Coastal Advisory Australia develops gold standard Integration Infrastructure to keep pace with more M&A activity in 2026/2027.

Key Facts:

• Coastal Advisory Australia, founded in 2016 with just three staff, has grown to manage over $4.5 billion in funds under management across 7,500 active clients, completing 30 mergers and acquisitions to date.
• The firm has developed a structured integration model focused on onboarding, training, and cultural alignment, which is being pressure-tested as seven new businesses are simultaneously brought into the Coastal brand.
• Coastal's October merger with Adelaide-based Addept Accounting demonstrated the model's adaptability across different professional services, with former Addept Director Sarah Robinson praising the firm's people-focused approach to transition.

Rapidly growing Financial Services firm, Coastal Advisory Australia, is developing a purpose-built integration model at a scale nobody expected from what began as a 3-person office in 2016. With 30 mergers and acquisitions so far, 7,500 active clients and over $4.5 billion in funds under management, Coastal has been developing a robust system to onboard and integrate newly acquired businesses into the 'Coastal way' to benefit both new team members and clients. 

“The real constraint on an M&A strategy isn’t necessarily finding acquisitions; it’s being able to integrate them well", says Coastal's Director and Chief Strategy & 
Growth Officer, Ben Calder.

While most firms in the world of Mergers and Acquisitions focus on the 'deal', it’s the onboarding, training and cultural frameworks required to turn an acquisition into a long-term success story that Coastal Advisory is honing. And this is all being pressure-tested and refined this month, as the firm onboard's 7 new businesses into the Coastal brand.  

"We now approach integration as an operating discipline, with defined processes across clients, people, technology, data and operations. That gives us a much stronger platform to absorb growth while keeping disruption to clients and staff as low as possible,” said Calder. 

Coastal’s October merger with Adelaide-based Addept Accounting meant adapting to apply its integration model to a different professional service environment with distinct client messaging, documentation processes and legislative requirements.

Former Addept Director (now Coastal Accounting Director), Sarah Robinson, said, “Having spent many years building Addept, it was incredibly important to me that any transition would protect the relationships we have built with our clients and the culture of our team."

What impressed Robinson most about Coastal was the depth of planning and support behind the scenes. She saw a clear framework for bringing businesses together, supported by established systems, dedicated teams and a genuine focus on people and culture.

"Coastal understands successful integration is about much more than the transaction itself. Because of their approach, my people and I instantly felt a part of the team," said Robinson.

As Coastal approaches a further 12 M&A's in the remainder of 2026 and into 2027, the team required to drive sustainable growth is being put in place. The firm recently hired key talent including:

• Chief People & Performance Officer, Leigh Stefanyszyn
• Talent Acquisition Associate, Keely Smithson
• Chief Advice Officer, Joel Simmonds

Chief Advice Officer, Joel Simmonds, believes Coastal is creating a home for Australia's best advisers and providing retiring business owners with the confidence that the legacy they've spent their careers building will be protected.

“We're not simply acquiring businesses”, he said, “we're bringing people together and building a sustainable advice business that clients, advisers and business owners can trust for generations to come.”

Talent Acquisition Officer, Keely Smithson, was recruited to support the existing People team with recruitment. 

“With Coastal growing at such a rapid pace, talent acquisition plays a critical role in ensuring our people strategy keeps pace with our business strategy. My role is to help identify and attract the right talent, while supporting a consistent approach to recruitment that reflects our culture,” said Smithson.

Leigh Stefanyszyn joined the business full time in early 2026 as Chief People & Performance Officer, after a period as a consultant brought in to help develop the people strategy to deliver on Coastal's business goals.

From humble beginnings as a team of 3 in Newcastle, to a rapidly growing company with a National footprint, Coastal’s mission to give more Australians the financial power to live completely on their own terms is well on track.

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Contact details:

Catherine Rosser - Manager, Marketing & Communications.

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