A roundup of moves, appointments and personnel changes in the North American wealth management sector.

William Blair
William Blair, a Chicago-headquartered investment banking and wealth management firm, has appointed Robert D Kendall (main picture) as global head of its investment management business.

Kendall will assume responsibility for the strategic direction of the division across portfolio management, client engagement, and operations. Kendal is succeeding Stephanie Braming, who earlier this year announced her plans to retire, William Blair said in a statement. Braming will remain with the firm through the fourth quarter.

Kendall brings nearly 30 years of asset management experience to the role. Most recently, he served as president of Raymond James Investment Management. Prior to that, he was the founding chief executive of DWS Americas, overseeing US operations for Deutsche Bank’s global asset management arm. Earlier in his career, he held leadership positions at Van Kampen Investments, then a unit of Morgan Stanley.

“Investment management is a fundamental pillar of the William Blair platform, and Bob’s extensive asset management and leadership experience align with our mission of delivering investment excellence to our clients,” Brent Gledhill, William Blair’s president and chief executive officer, said. 

William Blair, along with strategic partners, operates in more than 20 offices worldwide.

Osaic, Bridenback
Osaic, the independent US wealth management platform, has added Bridenback Wealth Management to its national network of financial advisors.

Based in Cle Elum, Washington, Bridenback Wealth Management is led by Brent Bridenback, who founded the firm and serves as its president. Bridenback brings approximately $90 million in client assets under management and serves 26 high net worth households, according to a statement from Osaic yesterday.

Bridenback made the move from Commonwealth Financial Network, where he had built his practice over several years. With Commonwealth transitioning to LPL Financial, Bridenback said the decision to join Osaic was driven by a desire to maintain service consistency for clients while positioning his firm for long-term growth within a more independent and advisor-focused framework.

“Aligning with Osaic ensures continuity for the clients we serve while giving us greater flexibility and independence to grow,” Bridenback said in the statement. “Their advisor-centric approach and scale will help us deliver even more value in the years ahead.”

Osaic, formerly Advisor Group, is backed by private equity firm Reverence Capital Partners and supports a network of about 11,000 financial professionals across the US. The firm provides wealth management solutions and infrastructure to independent advisors, including technology, investment research, compliance, and practice management resources.

The addition of Bridenback Wealth Management underscores Osaic’s continued effort to attract experienced independent advisors seeking to retain autonomy while accessing expanded resources and support, Osaic said. The firm has been consolidating and rebranding its affiliated entities under the Osaic name since 2023, part of a strategy to unify its platform and streamline advisor services.

Fiduciary Trust of New England
Fiduciary Trust of New England has appointed Elisabeth Sexton as vice president and trust officer, based in Manchester, New Hampshire. She previously worked as a trust advisor at Loring, Wolcott & Coolidge.

Earlier in her career, Sexton served in roles in trust and portfolio administration and relationship management positions at Boston Financial Management, Cambridge Trust Company, and Wellesley Investment Partners.