EP Wealth Advisors, a leading independent registered investment adviser (RIA) with an expanding national presence and client base, announced a strategic partnership with Opto Investments, a technology-enabled solution expanding private markets access for independent investment advisors. This deal will support EP Wealth’s ability to provide clients with a scalable, digital-forward solution comprising high-quality private market opportunities and flexible investment options.
Opto Investments is a technology firm that is changing the way fiduciaries experience private markets. Opto partners with advisors, CIOs, and other fiduciaries to solve the challenges of building and distributing customized private markets solutions at scale. Intelligent workflows and elegant design simplify the private markets investment process, minimizing paperwork, saving time, and creating better client experiences. Founded by Joe Lonsdale, and backed by respected investors such as 8VC and Michael Dell’s DFO Management, Opto can access differentiated opportunities across private credit, private equity, real estate, venture capital, etc.
Traditional portfolios featuring stocks and bonds can be limiting for high-net-worth (HNW) and ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) clients. To help these clients meet their long-term growth and income goals, and enhance portfolio diversification, EP Wealth is building a new private markets program. Even though access to private markets has improved in recent years, investing in these asset classes comes with challenges, including high costs and operational and administrative complexities. Opto’s end-to-end platform directly addresses these challenges and enables advisors to construct differentiated portfolios with the potential for higher returns and lower volatility.
EP Wealth will be utilizing Opto’s custom funds offering to address the individual needs of their HNW and UHNW clients. And with a comprehensive due diligence process that offers a carefully curated selection of private markets opportunities, custom funds enable EP Wealth to craft bespoke strategies that closely align with their clients’ goals and risk preferences. These customized strategies help to provide institutional-level investments at scale while aiming to eliminate unnecessary fees, minimize excess liquidity, and diversify exposure across vintages and managers.
With Opto’s support, EP Wealth can provide its clients over time with a unique private markets program designed to reduce high costs, operational complexities, and administrative burdens. By utilizing Opto’s comprehensive platform to streamline back-office tasks and processes like managing capital calls, tax documentation, and reporting, EP Wealth’s advisors and investment team can focus on deepening relationships with their clients.
KEY QUOTES:
“When introducing private market strategies to client portfolios, a one-size-fits-all approach simply does not work. Opto’s fiduciary-first approach helps us build personalized portfolios that meet the unique needs of our clients, while providing access to institutional-grade investments from a vast array of managers.”
-Adam Phillips, CFA, CAIA, CFP, managing director of investments at EP Wealth Advisors
“We remain hyper-focused on positioning advisors to confidently navigate the intricacies of private markets in a more scalable way. Our team’s deep expertise in due diligence and sourcing coupled with our powerful technology engine alleviates the operational burden associated with private markets investing while supporting advisors in delivering diversifying, institutional-type portfolios to their clients.”
-Ryan VanGorder, chief executive officer at Opto
