Capital Haus buys Baker Young in billion-dollar push to reshape Australian wealth advice
Capital Haus has snapped up Adelaide stalwart Baker Young, lifting its funds under management beyond AUD$1 billion and signalling a generational shift in the advice industry.
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Capital Haus has moved to expand its national presence with the acquisition of Adelaide advisory firm Baker Young, one of Australia’s longest-standing private wealth practices.
The deal will see the combined group’s funds under management exceed AUD$1 billion, as adviser numbers and client coverage grow across the country.
Founded more than 40 years ago by Alan Young and David Baker, Baker Young today serves over 6,000 clients and manages AUD$700 million in assets.
Under the agreement, the Baker Young brand will be retained, and senior principals including Young and Baker will continue in active advisory roles.
Capital Haus will also migrate its existing clients to the refreshed ‘Baker Young, a Capital Haus company’ banner, which becomes its flagship advisory business.
A new offering for ultra-high-net-worth clients, Baker Young Private, will be introduced, providing access to wholesale opportunities, global private credit financing and capital raises.
Both firms’ clients will continue working with their current advisers, while gaining access to broader group-level capability, including global research, multi-asset solutions and cross-border services. Baker Young will also gain upgraded institutional-grade infrastructure and portfolio management systems.
The acquisition adds further momentum to Capital Haus’ expansion. Established in Sydney in 2019, the company has since launched offices in Dubai and Zurich and acquired practices in Townsville and Bateman’s Bay.
With the addition of Baker Young’s team, plus new managers from RiverX Investment Management and Active Super, the group now employs 41 advisers and support staff.
Brendan Gow, Founder and CEO of Capital Haus Group, said: “Baker Young has been a cornerstone of South Australia’s advice community for four decades, built on deep relationships and trust. We feel privileged to be the next custodian of that legacy.
“By moving our existing client base across to the Baker Young brand, as well as launching the new Baker Young Private service, this deal represents more than just a passing-the-torch moment. We’re combining heritage and innovation to set a new standard for financial advice at a time when the industry needs it most.”
The acquisition lands at a pivotal moment for the sector. Adviser numbers have halved since 2018, falling from around 28,900 to fewer than 15,300 as at September 2025, even as demand surges.
More than 10.2 million Australian adults were seeking financial advice in 2024, driven in part by intergenerational wealth transfer and growing expectations from Millennials and Gen Z for both trusted relationships and digitally enabled service.
Alan Young, Co-Founder and Joint MD of Baker Young, said: “For 40 years, our focus has been simple: put clients first and build relationships that span generations. Capital Haus shares that philosophy.
“We are planning for the long term – for our clients, our team and our brand. Becoming part of the Capital Haus Group means our legacy will endure, while also providing stability for clients, as well as access to exciting new opportunities. It is the right succession step for our practice and a positive evolution for our clients.”
David Baker, Co-Founder and Joint MD, added: “We’ve spent four decades building Baker Young on a foundation of trust, personalised service, and consistent performance. We’re energised by the shared vision Capital Haus is pursuing and we’re proud to be part of it.”
Gow said: “We believe the future of advice belongs to firms that can combine old-fashioned relationship banking with modern, global wealth capabilities. By bringing Baker Young into the Capital Haus family, we’re preserving one of Australia’s great advisory brands while building a platform that can serve the next generation of investors.”
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From its Liverpool headquarters, Kanebridge Finance brings together decades of banking and lending experience to support developers and businesses across one of Sydney’s fastest-growing regions.
3 min
South Western Sydney is undergoing a significant transformation. New infrastructure, expanding industries and sustained population growth are creating opportunities for developers and business owners—but they are also producing increasingly complex funding requirements.
Kanebridge Finance has grown alongside this changing market. Established in 1999 and headquartered in Liverpool, the brokerage combines local knowledge with specialist experience across property development, commercial lending, asset finance and working capital.
Rather than relying on a traditional founder-led structure, the business draws on the complementary expertise of three senior leaders: Marwan Rahme, Jon Gawley and Mark Donovan.
Complementary experience, shared direction
Founder Marwan Rahme continues to shape Kanebridge Finance’s broader vision and growth strategy. His focus on innovation and expanding the firm’s capabilities has helped the business evolve well beyond a conventional finance brokerage.
Managing Director Jon Gawley oversees its day-to-day operations and commercial lending activities. A finalist for the 2026 AFG Best Broker – Commercial Lending award, Jon brings more than 20 years of senior business banking experience from NAB and Suncorp. His understanding of how lenders assess commercial transactions is particularly valuable for developers, business owners and borrowers navigating complex funding decisions.
Mark Donovan leads Kanebridge Finance’s asset finance and working capital offering. Recognised as a finalist for the 2026 AFG Best Broker – Asset Finance award, Mark joined the business following almost three decades in NAB’s business banking division. His team supports businesses seeking finance for equipment, construction activity, cash flow and expansion.
Together, the three leaders provide distinct but connected areas of expertise. Clients benefit from access to a broader team while still receiving advice from someone experienced in the particular type of finance their transaction requires.
Experience demonstrated through delivery
Kanebridge Finance’s position has been built through completed transactions and long-term client relationships.
The brokerage has funded approximately $675 million across residential and commercial projects, arranged $300 million in property development finance and supported the successful delivery of more than 100 projects.
These transactions frequently involve the kinds of challenges that require more than a standard lending approach: complicated ownership structures, staged developments, commercial property, business expansion and time-sensitive capital requirements.
The firm’s work has also received industry recognition. Kanebridge Finance was named MPA Magazine’s Commercial Broker of the Year in 2025 and 2026 and received a Global Best in Mortgage award recognising commercial brokers across the Asia-Pacific region, North America and the United Kingdom.
Local knowledge in a rapidly changing region
Liverpool is more than Kanebridge Finance’s head office location. It places the business within one of Australia’s most active development and investment corridors.
The growth associated with Western Sydney International Airport and the Aerotropolis is contributing to wider industrial, logistics, commercial and residential activity throughout South Western Sydney. For local businesses and developers, these opportunities often bring financing questions that cannot be answered by comparing interest rates alone.
Project location, development timing, lender appetite, cash-flow requirements and future expansion plans can all influence how a facility should be structured. Kanebridge Finance’s presence in the region gives its team an informed understanding of this environment and the ambitions of the people investing in it.
Specialist support without unnecessary complexity
For clients, the benefit of Kanebridge Finance’s leadership model is straightforward: they can work with one brokerage across several stages of growth without receiving generalised advice.
A developer seeking project funding can draw on the firm’s property and commercial finance experience. A growing company purchasing machinery or vehicles can work directly with its asset finance specialists. A business requiring additional liquidity can explore working capital solutions with advisers who understand business banking and cash flow.
Each client is connected with the expertise most relevant to the transaction, while the wider team remains available as their circumstances evolve.
As investment in South Western Sydney continues, Kanebridge Finance is positioned to support the businesses and developments helping shape the region—combining more than two decades of local presence with the specialist capability required to turn ambitious plans into funded projects.
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