Citywire RIA CEO Summit 2026
Join Citywire RIA for its first-ever CEO Summit on September 29-30 at the Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa in Austin, Texas!
This event is invite-only, and will bring together 50 CEOs from the largest and fastest growing RIAs across America.
It will feature in-state insights from industry leaders and capital partners on M&A, the major industry-level trends we'll be consumed by in the future, the use of AI, the role of the CEO, and more.
But it’s not all stage content – attendees will get a chance to tee off in Texas, going head-to-head on the green with your RIA peers and asset managers across the country.
Travel and accommodation at the Omni Barton Creek is covered by Citywire for RIA CEOs.
Key benefits of attending
Headline stage sessions
Gain exclusive perspectives from top CEOs on the ideas and innovations driving the future.
Peer-to-peer networking
Connect with fellow CEOs and RIA leaders to exchange strategies and challenges.
Game-changing insights
Explore practical solutions for compliance, fees, tech adoption and portfolio design.
Speakers
DAY 1 - September 29
What's the endgame for mega-RIAs?
DAY 1 | 1:40PM - 2:20PM
Examine the potential endgame options for large RIAs, including IPOs, mega-mergers and sales to permanent capital providers like sovereign wealth funds, and unpack the questions of identity and ambition driving firms along those trajectories.
How do RIAs grow organically?
DAY 1 | 2:30PM - 3:10PM
Hear how RIAs of different sizes add clients without relying on M&A or custodial referral programs by leveraging marketing, centers of influence, and word-of-mouth.
How to future-proof your business by embedding AI
DAY 1 | 3:20PM - 4:00PM
Discover how RIAs and vendors are thinking about the implementation of AI and sifting through the noise to deliver real value to advisor tech stacks.
The pros & cons of outside capital
DAY 1 | 4:20PM - 5:00PM
Hear how top RIA CEOs evaluate outside capital, exploring both the positives and negatives, alongside the dynamics, such as succession planning, that spark these conversations.
What does a downturn look like?
DAY 1 | 5:00PM - 5:40PM
The industry is overdue for an extended market downturn. Examine how a sustained market slide will impact the industry and determine which types of firms will win—and which will lose.
DAY 2 - September 30
Keynote
DAY 2 | 8:00AM - 8:40AM
Tony Kim, Head of BlackRock's Fundamental Equities Global Technology team shares insight into the current state of AI. He addresses the questions investors are asking, for example is this a bubble, is the capex justified, and where is the ROI?
Drawing on original research and direct access to the companies building the AI stack, Tony will map where value is accruing today and where he expects it to migrate next, from compute and infrastructure toward models, applications and physical AI.
He will address the concerns most likely to be on the minds of the room, including overextended valuations, circular financing among the AI labs, the gap between state-of-the-art capability and real end-user adoption, and the competitive threats from overseas, as well as explain why the underlying growth data doesn't yet indicate a plateau.
For CEOs allocating on behalf of clients, the session offers a framework for separating durable competitive advantage from narrative, and for judging which companies are scaling AI versus which remain in pilot mode.
How to maximize your marketing dollars
DAY 2 | 8:50AM - 9:30AM
Evaluate recent efforts to scale RIA brands, analyzing what works, what doesn't, and how to most efficiently deploy your growth capital.
The role of the CEO in a professionalized industry
DAY 2 | 9:30AM - 10:10AM
Explore what happens when firms originally defined and controlled by their founders grow into more mature businesses and how CEOs of institutional-class RIAs can lead effectively when their name isn't on the door.
Sustainable acquisition strategies
DAY 2 | 10:20AM - 11:00AM
Learn how to identify high-value M&A opportunities and maintain highly effective relationships with investment bankers.
The CEO summit of 2031
DAY 2 | 11:00AM - 11:40AM
The top questions on RIAs' minds right now revolve around AI, hiring and M&A. What will we be debating five years from now? Our panel of CEOs will put on their thinking caps and try to forecast the major industry-level trends we'll be consumed by in the future.
Speakers
DAY 1 - September 29
What's the endgame for mega-RIAs?
DAY 1 | 1:40PM - 2:20PM
Examine the potential endgame options for large RIAs, including IPOs, mega-mergers and sales to permanent capital providers like sovereign wealth funds, and unpack the questions of identity and ambition driving firms along those trajectories.
How do RIAs grow organically?
DAY 1 | 2:30PM - 3:10PM
Hear how RIAs of different sizes add clients without relying on M&A or custodial referral programs by leveraging marketing, centers of influence, and word-of-mouth.
How to future-proof your business by embedding AI
DAY 1 | 3:20PM - 4:00PM
Discover how RIAs and vendors are thinking about the implementation of AI and sifting through the noise to deliver real value to advisor tech stacks.
The pros & cons of outside capital
DAY 1 | 4:20PM - 5:00PM
Hear how top RIA CEOs evaluate outside capital, exploring both the positives and negatives, alongside the dynamics, such as succession planning, that spark these conversations.
