Focus Financial Partners has named Travis Danysh as its new chief strategy officer, marking the latest in a series of executive appointments at the RIA aggregator as it continues to expand its leadership team and strategic ambitions.
Danysh, who has been with Focus for nine years and previously served as chief corporate development officer, will now be responsible for shaping and executing the firm’s long-term strategy.
The newly created CSO role announced Tuesday comes at a time when Focus is seeking to reinforce its position in the wealth management sector through both organic growth and acquisitions.
The appointment follows a period of significant leadership changes at Focus. In May, the company brought in Mark Israel as chief technology officer and announced Zinovy Iosovich as chief growth officer, reflecting a broader effort to align its platform around scalable growth and operational integration. The firm also promoted Adam Birenbaum to president and elevated Justin Ferri to chief operating officer earlier this year.
Birenbaum commended Danysh's reputation as "a leader who can translate vision into strategy and strategy into execution," as well as his ability to "[work] seamlessly across teams and functions."
Danysh’s expanded role comes as Focus continues to pursue a dual-track strategy of acquiring independent RIAs and integrating them into its network, while also developing internal capabilities to support organic growth.
In the Tuesday statement announcing his appointment, Danysh said he is “looking forward to [his] new responsibilities” as the firm sharpens its focus on long-term, sustainable leadership in the industry.
Focus has made its ambitions clear to see with several expansionary moves this year. In June, the firm announced the acquisition of David Wealth Management, a Virginia-based RIA with approximately $239 million in assets under management.; that deal is expected to close in the third quarter. In May, Focus acquired Churchill Management Corporation, a Los Angeles-based firm with $9.4 billion in client assets .
The company is also expanding internationally. In July, Focus announced that Escala Partners, a Melbourne-based firm, had joined Focus Partners Australia. The move is intended to create a more unified platform for delivering wealth management services in the region.
Danysh, who played a key role in the Escala transaction, is expected to serve as executive chairman of Focus’s Australian businesses in addition to his new responsibilities .
The leadership changes and acquisition activity are part of Focus’s ongoing transformation from a holding-company structure to a more integrated advice business, with CEO Michael Nathanson having gone on the record to declare his firm's “journey to become the leading fiduciary advice company in the industry.”
In a saturated market of PE secondaries and repackaged alts, cultural assets stand out as an underutilized, experiential, and increasingly monetizable class of wealth.
However, Raymond James has had success recruiting Commonwealth advisors.
A complaint by the Social Security Administration's chief data officer alleges numbers, names, and other sensitive information were handled in a way that creates "enormous vulnerabilities."
The New Orleans-based 5th Circuit has sided the industry groups arguing the commission's short-selling rules exceeded its authority.
The deal will see the global alts giant snap up the fintech firm, which has struggled to gain traction among advisors over the years, for up to $200 million
Orion's Tom Wilson on delivering coordinated, high-touch service in a world where returns alone no longer set you apart.
Barely a decade old, registered index-linked annuities have quickly surged in popularity, thanks to their unique blend of protection and growth potential—an appealing option for investors looking to chart a steadier course through today's choppy market waters, says Myles Lambert, Brighthouse Financial.
