Two leading investment advisory firms are joining forces in a strategic deal to create a new powerhouse firm that caters to some of the most affluent individuals and families in the country.
Top-ranked RIA IEQ Capital has announced its acquisition of EPIQ Capital Group in a deal that will combine the firms into a $32 billion investment advisor and multi-family office.
Bringing together IEQ’s $26.5 billion in assets under management with EPIQ’s $5.3 billion, the combined entity will continue to provide wealth advisory and family office services, with a stronger presence in wealth hotspots such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, Denver, and Miami.
Focused on providing high-net-worth clients with wealth management services without the constraints of larger institutions, IEQ Capital was founded in 2019 by Robert Skinner and Alan Zafran, who broke away from First Republic, along with Eric Harrison.
EPIQ, founded in 2018, has built its reputation around offering bespoke financial solutions for ultra-high-net-worth families.
Citing EPIQ’s proximity to his firm in the San Francisco Bay Area and its reputation across both San Francisco and Silicon Valley, Harrison, co-CEO of IEQ, highlighted the strategic value of the deal.
“As entrepreneurs, we continually seek strategic opportunities designed to strengthen our ability to drive value for our clients,” he said in a statement. “EPIQ has built relationships and capabilities in core markets that we believe are additive to our platform and will further our ability to provide access to differentiated investment opportunities.”
Chad Boeding, EPIQ’s founder and CEO who previously co-founded Iconiq Capital, emphasized the enhanced client service potential of the merger.
“This was an opportunity to further the vision of creating a differentiated multi-family office. This combination allows us to enhance the power of the network of our clients, as well as our goal of delivering the best investment access and service to our clients as fiduciaries,” Boeding said.
Citing his firm’s client-first ethos and commitment to mitigate conflicts, he described IEQ as “a firm that shares a similar vision of transforming wealth management.”
Boeding will become a managing partner in the new company, joining IEQ’s co-founders Harrison,
The transaction is expected to close later this year, expanding the firms’ combined reach across major US markets.
Merrill's latest hires span Colorado to Louisiana, even as industry-wide recruiting data suggests the firm is losing almost as many advisors as it gains.
The $36 million buy allegedly hid inflated books and a $50 million diversion.
“An award citing emotional distress is very unusual,” an industry executive said.
New EBRI research found workers who participated in employer financial education reported higher confidence, literacy and financial satisfaction.
Beyond operational excellence, the winning advisors of the future are the ones who can reach across multiple disciplines without discarding specialist skills.
Northern Trust’s Ken Lassner shows advisors how to convert volatility into after-tax portfolio gains
Dan Biagini of American Equity says the steady decline of pensions, longer lifespans and a reset in interest rates are rewriting how advisors build retirement income
