This is the first external firm to be acquired by Focus since it held its brand refresh at the start of this year.

Focus Financial Partners has acquired Churchill Management Corporation in a deal expected to close in the third quarter of this year, it announced yesterday. 

Churchill is expected to add approximately $9.4 billion, measured as of March 31, 2025, to Focus’ regulatory assets under management. 

Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. 

This will be the first purchase of an external firm by Focus since it rebranded in January. Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, the private equity house, wrapped up its acquisition of Focus in August 2023. (FWR's US correspondent, Charles Paikert, examined developments here.)

“M&A remains an avenue for us to add high-quality firms that are committed to evolving for the benefit of their clients,” Michael Nathanson, CEO of Focus Financial Partners, said. 

Founded in 1963, Los Angeles-based Churchill provides investment management and financial planning services to clients nationwide. The Churchill business will operate as a division of Focus Partners Wealth for a period of time after the deal is completed, before transitioning to Focus Partners Wealth.

“The Churchill team is highly talented and complementary. They combine a very rare mindset of high growth and progress forward with a high standard of care. I cannot wait to welcome them,” Adam Birenbaum, CEO of Focus Partners Wealth, said. 

Berkshire Global Advisors LP served as the exclusive financial advisor to Churchill. RBC Capital Markets served as the exclusive financial advisors to Focus on the transaction.

Recent changes
In early May, Focus named Zinovy Iosovich as chief growth officer of its Focus Partners division. Later in May, it appointed Mark Israel as chief technology officer, effective May 27.

When the firm announced its rebrand in January, Focus announced a series of "hubs" that operate as business lines under the Focus name:

The Colony Group, Buckingham Strategic Wealth, and the firms that joined with them operate under the name Focus Partners Wealth; 

Buckingham Strategic Partners, Buckingham’s turnkey asset management platform (TAMP), is now known as Focus Partners Advisor Solutions; 

Kovitz Investment Group is called Kovitz, a Focus Partners Firm; 

SCS Financial is called SCS Financial, Focus Partners Family Office and OCIO; 

Gelfand, Rennert & Feldman is known Gelfand, Rennert & Feldman, Focus Partners Business Management; and 

Cardinal Point, is called Cardinal Point, Focus Partners Canada.