Pitcairn, which is one of America’s leading family offices that has served many leading ultra-high-net-worth families for more than a century, announced its latest initiative in its mission to provide an outstanding experience for clients. And the firm has acquired Brightside Partners, a UHNW-focused Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) based in Baltimore, MD.
This acquisition augments Pitcairn’s alternative investments platform as Brightside brings to Pitcairn a network of over 100 asset managers and research partners across venture capital, private equity, private credit, and real estate asset classes. And with the addition of Brightside, Pitcairn now oversees more than $9 billion of advised assets.
The closing of this deal coincides with the establishment of Pitcairn Wealth Advisors, a new RIA entity under the Pitcairn corporate umbrella designed to complement Pitcairn’s existing trust company and further strengthen the firm’s Shared Single-Family Office™ model serving multigenerational families of wealth.
The Brightside team of five professionals includes three partners: Pace Kessenich, Ryan Pollard, and Justin Bakewell. And all three partners will join Pitcairn’s Strategic Leadership Council.
Moving forward, Pitcairn Wealth Advisors will be operating as a sister firm to Pitcairn Trust Company under the umbrella of Pitcairn Financial Group and seamlessly transition existing client services for both Brightside and Pitcairn clients.
KEY QUOTES:
“We are thrilled to welcome the talented team at Brightside and the remarkable clients they advise — they have set a standard for thoughtful investing, particularly within alternative investments. The core principle of Pitcairn’s acquisition of Brightside and the creation of our new RIA is to provide our clients with access to increased investment options and a modern regulatory structure that reflects the growth of our firm. This move represents the latest stage of our evolution as we look to lay the groundwork for the next 100 years.”
- Pitcairn President & CEO Andrew Busser
“Pitcairn and Brightside share several core values that make this combination a natural fit for our teams and clients. Given Pitcairn’s extraordinary reputation and track record of family office leadership, the Brightside team is extremely pleased to become part of Pitcairn. As firms that both prioritize holistic client experience and continuous innovation, we’re excited to bring our client-focused company cultures together to amplify what’s possible for the families we are so fortunate to advise.”
- Pace Kessenich
“Since 1923, Pitcairn has been a trusted partner to multigenerational wealthy families and single-family offices, helping them to thrive across generations and market conditions of all kinds. As we’ve evolved from a small Pennsylvania family office into a national firm, our growth has surpassed our historical regulatory structure. The launch of Pitcairn Wealth Advisors and the addition of the Brightside team marks a pivotal moment in our journey, enabling us to preserve our legacy while offering broader investment opportunities, all within a regulatory framework designed to protect the best interests of our client families.”
- Pitcairn Chairman Rick Pitcairn
