Wirehouse advisors

The recruit spent two years researching the move before deciding to leave the wirehouse.

Several of the largest moves this year show top talent is looking beyond traditional choices.

The two ex-wirehouse advisers each had about 20 years of industry experience.

The largest recruits managed more than $17 billion in client assets.

Adviser recruiting was not expected to be affected, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

The largest teams to go indie this year managed more than $5 billion in client assets.

Regulatory and industry changes are driving some advisers to rethink their business model, writes recruiter Mark Elzweig.

Social media is included in regulatory requirements.

The wirehouse's latest hires will support client development and strengthen product delivery, according to Morgan Stanley.

"It was terribly important to us that we were participating and supporting a partnership with a firm that is innovating and has strong backing," said Richard Steinmeier, head of the Wealth Advice Center at UBS.

The Gryphon Group generated $1.3 million in production before leaving the wirehouse.

The recruit was overseeing 100 advisers responsible for $15 billion in client assets before joining the breakaway firm.

The wirehouse's latest recruit generated about $1.9 million in production.

The recruit had $1.8 million in annual production before making the move, the regional BD said.

The new recruits joined the wirehouse from Merrill Lynch and UBS.

Yet that wasn't Merrill's only recruiting success, as the wirehouse also picked up a team overseeing more than $500 million in client assets.

The recruits moved to the firm from Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo, Stifel and Voya.

The recruits made the move between wirehouses with two client associates.

The recruits generated $1.8 million in annual production before making the move.

The head of the advisory group also was returning to where his career started.