Gladstone Group Inc., a Plymouth Meeting, Pa.-based M&A and executive search firm, is expanding its team with Derek Bruton joining as senior managing director. Bruton, a former Merrill, TD Ameritrade, and LPL executive, will help RIAs, fintech firms, and asset managers navigate the hot M&A market while addressing hiring challenges. The firm aims to advise business owners on growth strategies without necessarily selling their practices.
Gladstone combines M&A advisory through Gladstone Associates, LLC and executive search via D.A. Kreuter Associates Inc., offering integrated solutions for wealth management firms. Demand for deals and talent acquisition is surging, with industry surveys showing 60% of RIAs plan to acquire another firm within two years. Bruton brings extensive experience, having recruited over 10,000 financial advisors and assisted 20,000 advisory firms, helping clients grow organically, inorganically, or through key talent placement…