What does a downturn look like?
DAY 1 | 5:00PM - 5:40PM
The industry is overdue for an extended market downturn. Examine how a sustained market slide will impact the industry and determine which types of firms will win—and which will lose.
DAY 2 - September 30
Keynote
DAY 2 | 8:00AM - 8:40AM
Tony Kim, Head of BlackRock's Fundamental Equities Global Technology team shares insight into the current state of AI. He addresses the questions investors are asking, for example is this a bubble, is the capex justified, and where is the ROI?
Drawing on original research and direct access to the companies building the AI stack, Tony will map where value is accruing today and where he expects it to migrate next, from compute and infrastructure toward models, applications and physical AI.
He will address the concerns most likely to be on the minds of the room, including overextended valuations, circular financing among the AI labs, the gap between state-of-the-art capability and real end-user adoption, and the competitive threats from overseas, as well as explain why the underlying growth data doesn't yet indicate a plateau.
For CEOs allocating on behalf of clients, the session offers a framework for separating durable competitive advantage from narrative, and for judging which companies are scaling AI versus which remain in pilot mode.
How to maximize your marketing dollars
DAY 2 | 8:50AM - 9:30AM
Evaluate recent efforts to scale RIA brands, analyzing what works, what doesn't, and how to most efficiently deploy your growth capital.
The role of the CEO in a professionalized industry
DAY 2 | 9:30AM - 10:10AM
Explore what happens when firms originally defined and controlled by their founders grow into more mature businesses and how CEOs of institutional-class RIAs can lead effectively when their name isn't on the door.
Sustainable acquisition strategies
DAY 2 | 10:20AM - 11:00AM
Learn how to identify high-value M&A opportunities and maintain highly effective relationships with investment bankers.
The CEO summit of 2031
DAY 2 | 11:00AM - 11:40AM
The top questions on RIAs' minds right now revolve around AI, hiring and M&A. What will we be debating five years from now? Our panel of CEOs will put on their thinking caps and try to forecast the major industry-level trends we'll be consumed by in the future.
What's the endgame for mega-RIAs?
Matt Cooper
CEO
Beacon Pointe Advisors
DAY 1 | 1:40PM - 2:20PM
Meet the rest of the speakers
What's the endgame for mega-RIAs?
DAY 1 | 1:40PM - 2:20PM
Examine the potential endgame options for large RIAs, including IPOs, mega-mergers and sales to permanent capital providers like sovereign wealth funds, and unpack the questions of identity and ambition driving firms along those trajectories.
How do RIAs grow organically?
DAY 1 | 2:30PM - 3:10PM
Hear how RIAs of different sizes add clients without relying on M&A or custodial referral programs by leveraging marketing, centers of influence, and word-of-mouth.
How to future-proof your business by embedding AI
DAY 1 | 3:20PM - 4:00PM
Discover how RIAs and vendors are thinking about the implementation of AI and sifting through the noise to deliver real value to advisor tech stacks.
The pros & cons of outside capital
DAY 1 | 4:20PM - 5:00PM
Hear how top RIA CEOs evaluate outside capital, exploring both the positives and negatives, alongside the dynamics, such as succession planning, that spark these conversations.
What does a downturn look like?
DAY 1 | 5:00PM - 5:40PM
The industry is overdue for an extended market downturn. Examine how a sustained market slide will impact the industry and determine which types of firms will win—and which will lose.
Keynote
DAY 2 | 8:00AM - 8:40AM
Tony Kim, Head of BlackRock's Fundamental Equities Global Technology team shares insight into the current state of AI. He addresses the questions investors are asking, for example is this a bubble, is the capex justified, and where is the ROI?
Drawing on original research and direct access to the companies building the AI stack, Tony will map where value is accruing today and where he expects it to migrate next, from compute and infrastructure toward models, applications and physical AI.
He will address the concerns most likely to be on the minds of the room, including overextended valuations, circular financing among the AI labs, the gap between state-of-the-art capability and real end-user adoption, and the competitive threats from overseas, as well as explain why the underlying growth data doesn't yet indicate a plateau.
For CEOs allocating on behalf of clients, the session offers a framework for separating durable competitive advantage from narrative, and for judging which companies are scaling AI versus which remain in pilot mode.
How to maximize your marketing dollars
DAY 2 | 8:50AM - 9:30AM
Evaluate recent efforts to scale RIA brands, analyzing what works, what doesn't, and how to most efficiently deploy your growth capital.
The role of the CEO in a professionalized industry
DAY 2 | 9:30AM - 10:10AM
Explore what happens when firms originally defined and controlled by their founders grow into more mature businesses and how CEOs of institutional-class RIAs can lead effectively when their name isn't on the door.
Sustainable acquisition strategies
DAY 2 | 10:20AM - 11:00AM
Learn how to identify high-value M&A opportunities and maintain highly effective relationships with investment bankers.
