People Moves Related to " A $1 billion RIA in the NY burbs got there without marketing now Focus Financial is assigned the makeover"
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With RIA valuations ticking down and successions ticking up, Focus Financial deep sixes 'drunken sailor' pause, forgoes buyback plan and adds a CEO
Aug 13, 2022CEO Rudy Adolf sees a 'softening' in multiples after a couple of frothy years when CI Financial dominated headlines and big RIA deals
Adam Birenbaum assumes the CEO hotseat at Focus Financial, becoming third chief executive in three years as Michael Nathanson steps down in 'plan' he 'designed'
Dec 13, 2025The 47 year-old St. Louis phenom takes over from the 58 year-old ex-Colony CEO but with the same steep challenge of making 70 autonomous RIA units work more collaboratively, while adding more RIAs.
In a massive overhaul, Vanguard will split its $10.4 trillion in funds between two 'distinct' management teams with separate trading desks potentially trading against each other, analyst says
Jun 25, 2025The index fund leader will separate 'hot button' corporate governance by team, and hopes to reap deeper focus, greater flexibility, and more opportunities for growth.
The upper RIA echelon mass-exit is now at 25 execs and counting -- for 25 'reasons' -- but it's hardly a coincidence, analysts say
Jun 7, 2024Burnout and EBITDA weigh on CEO-types as never-ending exits claim Ron Carson, Aaron Klein, Bernie Clark, Rudy Adolf, Bill Crager and Tim Buckley.
Walt Bettinger discloses expiration of unknown 'pact' to explain to Schwab investors why Bernie Clark, Peter Crawford and Joe Martinetto all chose to exit at once
May 25, 2024The 'sort of informal' deal was struck in 2019, but never revealed to shareholders during the merger transition, until the departures were announced -- in one press release -- this month.
Adam Birenbaum's calls 'Colony' deal -- to create $100-billion super-RIA -- a 'mandate,' but it's also likely a 'prelude' to larger strategic objective, M&A expert says
May 7, 2024The 46-year-old CEO of Buckingham Wealth's 'long game' approach keeps paying dividends; it comes down to his approach to relationships
Michael Nathanson's new post as Focus CEO could create an 'apparent conflict' with his duties at Colony Group, which is snapping up billions in Focus RIA assets -- but 'partners' now have one of theirs in the power seat
May 1, 2024The CEO of Colony, the $22-billion Boston RIA, is buying $10.4-billion GW & Wade from Focus, making him buyer and seller, as he takes the reins as first permanent Focus CEO since Rudy Adolf.
Bill Crager is dropping CEO role after multiple shoes dropped; the company insists it was his 'decision' but vision, Yodlee future uncertain
Jan 9, 2024The co-founder of the $5.3-trillion AUA outsourcer of software and investments was pressed to take the job under the most adverse circumstances, then second-guessed by stakeholders as he managed the cards he was dealt.
Orion rescinds RTO order after its staff rebels by hijacking company email list, distributing petition and tipping off RIA media
Nov 23, 2023CEO Natalie Wolfsen suffers first setback and rescinds a return-to-office (RTO) policy after week of protest to work on a more collaborative agreement on a post-COVID new normal
Focus Financial makes 'abrupt' CEO call, lets Rudy Adolf go into 'retirement,' with 'no solution in place;' the eighth RIA chief executive unseated since June as VCs move in -- where is the EBITDA?
Oct 24, 2023Clayton, Dubilier & Rice closed on its $7-billion purchase of the roll-up on Aug. 31 -- with no hint that its parting of the ways with legendary 60-year-old founder was in the offing.
Seven 'RIA' chief executives are stepping aside for CEO 'operators' as PE backers get 'trigger' happy in adverse market; here are their stories
Sep 7, 2023Whether it's Edelman Financial Engines, SMArtX, Allworth or InvestCloud, the re-CEO-ing process follows a fat 2020 capital raise and thinner results in stormy financial markets.
Rich Steinmeier power poaches Jeremy Holly, who returns to LPL as EVP to head Dan Arnold-directed 'liquidity' project to buy -- but not hold -- LPL firms
Jul 7, 2023Holly had bolted LPL for SageView with fanfare but he retained a fanbase back in San Diego which dreamed up a dream job for him
Dave Welling's rollup hits $39 billion of AUM and hires a 37- year-old breakaway from BlackRock to turn internal five-click shopping into a 'single conversation'
Oct 21, 2022The Mercer Advisors CEO in Denver now has a 'president' reporting to him from the Big Apple to take on the specific mission of wiring a national RIA, rather than day-to-day operations at a rollup.
UBS bets its 'wealth' future on ex-Schwabbie Naureen Hassan, a corporate digital A-lister, who analysts give a fighting chance to transcend PaineWebber's ossified culture
Jul 16, 2022Still a $2-billion cash-flow cow, the Swiss bank's 6,000-broker, US-based wirehouse is milking aging broker relationships with aging investors but needs a new kind of human presence, empathy, mindset and smarts to draw in Gen Z.
Looking past Covid-19 pandemic, Louisiana RIA buys $1-million building after hitting $1 billion in AUM and hiring the town's mayor
Dec 17, 2020Summit Financial Wealth Advisors was sold to Focus Financial in 2014, growing its assets by $400 million since then but keeping staffing about the same