Van Lanschot Kempen and Mercier Vanderlinden join forces in the Belgian wealth management market

Amsterdam/’s-Hertogenbosch/Antwerp, the Netherlands/Belgium, 7 April 2021

Van Lanschot Kempen and the shareholders in Mercier Vanderlinden have agreed to enter into a partnership by way of Van Lanschot Kempen acquiring a majority stake in Mercier Vanderlinden.

Mercier Vanderlinden is a leading independent wealth manager in Belgium with assets under management of approximately €3.4 billion and three own investment funds. Mercier Vanderlinden has a team of highly experienced private bankers working from three locations in Belgium: Antwerp, Brussels and Waregem.

Van Lanschot Kempen currently runs eleven offices in Belgium, with client assets having surged in the past few years to approximately €5.0 billion.

Mercier Vanderlinden and Van Lanschot Kempen in Belgium will continue to operate independently under their own brands and will collaborate in a number of areas. The new partners are a good fit in terms of client portfolios and networks, product offering and geographical distribution. Between them, they have approximately €8.4 billion in client assets.

Karl Guha, Van Lanschot Kempen’s Chairman, said: “Our roots go back to 17^th century Belgium; our partnership with Mercier Vanderlinden reflects that historical reality. This partnership fits perfectly into our strategy becoming a leading specialist wealth manager in our second home market. Mercier Vanderlinden’s attractive client portfolio, presence in Brussels and growth potential under the ongoing leadership of their founders make for a very appealing partner. Given our similar values, work culture and a belief in a personalised approach to clients, we believe that we have laid the foundations to a common great future.”

“We have found the perfect partner in Van Lanschot Kempen. By joining our forces with one of the oldest and most robust family-based private banks in the Benelux area, we can work to achieve our full potential. Our clients will gain access to an expanded product offering, private equity and credit solutions, while our research capacity will also be enhanced,” said Thomas Vanderlinden, founder of Mercier Vanderlinden. Co-founder Stéphane Mercier added: “We’re looking forward to this partnership with Van Lanschot Kempen. The managing partners will retain significant stakes and will remain active in the company. This strong alliance should help us devote our full attention to what is closest to our hearts: top-notch asset management coupled with close personal relationships with our clients. Our family wealth will continue to be fully invested in our MercLin funds.”

Van Lanschot Kempen will acquire a 70% stake in Mercier Vanderlinden, followed by a step-by-step increase to 100% by the end of 2025. The transaction is expected to have an impact of approximately 4 percentage points on Van Lanschot Kempen’s capital ratio.

This transaction will proceed subject to the approval of the regulators and is expected to complete in the third quarter of 2021, with due observance of the conditions described.

Van Lanschot Kempen
Media Relations: +31 20 354 45 85; mediarelations@vanlanschotkempen.com
Investor Relations: +31 20 354 45 90; investorrelations@vanlanschotkempen.com

Mercier Vanderlinden
Media Relations: +32 2 738 0631; sr@whyte.be

Elements of this press release contain information about Van Lanschot Kempen NV and/or Van Lanschot Kempen Wealth Management NV within the meaning of Article 7 (1) to (4) of EU Regulation No. 596/2014.

About Mercier Vanderlinden
Mercier Vanderlinden, an independent wealth management firm founded in 2000 by Stéphane Mercier and Thomas Vanderlinden, has €3.5 billion in client assets and runs three investment funds. Mercier Vanderlinden offers a highly personal approach to wealth management by investing with its clients. It employs some 35 and covers all of Belgium from its offices in Antwerp, Brussels and Waregem.

For more information, visit merciervanderlinden.com

About Van Lanschot Kempen
Van Lanschot Kempen, a wealth manager operating under the Van Lanschot, Kempen and Evi brand names, is active in Private Banking, Asset Management and Merchant Banking, with the aim of preserving and creating wealth, in a sustainable way, for both its clients and the society of which it is part. Listed at Euronext Amsterdam, Van Lanschot Kempen is the Netherlands’ oldest independent financial services company, with a history dating back to 1737.

For more information, visit vanlanschotkempen.com

This press release is a translation of the Dutch language original and is provided as a courtesy only. In the event of any disparities, the Dutch language version will prevail. No rights can be derived from any translation thereof.

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• Van Lanschot Kempen press release