Wealth Management Speaker Series: M&A in Wealth Management
You are invited to participate in a virtual conversation with experts in the wealth management industry. Join Jessica Polito, Principal of Turkey Hill Management, and Mike LaMena, Chief Executive Officer of Wealthspire Advisors as they explore current M&A dynamics in wealth management from the buyer, seller, and advisor perspectives.
Following the conversation, the event will be open for a question and answer period, where attendees can ask questions directly.
Topics of Discussion Include:
- Industry trends around M&A, with a particular focus on the RIA segment
- How sellers of wealth management firms can best prepare their exit
- What buyers of wealth management firms look for when making M&A decisions
The Wealth Management Speaker Series is brought to you by Columbia’s Wealth Management master’s program. Uniquely designed to educate working professionals, this 16-month, part-time online program prepares experienced and aspiring wealth management professionals to meet the disruptive challenges of today’s industry. The innovative and rigorous curriculum connects advanced theory with practical applications through problem-based learning while providing students with the educational requirements for CFP® certification.
Registered guests will receive a Zoom link prior to the event.
About the Panelists:
Mike LaMena is the Chief Executive Officer of Wealthspire Advisors and brings nearly three decades of experience building, operating, and leading global wealth management organizations. Throughout his time at Wealthspire, Mike has helped grow the organization to over $31 billion in AUM with 25 offices across the country and more than 375 employees. Prior to joining the firm, Mike spent seven years at HighTower, serving as President and Chief Operating Officer, playing an instrumental leadership role in scaling the business from a start-up organization to a nationally recognized financial services firm. He began his career in financial services with a 14-year tenure at Morgan Stanley & Co., where he served as Executive Director of Private Wealth Management Operations in New York, as well as Executive Director of Private Wealth Management for Asia in Hong Kong.
Jessica Polito founded Turkey Hill Management in 2021 after a long career providing M&A advice to wealth and asset managers. She believes that wealth management clients deserve an M&A advisor that takes fiduciary duty as seriously as they do. Turkey Hill was established to provide top-quality advice backed by deep industry expertise, without a success fee at the end of a deal which could cloud guidance. Turkey Hill has grown to be a prolific advisor in the wealth management industry, having closed 12 deals of varying size and complexity in 2025 year to date, and on pace to announce nearly 20 this year.
Philipp Hecker is the Chief Executive Officer of Bento Engine, a FinTech at the intersection of technology and wealth management advice and a member of the Advisory Council for Columbia University's Wealth Management master's program. Prior to founding Bento Engine, Philipp spent 20 years focusing on defining and implementing growth strategies in the wealth and asset management industries at J.P. Morgan, Deutsche Bank and the Boston Consulting Group in New York. He holds a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School and a Diploma from the University of Passau, Germany.
For questions about this event, please contact Vanessa Carrillo, vc2418 [[at]] columbia [[dot]] edu.
To obtain additional information about program offerings at Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies, please contact an Admissions Counselor at inquire [[at]] sps [[dot]] columbia [[dot]] edu.
If you require closed captioning, sign-language interpretation or any other disability accommodations, please contact Disability Services, disability [[at]] columbia [[dot]] edu, at least 10 days in advance.
This event is open to individuals irrespective of identity and sex.
