Mariner Wealth Advisors is set to expand its advisor base by 400% in just a few years, CEO Cheryl Bicknell revealed at Echelon Partners’ COVID-postponed Deals and Dealmakers Summit in San Diego. The Kansas-based $60-billion RIA plans to grow to 5,000 advisors, leveraging its recently acquired $26-billion LPL Financial independent contractor platform. The summit, attended by top RIAs, private equity investors, and wealth management executives, explored skyrocketing RIA deal volumes, surging valuations, and strategies for navigating the rapidly evolving M&A landscape.
Panelists emphasized the importance of cultural compatibility, succession planning, and client retention while noting the increasing influence of private equity and minority investment buyers. Sessions featured mock negotiations, valuation deep dives, and marketing insights, highlighting how fragmented wealth management firms are integrating and commanding unprecedented multiples—sometimes exceeding 22X EBITDA—as the industry braces for accelerated consolidation and advisor demand…