A number of private equity investors have reportedly tabled initial bids for Benchmark Capital, the financial planning arm of Schroders, the UK asset manager which is in the process of being acquired by US investment group £9.9bn ($13.38bn), according to a report by Sky News.
Schroders shares traded largely unchanged following the report.
Earlier reporting by Reuters in December 2025 indicated that Schroders was exploring a potential divestment of Benchmark Capital as part of a broader strategy to strengthen its wealth management division under chief executive Richard Oldfield.
Sky News, citing City of London sources, said that buyout groups Hg, TowerBrook Capital Partners, and Vitruvian Partners have all submitted preliminary offers for the business. US-based Aquiline Capital Partners is also understood to be among the interested parties.
All named firms reportedly either declined to comment or did not respond to requests for comment.
The development comes shortly after Schroders shareholders approved the sale of the 222-year-old London-listed asset manager to Nuveen, a deal that will create a combined group managing approximately $2.5 trillion in assets. The transaction reflects ongoing consolidation pressure in the asset management industry, particularly among mid-sized firms seeking scale to compete with larger US competitors.
Schroders originally acquired a stake in Benchmark Capital in 2016 and completed full ownership of the business in 2021.
According to its latest quarterly update, Benchmark Capital managed £38.6bn in assets as of 31 December 2025.
