Hybrid RIA Realta scoops up Cetera leader Abbey Eastham

Realta Wealth is bolstering its commitment to support independent advisors with the latest addition to its leadership team.

On Monday, the firm announced the appointment of Abbey Eastham as its new head of advisor relations, marking the latest addition to the firm’s growing leadership team.

Eastham, who will report directly to Realta CEO Kevin Keefe, is tasked with strengthening the firm’s connections with its network of independent financial advisors.

Her role is a newly created one, designed to emphasize advisor feedback and enhance service delivery.

"We continue to build a strong leadership team at Realta by adding highly accomplished executives from across the wealth management space," Keefe said in a statement.

Emphasizing the firm's focus on fostering trust with their affiliated advisors, he added: "Abbey is a seasoned pro who will be a fierce advocate for our advisors, ensuring their voices are at the forefront when we make decisions about enhancing our offerings."

With over 15 years of experience in the financial services industry, Eastham joins Realta after holding senior roles at other firms. Most recently, she served as senior investment solutions manager at Cetera Financial Group, prior to which she was senior vice president of advisor relations at First Allied Securities, the broker-dealer community which Cetera absorbed in 2022.

In her new position at Realta, she will lead the firm's strategic advisory council and work with internal teams to address advisor needs, resolve escalated issues, and develop initiatives aimed at improving the overall advisor experience.

"I am thrilled to begin the next chapter of my career with Realta at such an exciting time for the firm," Eastham said, pledging to "ensure advisors receive the high-touch, bespoke service experience they deserve." 

Eastham's appointment comes on the heels of another announcement earlier this month, in which it named Paul Tyler, a former leader at Ameriprise, as its new senior vice president and director of business development. Earlier this year in May, the broker-dealer and RIA platform welcomed industry veteran John Barragan, who brings experience from Kestra, Goldman Sachs and Cetera, as its new COO.