Corient Strengthens West Coast Presence with the Addition of Palo Alto Advisory Business

MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Corient, the nation’s largest and fastest-growing wealth advisor focused on ultra-high and high-net-worth investors, today announced the acquisition of the business of Palo Alto Wealth Advisors, a Palo Alto, California-based registered investment advisor with $766.7 million in assets under management.

The transaction deepens Corient’s presence in California and reinforces its growing footprint in Silicon Valley. Founded by Ryan Schmidt and Nate Blair, Palo Alto Wealth Advisors delivered comprehensive, tailored advice to meet the complex requirements of technology professionals and their families. As part of the transaction, the Palo Alto team members have joined Corient.

“Corient has deep expertise serving founders and entrepreneurs, including a substantial number of technology leaders,” said Kurt MacAlpine, Partner and Chief Executive Officer of Corient. “The Palo Alto team shares that focus and brings additional depth that strengthens our leadership in the space. Their culture, experience and client-first approach make them an exceptional addition to the Corient Partnership, and I’m thrilled to welcome them.”

“Corient’s partnership model gives us the best of both worlds,” said Ryan Schmidt, Partner at Palo Alto Wealth Advisors. “We maintain our client-focused, fiduciary approach while gaining access to deeper expertise and broader capabilities – including tax, trust, and family office services – that meaningfully enhance how we can serve technology entrepreneurs and their families.”

Corient operates as a fiduciary, fee-only wealth management firm under a unique private partnership model, similar to those used by leading professional services firms. The structure gives clients access to the full breadth of expertise and resources across Corient rather than depending on a single advisor. Since its founding in 2020, Corient has grown to include more than 260 partners and over 1,300 employees managing approximately $218 billion on behalf of ultra-high- and high-net-worth individuals, families and businesses across the United States.

About Corient

Corient Private Wealth LLC is an integrated national U.S. wealth management firm providing comprehensive solutions to ultra-high-net-worth and high-net-worth clients. We combine the personal service, creativity and objective advice of a boutique with the power of an exclusive network of experienced advisors, capabilities and solutions to create a profoundly different wealth experience. As fiduciaries, we put our clients at the center of everything we do. We focus on exceeding expectations, simplifying lives and establishing lasting legacies. Headquartered in Miami, Corient has offices across the United States. For more information, visit corient.com.

All data as of December 31, 2025 unless otherwise indicated. Corient client assets are as of September 30, 2025, and reflect the aggregate assets of Corient Holdings Inc. (“Holdings”), Corient Private Wealth LLC’s upstream U.S. holding company. Client assets include the assets in which Holdings has a majority or minority investment in the U.S. Certain assets are not considered Regulatory Assets Under Management, as defined by the SEC and reported in Corient Private Wealth LLC’s Form ADV.