Perpetual has agreed a deal with Diversified Investment Strategies that will see three of the boutique fund manager's advisers join Perpetual's Portfolio Management group.

The Perpetual head of advice Aaron Hing said the recruitment was part of a plan to move from a corporate and private trusts focus to providing a more "comprehensive financial offering."

He said Perpetual has 12 advisers at present and plans to have 40 by next Christmas.

Clint Macy, one of Diversified's founding directors, Richard Milton and Phil Armstrong are joining Perpetual and Diversified director Norman Stacey has also been contracted to Perpetual's investment committee to provide input to portfolio design and investment strategy.

Hing said he was especially pleased to have bought Macy on board, "one of New Zealand's most experienced advisers."

He also paid tribute to Milton and Armstrong, saying they represented "the next generation of financial planners" and that all three would contribute to Perpetual's "focus on broadening."

Despite the departures Stacey there would be no change of direction at Diversified.

 "Diversified is still here, large as life," he said.

He said there would be "no change in fund management style" at Diversified and that the departures were no reflection of any change of strategy, with their intention to focus on funds management and KiwiSaver business.

"Senior advisers didn't see having a fund management side as symbiotic," he said.

Stecey will retain his role as director at Diversified alongside Vicki Watson.

The recruitment is part of Perpetual's stated aim to becoming a leader in the provision of integrated wealth management services, with the company pursuing "opportunities for strategic alliance and acquisition of high quality advisory resources" to extend its nationwide footprint.