The furious pace of change continues at Cetera, which has just launched a new RIA and branches channel as part of a broader initiative to provide tailored support across a range of advisor affiliation models.
Along with that update, the firm revealed Tueday that it has hired Jen Hanau to lead the newly created channel, bringing her decades of experience in advisor recruitment and strategic business growth.
Hanau joins from Mariner, where she served as national managing director of independent channels. In that position, she played a key role in building out the firm’s platform and advancing support infrastructure for independent advisors.
Her career also includes leadership roles at Fidelity Investments and Charles Schwab, with a consistent focus on consulting and development within the RIA space.
Cetera’s latest expansion creates a fifth distinct advisor channel under its Wealth Hub framework. It is designed to serve three segments: independent RIAs, Cetera’s W-2 employee RIA businesses, and a supported independence model operating through more than 40 branch offices nationwide.
“The launch of our RIA and branches channel marks a significant milestone in Cetera’s evolution,” Todd Mackay, president of Cetera Wealth Management, said Tuesday. “It underscores our commitment to meeting the diverse needs of advisors and clients.”
Mackay cited Hanau’s background as central to the firm’s confidence in the new unit’s growth prospects. “Her extensive experience and visionary leadership will help set new standards for excellence and innovation,” he said.
As of March, Cetera’s RIA and branches channel supports more than 600 advisors overseeing $33.5 billion in client assets. It brings together several existing entities under a unified strategy, including the W-2 hybrid Avantax Planning Partners, Cetera Investors, Cetera Blueprint, and The Retirement Planning Group.
The announcement comes amid a series of leadership moves at Cetera aimed at strengthening its multi-channel offerings. Over the past few weeks, it's welcomed veteran executives at various levels including Keyur Desai as its new chief data and analytics officer, Andina Anderson as head of RIA Blueprint, and Kerri Scharr as chief fiduciary officer at Cetera Trust.
Hanau, now serving as RIA and branches channel leader, is expected to spearhead platform development and advisor engagement across all sub-channels. “I’m thrilled to join a firm with such a deep commitment to advisor flexibility and growth,” Hanau said. “We’re building a platform that meets advisors where they are — and where they want to go.”
As of March 31, Cetera reported more than $554 billion in assets under administration and $246 billion in assets under management.
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