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Oisin Breen

Oisin Breen

Irish journalist, poet, and academic Oisín Breen has spent the last half decade writing about finance for RIABiz, in particular deep-sea diving into the world of RIAs -- a world he now can't get enough of. Prior to writing for RIABiz, Edinburgh-based Breen was a jobbing FX and equities writer, a teacher, and a sales manager. Three times award nominated for financial and creative writing, Breen is also published as a poet across 95 journals in 20 countries. His debut "Flowers, All Sorts Forgotten, Figs, Berries and Fruits Forgotten" (Dreich, 2022) was widely praised. The follow-up "Lilies on the Deathbed of Étaín" is due out Jan. 2022 (Beir Bua Press). A part-time PhD candidate at the University of Edinburgh, Breen also is mired in doctoral research into the structure of narrative, a task he pursues with the support of his rabbit Hessell.

Articles written by Oisin Breen


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Jason Wenk: Contrary to what people think, [RIA custody] is very lucrative.
April 13, 2023 at 11:31 PM

Mariner Wealth has five stories to its headquarters, one for each $20 billion of AUA.

After leap to $110 billion AUA, Marty Bicknell sets hard date for Mariner to hit 5,000 advisors predicted by wife and COO Cheryl

The CEO of the Overland Park, Kan. RIA -- in keeping with her San Diego bomb drop -- is ramping up to add 4,000 mostly 1099 advisors -- putting a target on LPL Financial, OSJs and other IBDs.

April 12, 2023 at 1:36 AM

Brian Hamburger [and Shirl Penney]: Some investors in prior rounds were invited to participate.

The broad spectrum friendship of Brian Hamburger and Shirl Penney now includes sharing most of a $5-million bet into proving that SmartRIA lives up to its straight-A name

The principals of MarketCounsel and Dynasty Financial go all-in on software that keeps RIAs all good with the SEC -- without being all-consumed by an unrelenting task.

April 11, 2023 at 1:29 AM

Scott MacKillop: I may be a bit of a freak of nature, but I still like climbing big mountains.

Scott MacKillop got his flat-fee startup to $1.4 billion in eight years, negotiated its sale over nine months and largely got friends and family investors cashed out

The First Ascent sale means the Denver-based founder's second ascent as head of a GeoWealth holding won't be beset with worry about cash burn, not least because free GeoWealth software puts it into the black -- and makes it more of a TAMP than an investment manager

April 5, 2023 at 8:05 PM

Charles 'Chuck' Schwab and Walt Bettinger: Focusing on ‘unrealized losses’ is very misleading.

Schwab assures it has financial muscle to shrug off billions of dollars in unrealized bank losses, but interest rate blunder exposes vulnerability if Fed hikes continue, analysts say

An estimated 16,000 RIAs with $3.3 trillion assets custodied at Schwab Advisor Services should be insulated from any calamity at bank subsidary.

March 30, 2023 at 3:48 AM

Manish Khatta:  Legacy custodians don’t have the flexibility around custom technology.

Manish Khatta gives Schwab and Fidelity 'A' grade -- and a backseat -- after Altruist gets A+ to win the RIA inflows to his $750-million TAMP

After Fidelity discontinued DocuSign API and uncertainties rose at Schwab, Potomac Fund Management's CEO spent nine months vetting RIA custodians

March 28, 2023 at 4:44 AM

Larry Fink didn't not get Credit Suisse added to BlackRock's trophy case because, maybe, it didn't try.

Biz Briefs: Vanguard's tax-loss harvest yields a caveat• Vermont green with envy ... of red states? • CFP Board spends $12 million on bungee metaphor • BlackRock isn't neutral on Credit Suisse • Women are the Goliath of 'David' in UK finance

Tax-loss harvest gains may have some home assembly required, says Jeff DeMaso • Adrian Johnstone is now in the driving seat at Practifi • CFP Board spending just topped $150 million • and Vermont shares some Texas thinking on ESG investing.

March 25, 2023 at 1:32 AM

Raj Udeshi: I wish we [invested] a little more instead of being too safe.

The RIA world's provacateur, Raj Udeshi, left Orion to go 'nuts,' bears no grudges after the Riskalyze assault, and reveals his one regret was taking too little risk

Now in Kern County, Calif. the HiddenLevers founder, 45, is growing pistachios for 'single-digit' returns and maintains a great relationship with Eric Clarke and Orion.

March 22, 2023 at 1:48 AM

Joe Lonsdale: Opto's marketplace helps RIAs 'preserve and grow client capital.'

Biz Briefs: Fidelity says humans beat robots, even for Gen Z • Joe Lonsdale's Opto starts signing RIA test-drivers • Vanguard launches oddly delayed fund • Wealthbox hires, and Dynasty buys

Fidelity wins Delta Airlines business with sweetener • Opto pairs-up with Riskalyze and Merchant • Moonfare raises $15 million • CAIS bucks real estate trend • Vanguard launches "curious[ly]" delayed fund • WealthBox, Dynasty, and others buy and hire.

March 8, 2023 at 3:28 AM

Dan Moisand arrives with a plan, a mandate and a population bomb of CFPs who are all above average.

The CFP Board's RIA faction sees the 100,000-member mark looming and hits back at brokerwashing; Dan Moisand is tasked with forming new division largely aimed at abusive brokers and other charlatans

Moisand, an RIA owner who has been named the new board chairman, will seek to quell an RIA uprising without losing a giant revenue source -- FINRA brokers who come with implicit 'suitability' issues

March 7, 2023 at 12:24 AM

Julian Lopez: I'm close to Kelly [Smith].We worked together.

Another RIA whisperer, Julian Lopez, has left Schwab Advisor Services after 24 years to join LPL, which he sees as more advisor-focused and 'entrepreneurial'

The Houston executive, like Kelly Smith in Chicago, was considered a key service talent for RIAs though Lopez says his circumstances differ.

February 23, 2023 at 8:14 AM

Sarah Levy: Today’s actions ensure we can control our destiny and execute against our long-term strategic plan.

Sarah Levy makes second unpopular decision at Betterment in two months after showing forbearance her first two years as CEO

The Betterment executive raised prices last month, and she's cutting staff this month to buy time to execute the robo-advisor's strategic pivot to RIA servicing.

February 17, 2023 at 4:25 PM

Fidelity's plan to hire 4,000 by July is perhaps captured by this picture of exactly 4,000 though our square formatting shaves more than 1,000 from view on the wings.

Fidelity will hire 4,000 staff in first half -- a staggering number but a tapering off from 'unprecedented' rate in 2021-2022 that catapulted it to 68,000 employees

The $10.3 trillion giant explains its hiring -- in a layoff environment -- as an RIA-like goal, namely having the human bandwidth to develop 'lifetime' relationships with its 40 million investors

February 17, 2023 at 2:49 AM

Fidelity is seeking to chill would-be brand pirates seeking to capitalize on the foggy rules of metaverse commerce.

Fidelity files for vast trademark protection as it readies Fidelity 3.0 for the Wild West metaverse -- whatever and wherever it may be

The Boston giant wants to sell in the three-dimensional world, but it wants the U.S. government to confirm its can still win in a real court on brand infringement if all that green pops into 3-D.

February 16, 2023 at 4:14 AM

Fidelity's poach of Kelly Smith from Schwab Advisor Services left former colleagues frustrated.

Fidelity lands RIA whisperer from Schwab in a coup, apparently using quality-of-life perks as lure

Kelly Smith chose the Boston rival for greater flexibility, better pay and a chance to move upmarket to sell family office services to RIAs that mix with the ultra-high-net-worth elite.

February 10, 2023 at 3:39 AM

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