Mercer Global Advisors, a national Registered Investment Adviser (RIA) firm, announced the move of Martine Lellis, Chief Talent Officer since 2020, to a newly created Principal, M&A Partner Development role.
Adding another executive with C-Suite experience to the M&A Partner Development team reflects the company’s strategic commitment in inorganic growth. It helps ensure the success of firms that partner with Mercer Advisors. And in 2016, the company started its M&A effort. In 2017, the M&A Partner Development focus was strengthened when Dave Barton transitioned from the role of CEO–which he held for nine years, from 2008 through 2017 — to a newly created role of Vice Chairman focused on M&A.
Mercer Advisors became one of the leading RIA acquirers, with over 85 acquisitions since 2016. The firm’s integrate not aggregate strategy appeals to RIA sellers seeking to advance the client and employee experience through joining a firm with national scale and reach. Lellis is the newest addition to the expanded M&A team that Barton leads. See Mercer Advisors Add Five Industry Veterans.
Lellis has a nearly two-decade career in the independent wealth management, which is a distinct accomplishment in an emerging industry. And Lellis started her wealth management career at Sullivan, Bruyette, Speros & Blayney in 2002 and progressed to become the COO, overseeing a rapid period of growth for one of the industry’s most well-known and highly respected RIA firms at the time. Lellis has advanced designations in financial services, including a CPA license and the CFP marks, and has earned an MBA from Georgetown University and a B.S. in Mathematics from Duke University.
KEY QUOTES:
“We recognize that owners of RIA firms have many options and care deeply about the impact on their clients, employees, and themselves. Our C-Suite approach to the leadership on our M&A Partner Development team is grounded in connecting the principals of firms considering selling their businesses with executives who have built, run, and guided the evolution of an RIA themselves.”
“Martine’s deep understanding of our client and advisor experience, as well as her years of building, developing, and growing our talent, make her an invaluable asset in identifying and integrating like-minded firms into our organization. Our deep bench at the senior leadership level also allows us to make these types of transformational changes without business interruption.”
– Dave Welling, CEO of Mercer Advisors
“M&A is one of the indispensable ways that we build the organization’s talent, experience, and capabilities. I couldn’t be more excited about representing Mercer Advisors in the industry and working with other RIA owners to discover the best option for themselves, their employees, and their clients. As an integrator, not an aggregator, we seek to leverage all the talent of partnering firms. Talent mapping, career pathing, and compensation are critical to both the decision-making process and integration success.”
– Martine Lellis
