What FirstCape does

FirstCape Group Limited is a New Zealand-domiciled, privately held wealth and asset management group formed in December 2023 through the merger of Jarden Securities, JBWere NZ (owned by National Australia Bank), BNZ Investment Services, and Harbour Asset Management. The group operates three client-facing businesses — JBWere New Zealand (wealth advisory to high net worth individuals, families, foundations and institutions, with a 180+ year heritage and 115 advisers across 15 locations managing more than $30B in client assets), Harbour Asset Management (active institutional investment management, including equities, fixed interest and responsible investing), and Consilium (platform, custody and investment research services to 150+ adviser firms and 400+ financial advisers managing NZ$9B in assets under advice for 20,000+ end clients). Together, the group manages or advises on approximately $73B in client assets and employs 120+ investment advisers across 15 New Zealand locations.

FirstCape generates revenue primarily through recurring fees across three streams: wealth management advisory fees (JBWere NZ bespoke advisory mandates, including wealth protection, succession planning and philanthropic advisory), asset management fees (Harbour Asset Management and BNZ Investment Services, covering KiwiSaver schemes, managed funds and institutional mandates), and platform and custody services (Consilium Wrap, Synergy DIMS, KiwiWRAP and Evidential funds). Distribution combines direct advisory relationships at JBWere NZ, an indirect channel to 150+ adviser firms via Consilium, and the BNZ retail banking channel for BNZ KiwiSaver and related investment products. Core technology infrastructure is being consolidated onto the FNZ wealth management platform across all three businesses in a two-year transition announced in February 2025.

Ownership sits with Pacific Equity Partners (~35%), NAB (~45%), and — following Jarden's May 2026 exit — is now substantially held between PEP and NAB. Malcolm Jackson serves as CEO (appointed May 2024, previously Jarden's CEO of Wealth and Asset Management and ex-Blackstone/TPG), with board chair Matt Whineray (former CEO of Guardians of NZ Superannuation). Harbour Asset Management has won the Morningstar New Zealand Fund Manager of the Year in both 2025 and 2026, reinforcing the group's investment performance credentials.

Name

FirstCape

Legal name

FirstCape Group Limited

Website

https://firstcape.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

FirstCape is a New Zealand private wealth and asset management group operating JBWere NZ (HNW advisory), Harbour Asset Management (institutional investment management), and Consilium (platform and custody), managing $73B across 15 locations for HNW individuals, families, foundations, institutions and adviser firms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wealth Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394), Open-End Investment Funds (525910)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Client/High-Net-Worth Advisory (FSAEAAAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Onshore Private Banking (Domestic HNW/UHNW) (FSAAABAA), Managed Platforms & Wrap Programs for Private Clients (Model Portfolios, UMA/SMAs) (FSAAABAM), Discretionary Portfolio Management (DPM) (FSAAABAC), Private Banking & UHNW Wealth Advisory (FSAEABAC), High-Net-Worth (HNW) Private Banking (FSABADAB)

Keywords

• Wealth management services
• Investment advisory
• Asset management
• Kiwisaver schemes
• Private wealth management

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Wealth Management Advisory Fees: FirstCape generates revenue through personalised investment advisory services to high net worth individuals, families, foundations, and institutional investors. JBWere NZ offers tailor-made investment advice with a focus on bespoke, strategic advisory.
2. Asset Management Fees: Harbour Asset Management and BNZ Investment Services generate fees through investment management products including KiwiSaver schemes, managed funds, and institutional mandates.
3. Platform and Custody Services: Consilium provides technology and platform solutions including Consilium Wrap, Synergy DIMS, KiwiWRAP KiwiSaver Scheme, and Evidential Investment Funds to financial adviser firms.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

FirstCape is a New Zealand wealth and asset management group that delivers personalised investment advice, discretionary investment management, and platform/custodial services through three operating subsidiaries: JBWere New Zealand (wealth advisory for high net worth individuals, families, foundations and institutions), Harbour Asset Management (active equity, fixed interest and KiwiSaver investment management), and Consilium (wrap platforms, DIMS, custodial and research services to independent financial advisers).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• JBWere New Zealand: Leading wealth manager offering tailor-made investment advice to high net worth individuals, families, foundations and institutional investors with a history spanning over 180 years
• Harbour Asset Management
• Consilium
• BNZ Investment Services Limited

Quantifiable outcome

• Back-to-back Morningstar New Zealand Fund Manager of the Year awards (2025 and 2026)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FNZcoreTechnology or IntegrationFirstCape has selected FNZ as JBWere NZ's consolidated wealth management platform and custodian. FNZ provides a globally recognised wealth management platform with local expertise. FirstCape has a long-standing strategic partnership with FNZ as the technology provider across all businesses: JBWere NZ, Harbour, and Consilium.
• Public TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic Trust collaborated with JBWere on the 2025 Bequest Report research, providing ten years of anonymised aggregate bequest data to inform analysis on inter-generational wealth transfer and charitable giving in New Zealand.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Fisher Funds Management: Largest NZ-owned active asset manager (NZ$30B+ AUM), directly comparable to Harbour Asset Management across active equities, KiwiSaver, and institutional mandates within the same NZ market.
• Milford Asset Management: NZ-focused active asset manager with KiwiSaver and retail/institutional funds, competing head-to-head with Harbour and serving similar HNW and retail clients.
• ANZ New Zealand Investments: Bank-owned wealth platform distributing KiwiSaver, managed funds, and investment products through ANZ's NZ retail bank — analogous to FirstCape's BNZ Investment Services channel.
• Craigs Investment Partners: NZ private wealth and investment advisory firm with national adviser network and institutional research, comparable to JBWere NZ's HNW advisory model.
• Forsyth Barr: NZ-headquartered wealth advisory, research, and funds-management firm offering personalised advice to HNW clients — directly comparable to JBWere NZ.

Broad incumbents

• AMP Capital (NZ/ANZ): Large Australasian wealth platform providing KiwiSaver, managed funds, and wealth advice across NZ; a broader incumbent competing with both Harbour (asset management) and Consilium (platform) parts of FirstCape.
• Macquarie Asset Management: Global asset manager with significant Australasian institutional and platform presence, comparable to Harbour Asset Management's institutional book and to Consilium's wrap/DIMS business.
• Insignia Financial (formerly IOOF): Major Australian wealth/advice platform with platform, asset management, and advice businesses — comparable to FirstCape's combined JBWere/Harbour/Consilium structure but at much larger Australian scale.

Regional players

• Jarden (formerly FNZC): NZ investment bank and wealth business, historical founding partner of FirstCape until its May 2026 exit; remains a relevant comparable for NZ HNW advice and capital-markets distribution.

Emerging players

• Booster Financial Solutions: NZ KiwiSaver and investment manager with growing retail and scheme presence; competes with Harbour's KiwiSaver and BNZIS products for retail flow.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FirstCape