceptionally valuable as we execute on our growth strategy. We would like to thank Nico Marais for his strong leadership of WFAM, and we are pleased that he will continue to serve as a senior advisor”, he added.
Meanwhile, Marais commented that his is “a tremendously exciting time” for the company, and as they make this transition, he believes it is the right time for him “personally and professionally” to step down from active leadership and assume a new advisory role: “I have cherished my time as CEO of WFAM and am very appreciative of the passion and professionalism of our people. We have accomplished a great deal, including the transition to independent ownership. I look forward to working with Joe and the team, and I am confident about what the future holds for the organization”.
Lastly, Milton Berlinski, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Reverence Capital, noted: “Today’s leadership and name announcements give us even stronger conviction that the partnership between WFAM, GTCR and Reverence puts us in a powerful position to execute on our strategic vision for Allspring. We are pleased to have a leader of Joe’s stature to take us forward as a newly independent company, and we are very grateful to Nico for his strong continued partnership during this time.”
For Marcelo Soba
For Funds Society, Madrid