AllianceBernstein (AB) has announced that President Onur Erzan will add the chief executive title on April 1, 2027, succeeding Seth Bernstein, who will retire from the role on March 31, 2027, after nearly a decade at the helm. Bernstein will remain on AB's board of directors. The announcement came on Friday, capping a week of notable personnel moves across the wealth management industry, including at Broadridge, Wedbush Securities, and Alaris Acquisitions.
Erzan, a former McKinsey & Company senior partner who co-led the firm's Wealth & Asset Management practice, joined AB in 2021. He became president in January and has been credited with driving the launch of AB's active ETF lineup, the creation of an integrated insurance-asset management unit, and the expansion of private credit and retirement income offerings. He also oversees Bernstein Private Wealth Management, which accounts for $169 billion of AB's $919 billion in assets under management as of Aug. 31.
Erzan has served on the management committee of Equitable Holdings, AB's parent company, since 2021. Upon the completion of Equitable's pending merger with Corebridge Financial, he will join the combined company's leadership team under CEO Marc Costantini. Mark Pearson, CEO of Equitable Holdings, praised Erzan's experience across asset management and insurance, noting the firm's unique position amid rapid industry change.
In a separate move, Broadridge Financial Solutions named Boaz Lahovitsky as president of wealth management, effective Wednesday. He replaces Mike Alexander, who will remain with the company to focus on strategic initiatives. Lahovitsky previously served as managing director of Personal Advisors at J.P. Morgan, where he built the bank's hybrid-advice model for mass-affluent clients, combining fiduciary human advice with digital platforms. His career also includes leadership roles at Vanguard, Citi, Genpact, UBS, and Booz Allen Hamilton. Tom Carey, Broadridge's global head of product and technology, highlighted Lahovitsky's expertise in advice, technology, and client engagement as key to the firm's next chapter.
Wedbush Securities added Jim McDermott as managing director, investments, in its Chicago wealth management division. McDermott, a 30-year veteran, joins from Osaic Wealth and has previously worked at Wells Fargo Advisors, Oppenheimer & Co., Morgan Stanley, and Prudential Financial. Chris Mone, Wedbush's executive vice president and head of wealth management, said the hire supports the firm's Midwest expansion. Jon Underkofler, senior vice president and market area manager, noted Chicago's importance as a wealth management hub.
Alaris Acquisitions, a Charlotte-based sell-side M&A advisor to wealth firms, appointed Natasha Pfeiffer as managing director and head of buyer strategy. Pfeiffer, who spent nearly two decades advising on transactions, most recently served as chief legal officer and corporate secretary at SageView Advisory Group, where she helped steer the firm through Creative Planning's acquisition in 2025. Earlier, she was a senior legal director at Goldman Sachs, leading the integration of United Capital's retail wealth business. Pfeiffer is Alaris's third senior hire this year, following Jon Dubravac and Tony Leonard.
These moves reflect a broader trend of firms bolstering leadership to navigate evolving client expectations and technological shifts. For more on recent executive appointments, see Mercer Advisors' new platform chief and Hightower's leadership reshuffle. Additionally, Broadridge's digital asset platform and record advisor moves highlight the industry's momentum.
