Charles Paikert

Previewing an address Thursday that he's set to deliver to the 1,600 advisors attending the firm's annual conference, CEO Paul Reilly said that Raymond James Financial will continue to have “a big focus” on technology and training going forward. He also discusses how acquisition may (or may not) factor into the company's agenda.

From fiduciary rules to state tax strategies, regulatory issues continue to be on the front burner for the industry, the CEO of Raymond James Financial’s Global Private Client Group told advisors Tuesday.

Buying and selling practices and working more effectively with high net-worth clients is critical for advisors, according to speakers at the Raymond James Financial Services annual national conference in Dallas.

Succession planning, regulatory and technological issues will be the main focus for Raymond James Financial Services over the next year, according to Scott Curtis, the firm's president.

After a $210 million sale, Atlantic Trust appears to be headed into high gear.

The Bureau described the use of various senior designations as “extremely confusing for consumers,” noting that more than 50 different such designations are currently used to sell a wide variety of financial and insurance products.

The organic expansion plan sets Tiedemann apart in the wealth management space, where many firms recently have opted instead for an acquisition strategy, which brings an instant infusion of assets and revenues.

“The smart money is coming in,” said industry consultant Tim Welsh, president of Larkspur, Calif.-based Nexus Strategy, “and now we’ll see how smart the smart money is. Can they wring efficiencies out of this model?”

An enforcement action from the Securities & Exchange Commission is a timely reminder to advisors to disclose any financial benefits their firm may receive from the broker-dealer it recommends to clients.

Wealth management firms want advisors to spend more time in front of clients, and will be rolling out new technology to free them up to do just that, according to a survey by Ernst & Young.

David Lamere, the highly-regarded wealth management executive who most recently was CEO of BNY Mellon Wealth Management, has resurfaced at Fidelity.

“As investor confidence grows and perceptions of wealth management firms improves, so do advisor perceptions of their firm, particularly among independent advisors,” the J.D. Power study reported.

Advisors rule the financial services industry for now -- but keep an eye on direct-channel “self-serve” distribution, Chip Roame said Tuesday at his firm's semiannual CEO Summit.

A rebranding of the businesses is likely, Benevides told Financial Planning, as he “actively works” to unify the UHNW group. “It makes sense,” he said. “We’re one team and we want to leverage the strength each unit brings to the table in a way that gives us greater depth in all categories.”

Cetera Financial Group is growing again. The broker-dealer network has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Tower Square Securities and Walnut Street Securities from MetLife.

Advisors' tech priorities -- and needs -- have shifted dramatically over the last 18 months, says Steven Crosby, head of PricewaterhouseCooper’s U.S. wealth management unit.

Dynasty Financial Partners, the fast-growing outsourcing provider for high-end wealth managers and breakaway brokers, is expanding its reach in the Midwest.

Governance and succession-planning will be the primary offerings of a new family office consulting firm being launched on Tuesday by Withers, the giant international law firm.

Advizent, the would-be marketing and branding consortium for independent advisors, closed down Thursday, one year after its ambitious launch by industry heavyweights Steve Lockshin and Charles Goldman.

Dallas should be a dream market for independent advisors. But unlike the San Francisco, it has not been as hospitable to independent wealth management firms.