A Merger of Equals: Conifer Group and Vastardis Capital Services Holdings join to form Conifer Financial Services, LLC, a powerful new asset services company with over $100B of Assets Under Administration

NEW YORK, June 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Conifer Group, LLC (Conifer) and Vastardis Capital Services Holdings LP (Vastardis) announce the completion of their previously announced agreement to merge and combine the complementary strengths of Conifer and Vastardis to form Conifer Financial Services, LLC, www.Conifer.com, one of the largest independent asset services firm offering expanded capabilities to clients on a global scale. The firm offers portfolio accounting, reporting, investor services, tax services, data warehousing, trade execution, prime brokerage, and customized technology solutions and is capable of deploying these capabilities across the asset class and strategy spectrum to pensions, endowments, family offices, hedge funds, private equity and venture capital managers, RIAs, and traditional asset managers.

The merger brings together Conifer's clients in the hedge fund industry with Vastardis' clients in the fund of fund, endowment/foundation, private equity, and venture capital spaces. It also dramatically increases the scale and scope of services that both Conifer and Vastardis will be able to provide their clients, creating a larger global footprint with offices in San Francisco, New York, the British Virgin Islands, Singapore, and Nova Scotia. Conifer Financial Services has over 200 clients worldwide, representing more than $100B of combined assets under administration (AUA).

"The combination of the two firms will yield significant benefits for our clients and employees and allows us to realize scale in an industry that increasingly demands it," says Bill Vastardis, Managing Director, Conifer Financial Services. "The Conifer and Vastardis teams will continue to serve their clients seamlessly while augmenting our sophisticated technology and service offerings."

Conifer Financial Services, LLC, is positioned at the forefront of initiatives to streamline operational processes and realize efficiencies for clients. As a client solutions provider, the firm offers a fully integrated suite of web-based applications that has been heralded industry-wide as an innovative, customizable, modular platform to address client needs. The goal of Conifer Financial Services is to understand each client's strategy and to package products and services in ways that assist clients in meeting their business objectives.

"Conifer Financial Services has a 25-year track record of serving clients. The Senior Management Team averages 15 years of experience in the asset servicing industry," says Jack McDonald, CEO and President of Conifer Financial Services. "Clients seeking to outsource services can feel confident knowing their business will be expertly handled by teams of experienced professionals."

That expertise is something more and more fund managers are finding invaluable.  In order to comply with both regulatory and investor demands they have embraced the outsourcing model, particularly to firms that have experience across asset classes and fund types.  Because data management is not only a requirement but an opportunity, many managers will find value in Conifer's model, which starts with normalizing and validating the data, applies quality controls to ensure consistency and accuracy, then delivers the data in meaningful context for enhanced decision making.  The automated process flow creates an audit trail to deliver additional transparency and oversight.  All of this is accomplished with an institutional-grade platform that integrates the latest and best technology enhancements for compliance, risk management, valuation and tax accounting, and investor reporting.

About Conifer Financial Services
Conifer Financial Services is a leading independent asset services firm offering front to back capabilities across all asset classes to pensions, endowments, family offices, hedge funds, private equity and venture capital managers, RIAs, and traditional asset managers.  Services include Fund Administration, Middle and Back Office Services, Execution Services and Prime Brokerage. Conifer Financial Services has over 200 clients worldwide representing more than $100 billion of combined assets under administration (AUA). All securities are offered through Conifer Securities, LLC- Member FINRA/SIPC, a subsidiary of the Conifer Group, LLC.  www.Conifer.com

Press inquiries should be directed to Sarah Huntington:

Sarah Huntington
Conifer Financial Services
Director of Marketing and Communications
[email protected] 
Direct Phone: 212-676-5617
767 Third Avenue,
39th Floor
New York, NY 10017
Main Phone: 212.676.5567
www.Conifer.com

Other Locations:
SAN FRANCISCO
One Ferry Building, Suite 255
San Francisco, CA 94111
Phone: 415.677.1500
Toll Free: 800.521.2424

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS, BVI
Yamraj Building
P.O. Box 4818
Road Town, Tortola
British Virgin Islands VG1110
Phone: 1.284.494.4133

SINGAPORE
61 Robinson Road
#07-01 Robinson Center
Singapore 068893
Phone: +65 6592-0115

HALIFAX
1959 Upper Water Street
Suite 1700,
Halifax, NS, B3J 3N2
902-406-8877 ext 227

Video - http://origin-qps.onstreammedia.com/origin/multivu_archive/PRNA/ENR/FX-NY45822-20140610.mp4

SOURCE Conifer Financial Services, LLC