Cresset has hired wealth advisors Chris Tiano and Nick Smith as Managing Directors. The executives previously served as Directors at Lazard Wealth, where they oversaw approximately $1.1 billion in assets under advisement.
Tiano has joined Cresset’s Los Angeles office, while Smith is based in New York. Their appointments expand the firm’s capabilities serving entrepreneurs, business owners, ultra-high-net-worth individuals, institutions and multigenerational families.
Tiano specializes in advising clients whose wealth is concentrated in privately owned businesses. His work includes helping entrepreneurs prepare for business growth, liquidity events and the financial planning challenges that can follow a company sale or other significant transaction.
He also advises clients on portfolios spanning public and private markets. His role involves coordinating with trust and estate attorneys and accountants on tax planning, wealth transfers, liquidity needs and long-term capital preservation.
Before joining Cresset, Tiano worked with individuals, families and nonprofit institutions at Lazard Wealth, Focus Financial Partners and Glenmede Trust Company. He earned an MBA from Columbia Business School and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Columbia University.
Smith has spent approximately 15 years advising ultra-high-net-worth families, individuals and institutional clients. His experience includes investment management, estate planning, wealth transfer and tax strategy.
Before joining Cresset, Smith served as a Director and Portfolio & Wealth Advisor at Lazard Wealth. He previously worked as a Senior Relationship Manager at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, a Client Advisor at Bessemer Trust and an associate at Fiduciary Trust Company International.
Smith holds an MBA from Cornell University’s S.C. Johnson Graduate School of Management and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Denison University. He also holds the Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor designation.
The new advisors will operate through Cresset’s independent, employee- and client-owned multi-family office platform. The firm combines investment management, private market opportunities, trust services, tax strategy, family governance and other family office capabilities.
Cresset’s integrated structure is designed to coordinate investment and planning decisions under one platform. This can be particularly relevant for families dealing with business sales, concentrated stock positions, succession planning and transfers of wealth between generations.
The appointments also expand Cresset’s presence in two major wealth management markets. Tiano and Smith will use the firm’s investment, planning and family office resources to provide customized advice based on each client’s circumstances and long-term objectives.
KEY QUOTES:
“Cresset has built a platform that truly understands the complexities entrepreneurs, business owners, and multigenerational families face as their wealth evolves.”
“Cresset brings together sophisticated investment management, private market opportunities, and comprehensive planning capabilities all under one roof. I’m excited to join a team that shares my commitment to delivering highly personalized advice and helping clients navigate life’s most important financial decisions with confidence.”
Chris Tiano, Managing Director and Wealth Advisor at Cresset
“Wealth management is ultimately about great relationships built on trust, transparency, and a genuine understanding of what matters most to each client.”
“That is exactly what Cresset delivers each and every day through the incredible depth of its family office team. I’m excited and honored to have access to such a robust platform that can serve clients more holistically how and where they want to be served.”
Nick Smith, Managing Director and Wealth Advisor at Cresset
“Nick and Chris exemplify the high caliber of advisor we seek to attract to Cresset, deeply experienced professionals who put clients at the center of everything they do.”
“Their expertise serving entrepreneurs, business owners, and multigenerational families aligns perfectly with our mission to deliver truly comprehensive, integrated wealth management. We are thrilled to welcome them to Cresset and look forward to supporting their continued success as they help clients navigate increasingly complex financial lives.”
Susie Cranston, CEO of Cresset