The CEO summit of 2031
DAY 2 | 11:00AM - 11:40AM
The top questions on RIAs' minds right now revolve around AI, hiring and M&A. What will we be debating five years from now? Our panel of CEOs will put on their thinking caps and try to forecast the major industry-level trends we'll be consumed by in the future.
What's the endgame for mega-RIAs?
Rajini Kodialam
Co-Founder Emerita
Focus Financial Partners
DAY 1 | 1:40PM - 2:20PM
Rajini is Co-Founder Emerita of Focus Financial Partners (NASDAQ: FOCS), a leading global partnership of independent fiduciary wealth management firms, where she also served as COO and Board Member.
She currently serves on the boards of StubHub (NYSE: STUB), TIFIN AG, and Longmark Group, and on the advisory board of the Langston Wealth Management Center at UT Austin’s McCombs School of Business. Earlier in her career, she held leadership roles at American Express and McKinsey & Company.
Meet the rest of the speakers
What's the endgame for mega-RIAs?
DAY 1 | 1:40PM - 2:20PM
Examine the potential endgame options for large RIAs, including IPOs, mega-mergers and sales to permanent capital providers like sovereign wealth funds, and unpack the questions of identity and ambition driving firms along those trajectories.
How do RIAs grow organically?
DAY 1 | 2:30PM - 3:10PM
Hear how RIAs of different sizes add clients without relying on M&A or custodial referral programs by leveraging marketing, centers of influence, and word-of-mouth.
How to future-proof your business by embedding AI
DAY 1 | 3:20PM - 4:00PM
Discover how RIAs and vendors are thinking about the implementation of AI and sifting through the noise to deliver real value to advisor tech stacks.
The pros & cons of outside capital
DAY 1 | 4:20PM - 5:00PM
Hear how top RIA CEOs evaluate outside capital, exploring both the positives and negatives, alongside the dynamics, such as succession planning, that spark these conversations.
What does a downturn look like?
DAY 1 | 5:00PM - 5:40PM
The industry is overdue for an extended market downturn. Examine how a sustained market slide will impact the industry and determine which types of firms will win—and which will lose.
Keynote
DAY 2 | 8:00AM - 8:40AM
Tony Kim, Head of BlackRock's Fundamental Equities Global Technology team shares insight into the current state of AI. He addresses the questions investors are asking, for example is this a bubble, is the capex justified, and where is the ROI?
Drawing on original research and direct access to the companies building the AI stack, Tony will map where value is accruing today and where he expects it to migrate next, from compute and infrastructure toward models, applications and physical AI.
He will address the concerns most likely to be on the minds of the room, including overextended valuations, circular financing among the AI labs, the gap between state-of-the-art capability and real end-user adoption, and the competitive threats from overseas, as well as explain why the underlying growth data doesn't yet indicate a plateau.
For CEOs allocating on behalf of clients, the session offers a framework for separating durable competitive advantage from narrative, and for judging which companies are scaling AI versus which remain in pilot mode.
How to maximize your marketing dollars
DAY 2 | 8:50AM - 9:30AM
Evaluate recent efforts to scale RIA brands, analyzing what works, what doesn't, and how to most efficiently deploy your growth capital.
The role of the CEO in a professionalized industry
DAY 2 | 9:30AM - 10:10AM
Explore what happens when firms originally defined and controlled by their founders grow into more mature businesses and how CEOs of institutional-class RIAs can lead effectively when their name isn't on the door.
Sustainable acquisition strategies
DAY 2 | 10:20AM - 11:00AM
Learn how to identify high-value M&A opportunities and maintain highly effective relationships with investment bankers.
The CEO summit of 2031
DAY 2 | 11:00AM - 11:40AM
The top questions on RIAs' minds right now revolve around AI, hiring and M&A. What will we be debating five years from now? Our panel of CEOs will put on their thinking caps and try to forecast the major industry-level trends we'll be consumed by in the future.
What's the endgame for mega-RIAs?
John Euart
Partner
McKinsey & Company
DAY 1 | 1:40PM - 2:20PM
Meet the rest of the speakers
What's the endgame for mega-RIAs?
DAY 1 | 1:40PM - 2:20PM
Examine the potential endgame options for large RIAs, including IPOs, mega-mergers and sales to permanent capital providers like sovereign wealth funds, and unpack the questions of identity and ambition driving firms along those trajectories.
How do RIAs grow organically?
DAY 1 | 2:30PM - 3:10PM
Hear how RIAs of different sizes add clients without relying on M&A or custodial referral programs by leveraging marketing, centers of influence, and word-of-mouth.
How to future-proof your business by embedding AI
DAY 1 | 3:20PM - 4:00PM
Discover how RIAs and vendors are thinking about the implementation of AI and sifting through the noise to deliver real value to advisor tech stacks.
The pros & cons of outside capital
DAY 1 | 4:20PM - 5:00PM
Hear how top RIA CEOs evaluate outside capital, exploring both the positives and negatives, alongside the dynamics, such as succession planning, that spark these conversations.