Focus Financial to Merge Colony with Buckingham Strategic Wealth 

Focus Financial Partners announced the merger of two of its partner firms, Buckingham Strategic Wealth and The Colony Group, to form an RIA with over $50 billion in assets. 

Adam Birenbaum, currently Buckingham chairman and CEO, will serve as the combined company’s new CEO, and Michael Nathanson, currently Colony and Focus CEO, will serve solely as CEO of Focus. 

Following the transaction, Buckingham Strategic Partners, a turnkey asset management platform, will continue to be led by Birenbaum, with Jonathan Scheid as president. 

“The decision to unify these two industry-leading firms is an exciting one, and we cannot wait to see what Colony and Buckingham will accomplish when they join forces,” said Michael Nathanson, CEO of Focus. “Together, the combined firm will represent nearly 1,200 employees, more than 90 office locations, and tens of thousands of clients.” 

Nathanson was appointed president of Focus in February, after former CEO Rudy Adolf stepped down at the end of 2023 after two decades in the role. 

This transaction comes on the heels of other recent growth for Colony, including being joined by GW & Wade and InterOcean Capital. 

The Colony Group oversees roughly $21.4 billion in assets under management, Buckingham, which joined Focus as a partner firm in 2007, managed $30.11 billion in regulatory assets under management or administration as of March 31, 2024. With Buckingham Strategic Partners, it collectively manages or administers over $70 billion of assets.