Lido hires digital marketing head from Cerity for C-level role

Lido Advisors is eyeing new growth by raising its online presence, and it's made a new addition to its C-suite from Cerity to lead the charge.

The $30 billion RIA announced on Thursday that it has named Justin Barish as its new chief marketing and digital officer.

Barish, who most recently served as head of digital marketing and principal at Cerity Partners in New York, will oversee marketing, digital strategy, and communications for Lido.

The firm, which manages more than $30 billion in assets, has been on a growth trajectory, recently expanding its footprint to 40 offices nationwide following a partnership with Olympus Wealth Management in Utah.

Ken Stern, president of Lido Advisors, said Barish is bringing his "proven ability to build powerful brands and drive meaningful engagement across cutting-edge platforms" at a pivotal time for the firm.

“Marketing and digital strategy have become more critical than ever, Stern said in a statement on Thursday, emphasizing the need to "amplify Lido’s voice, accelerate innovation, and broaden our impact."

Barish brings more than a decade of experience in financial services digital marketing. Before his time at Cerity Partners, he was senior vice president and head of digital marketing at Dynasty Financial Partners.

At Cerity, he led initiatives focused on brand awareness and sales conversion, managing both long-term planning and tactical execution.

“The opportunity to elevate a brand with Lido’s reputation, reach, and forward-thinking culture is incredibly exciting," Barish said. "Today’s most successful firms meet clients where they are – digitally, personally, and holistically – and I look forward to helping Lido do just that as we continue to grow.”

Lido has claimed some interesting wins recently in its growth strategy, securing strategic acquisitions and partnerships. Just this week, it announced its partnership with Olympus Wealth Management, a Utah-based fee-only RIA with more than $850 million in regulatory assets under management.

Earlier this year, the firm acquired Michigan-based Exchange Capital Management, its first deal since HPS Investment Partners, backed by BlackRock, made a strategic investment in Lido in May. Charlesbank Capital Partners, which acquired a stake in 2021, remains a private capital backer.

As digital marketing becomes increasingly important for RIAs, recent data from Schwab’s RIA benchmarking report found that 85% of firms converted online ads into client leads in 2024, outpacing other tactics such as podcasts, webinars, and social media. The report also noted that one-fifth of firms are now using AI to develop digital marketing content, underscoring the growing role of technology in client acquisition.