Gelfand, Rennert & Feldman, one of the largest business management and family office firms in the United States, has made its first move into the Canadian market, acquiring Burlington, Ontario-based Danyliw & Mann, Inc. and affiliated royalty management company BDM Royalty Management Ltd.
The deal, announced September 1, 2026, brings three entities - Danyliw & Mann, Inc., Danyliw & Mann Professional Corporation, and BDM Royalty Management Ltd. - into GRF's platform.
It marks a new frontier for GRF, which was established in 1967 and operates out of nine offices across the United States and the United Kingdom. GRF is a partner firm of Focus Financial Partners, the St. Louis-based wealth management aggregator.
Danyliw & Mann was founded in 2004 by Kenna Danyliw and Geoff Mann to serve high-net-worth clients in the entertainment sector, offering family office services, business management, tax compliance, and non-resident tax work.
BDM Royalty Management Ltd., launched in 2021 by Danyliw and Mann alongside Jason Belo, extends that capability into royalty management, label administration, and rights management; services that have gained prominence as streaming has reshaped how musicians and rights holders monetize their catalogs.
Kenna Danyliw, chief executive of Danyliw & Mann, said the transaction is about redirecting resources toward clients rather than firm administration.
"GRF brings added resources, scale, and infrastructure that lets us refocus time from running and managing the business, to creating value and providing excellent service for our clients," she said.
Tyson Beem, chief executive of GRF, said the partnership emerged from an existing working relationship. "GRF and Danyliw & Mann have built respect and admiration for one another from several years of working together on mutual clients," Beem said.
The acquisition comes as RIA dealmaking continues to accelerate in the United States.
According to Fidelity's midyear M&A report, total assets involved in RIA transactions reached $343 billion in the first half of 2026, up 88 percent compared with the same period in 2025, even as overall deal volume edged down nine percent to 120 transactions.
Private equity-backed buyers accounted for 89 percent of transactions, a figure that underscores how institutionalized the consolidation market has become.
GRF's Canadian move reflects a broader pattern among US aggregators seeking growth beyond domestic borders.
Travis Danysh, chief strategy officer at Focus Financial Partners, framed the acquisition as consistent with the firm's long-term positioning. "The addition of Danyliw & Mann and BDM brings two teams that share our client-first mindset and further expands GRF's presence as a global leader in the business management and family office industry," Danysh said.
No financial terms for the transaction were disclosed.
The inclusion of BDM Royalty Management signals growing recognition within the advisory industry of music rights and royalty income as a distinct wealth management discipline.
The trend has drawn attention from institutional investors and large asset managers alike in recent years, with major platforms building dedicated capabilities to serve artists, producers, and rights holders whose income streams differ substantially from those of traditional wealth management clients.
The Danyliw & Mann team will continue to operate from Burlington and maintain its existing client relationships under the GRF umbrella, with access to the firm's broader international infrastructure and resources. GRF currently employs more than 700 staff across approximately 40 managing directors.
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