Melo Launches Platform for Firms Looking to Buy and Sell

Why It Matters

By centralising deal flow, Project Exit could speed consolidation in the advice sector and give smaller firms access to a broader buyer pool, reshaping market dynamics.

Key Takeaways

• Project Exit offers single‑entry listing for financial‑planning firms
• Sellers receive free indicative valuation to guide sale timing
• Platform aims to replace opaque, network‑driven deal processes
• Launch scheduled for 11 May with free buyer and seller registration
• Success fee charged only to buyer upon transaction completion

Pulse Analysis

The UK advice market has been on a consolidation treadmill for years, driven by demographic shifts, regulatory pressure, and the need for scale to invest in technology. Yet the traditional deal‑sourcing model remains fragmented, relying on a handful of buyer‑funded brokers or private networks that limit visibility for many owners. As a result, a sizable portion of the market—particularly smaller, independently‑run firms—struggles to find suitable buyers, often exiting through informal, sub‑optimal transactions.

Melo’s new Project Exit platform attempts to solve that inefficiency by creating a single, open marketplace where sellers input their firm data once and instantly expose it to a curated pool of interested buyers. The service includes a complimentary indicative valuation, giving owners a baseline price reference before they commit to a full advisory engagement. By centralising communication and standardising information, the platform reduces the “wild west” perception that chief innovation officer Ben Wright described, while preserving the option for sellers to still engage Melo’s full‑service advisory if they desire.

If adoption is strong, Project Exit could accelerate the forecast that nearly half of UK financial‑planning firms will change hands within five years, creating a more liquid market and potentially driving up valuations through competitive bidding. The buyer‑paid success fee model aligns incentives, encouraging a broader set of investors—from consolidators to private equity—to participate without the barrier of upfront costs. In the longer term, the data generated by the platform may become a valuable benchmark for pricing advisory businesses, further professionalising the sector and prompting other intermediaries to launch similar transparent marketplaces.