AllianceBernstein has appointed Onur Erzan as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective April 1, 2027, as the global investment manager prepares for a leadership transition following nearly a decade under CEO Seth Bernstein.
Erzan, who currently serves as AllianceBernstein’s President, will succeed Bernstein after his retirement takes effect on March 31, 2027. Bernstein will remain on AllianceBernstein’s Board of Directors following the transition. AllianceBernstein appoints Onur…
AllianceBernstein, also known as AB, had more than $919 billion in assets under management as of August 31, 2026. The firm provides investment management services to institutional investors, individual investors, and private wealth clients around the world.
Erzan became President of AB in January 2026 and currently oversees the firm’s Private Wealth Management, Global Private Alternatives, and Global Asset Management Distribution businesses. His responsibilities also include Strategy and Corporate Development.
He has served on the Equitable Holdings Management Committee since 2021. Following the previously announced merger between Equitable Holdings and Corebridge Financial, Erzan is also expected to serve on the combined company’s leadership team headed by CEO Marc Costantini.
Erzan joined AllianceBernstein in 2021 and has played a central role in expanding the firm’s investment management and distribution capabilities.
His work has included helping develop AB’s global asset management distribution strategy and supporting the firm’s expansion into several new business areas.
These initiatives included launching AllianceBernstein’s active exchange-traded fund offerings, creating an integrated insurance asset management business, and expanding the firm’s private credit and broader retirement income capabilities.
Erzan has also led Bernstein Private Wealth Management, where he has overseen the development of services for ultra-high-net-worth clients, global families, and family offices.
The firm has expanded tailored offerings for those clients while developing additional relationships with banks and international custodians. Those partnerships have been designed to broaden Bernstein’s wealth management distribution and client service capabilities.
Before joining AllianceBernstein, Erzan spent 20 years at McKinsey & Company.
He most recently served as a Senior Partner and co-leader of McKinsey’s Wealth & Asset Management practice, advising global asset managers, wealth management firms, insurance companies, and retirement-focused financial institutions.
His advisory work included mergers and acquisitions, corporate transformations, long-term growth strategies, and value creation initiatives.
Erzan holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Turkey, and an MBA from Columbia Business School. He has also served on the boards of Graham Windham and Turkish Philanthropy Funds.
The transition follows a period of significant expansion at AllianceBernstein under Seth Bernstein.
Bernstein has served as CEO for nearly a decade and oversaw the firm’s development from its traditional focus on active public market investing into a broader investment management platform spanning public markets, private alternatives, private wealth, insurance asset management, and retirement solutions.
AllianceBernstein’s assets under management nearly doubled during his tenure, reaching more than $919 billion as of August 31, 2026. AllianceBernstein appoints Onur…
Bernstein also oversaw several structural changes intended to improve the firm’s profitability and operating model.
These included relocating AllianceBernstein’s headquarters to Nashville, developing AB’s operations in India, and transitioning Bernstein Research into a joint venture with Société Générale.
The firm also expanded its global distribution capabilities and developed new businesses intended to provide additional sources of long-term growth.
Erzan will take over as the asset and wealth management industry continues to evolve toward broader investment platforms combining public and private markets, wealth management, insurance solutions, retirement products, and other specialized capabilities.
AllianceBernstein said its leadership transition is intended to provide continuity while positioning the firm for its next phase of growth.
The firm’s relationship with Equitable Holdings will remain an important part of that structure. AllianceBernstein is a subsidiary of Equitable Holdings, which directly and through its subsidiaries held an approximately 68% economic interest in AB as of June 2026.
Erzan’s appointment gives AllianceBernstein an internal successor who has been involved in several of the firm’s major strategic initiatives since joining the company in 2021.
His existing responsibilities across private wealth, alternatives, global distribution, strategy, and corporate development also provide experience across many of the areas that have become increasingly important to AllianceBernstein’s broader growth strategy.
KEY QUOTES:
“Onur is an exceptional leader with deep experience across asset management and insurance. Since joining AB, he has helped shape the firm’s strategy, expand its capabilities and position the business for continued growth.”
Mark Pearson, Chief Executive Officer Of Equitable Holdings And AllianceBernstein Board Member
“It has been the privilege of a lifetime to lead this remarkable firm. Over the last decade, we have expanded our reach, strengthened our distribution and built durable growth engines that enable us to better serve our clients globally.”
Seth Bernstein, Chief Executive Officer Of AllianceBernstein
“I am honored to lead AB at such a pivotal moment in our history. For nearly six decades, AB has distinguished itself through investment excellence, intellectual rigor and a collaborative culture relentlessly focused on clients.”
Onur Erzan, President And Incoming Chief Executive Officer Of AllianceBernstein
