Invest Blue and Ironbark Asset Management have reached the final stage of their merger, as the holistic advice firm “ramps up” its advice proposition.

The two firms first announced their plans to merge on 14 September and create one of Australia’s largest diversified financial services firms.

The merged entity has $64 billion in funds under management, trusteeship and advice, and more than 500 staff across 35 locations. 

While the merger was originally expected to finalise by September’s end, David Stephen, Invest Blue’s managing director, shared with Money Management that the transaction’s settlement was completed on 15 November.

“It’s a complex transaction, there’s a lot of moving parts in a deal this big….