Retirement industry people moves - 9/25/2026. Sage Mountain names Danica Griffith chief growth officer; Edward Jones hires Vanguard's data chief; Mercer Advisors announces new chief platform officer; and more. Reported by Sage Mountain names Danica Griffith chief growth officer. Sage Mountain Advisors LLC, an independent registered investment adviser based in Atlanta, appointed Danica Griffith as chief growth officer, a newly created role. Griffith will oversee the firm's growth strategy, recruitment efforts and advisory team. Griffith joins the firm after nearly seven years at PNC, where she most recently served as executive vice president and chief risk and change officer. Earlier in her career, she spent more than a decade at Goldman Sachs, where she worked in private wealth management. She earned a bachelor's degree from Harvard University and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Sage Mountain, founded in 2018, reported advising on more than $8 billion in assets as of June 30. Edward Jones hires Vanguard's data chief. Ryan Swann joined Edward Jones Investments as the firm's chief data officer, following more than five years as Vanguard's principal and chief data analytics officer. Swann announced the appointment on LinkedIn on Monday. "Edward Jones has an outstanding reputation for putting clients first, and I couldn't be more excited to partner with such a talented, client-focused team to drive value, innovation, and impact through data and [artificial intelligence] in this next chapter," Swann wrote in a post. Prior to Vanguard, Swann served as chief data officer at Collibra and head of data management and governance at E*Trade, according to his LinkedIn profile. Mercer Advisors announces new chief platform officer. Mercer Global Advisors Inc., a registered investment adviser, appointed Cynthia Loh as chief platform officer, a newly created executive role. Loh will serve on the firm's executive leadership team and oversee a platform organization spanning technology, digital products, design and operations. Loh joins Mercer with more than two decades of experience in wealth management and financial technology. Most recently, she served as senior vice president and head of Beyond the Card at Capital One. Previously, she was head of product for Goldman Sachs' workplace wealth business; and held leadership roles at Charles Schwab, where she oversaw the Schwab Intelligent Portfolios platform; and at Betterment, where she helped launch the firm's 401(k) business. Earlier in her career, she held positions at PIMCO and Merrill Lynch. According to the announcement, Loh will help lead the continued development of Aspen, the firm's technology platform, which recently added artificial intelligence capabilities to adviser and client workflows. EP Wealth appoints new CFO. EP Wealth Advisors appointed John McConnell as chief financial officer and promoted Erin Voisin to chief client solutions officer as part of a series of executive and leadership changes. McConnell joins EP Wealth with more than 20 years of experience in corporate finance and investing. Most recently, he served as CFO of Crisp, a retail data company. At EP Wealth, he will oversee the firm's finance function and support financial planning and acquisition integration efforts. Voisin will help lead client service initiatives. EP Wealth reported managing $50.4 billion in assets under management as of August 31, 2026. Composition Wealth appoints 2 new leaders. Composition Wealth LLC, a registered investment adviser, appointed Gabrielle Glemann as general counsel and chief compliance officer and Joe Salcido as head of advisers. Glemann will oversee the firm's legal and compliance functions. She joins Composition Wealth from Cercano Management, where she served as general counsel and partner. Previously, she was director of legal and compliance at BlackRock and worked at the law firms Stoel Rives LLP and Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP. Salcido will work with advisers on business development and practice management initiatives. Before joining Composition Wealth, he spent nearly 10 years at Edelman Financial Engines, most recently as regional director of wealth planning. Earlier in his career, he held sales, trading and operations leadership roles at Vanguard. Composition Wealth reported more than $12 billion in assets and 125 employees nationwide. Aon appoints global chief commercial officer. Aon PLC, a professional services firm, has appointed Jane Drummond as global chief commercial officer, effective January 1, 2027. Drummond will report to Andy Marcell, deputy CEO and senior executive vice president of risk capital and human capital, and serve as a member of Aon's Chicago-based executive committee. Drummond will succeed Anne Corona, who was named CEO of North America for Aon in March. Drummond will lead Aon's global market strategy, sales and growth across global solution lines and lead its global growth committee. Drummond joined the firm in 2009 and brings more than 25 years of industry experience to the role.

EP Wealth Advisors acquires Opes Wealth Management. EP Wealth Advisors has expanded its Northern California footprint through the acquisition of Menlo Park-based Opes Wealth Management, adding more than $900 million in assets under management and strengthening its presence in Silicon Valley. Founded in 2005, Opes was built to combine real estate and wealth management expertise within a single firm, drawing on founder Mark Duvall's background in West Coast real estate development. Erin Whalen later joined the firm and helped expand its investment management and financial planning capabilities. The team also has extensive experience serving technology professionals, including Apple and Google employees, throughout Silicon Valley. Opes built its business around a planning-first approach that closely aligns with EP Wealth's philosophy. Eight team members will join EP Wealth, with Duvall and Whalen serving as regional directors. The partnership will expand the team's capabilities, create additional career opportunities, and establish another region for EP Wealth in Northern California, where the firm has maintained a presence since 2013. "From the beginning, Opes has been built around the belief that clients are best served through integrated advice," said Duvall. "As we considered the next chapter for our firm, it was important to find a partner that shared that philosophy and commitment to putting clients first. EP Wealth offers the resources to enhance our business for the future." "Joining EP Wealth represents an exciting opportunity to build on the values that have defined Opes for decades," said Whalen. "Together, we'll be able to offer even greater capabilities while preserving the personalised guidance and trusted relationships our clients have come to expect." "We could not be more excited to welcome Opes Wealth to the EP family," said Kyle Miller, chief M&A partnership officer at EP Wealth. "Opes Wealth represents exactly the type of firm we are excited to partner with client-first, growth-oriented, and culturally aligned with EP. We have tremendous respect for what the team has built and are excited to provide additional resources, scale, and support as they continue to grow and serve clients at the highest level." "Opes has built an outstanding reputation by helping clients navigate complex financial decisions with thoughtful, integrated advice," said Ryan Parker, CEO of EP Wealth. "The team is committed to delivering comprehensive guidance and fostering enduring client relationships. We are excited to welcome the entire Opes team to EP Wealth as we continue to grow with firms that share our values and expand the ways we serve clients and their families." Alaris Acquisitions, an M&A advisory firm specialising exclusively in the wealth management industry, served as advisor to Opes in the transaction. This marks EP Wealth's fifth partnership of 2026 and further expands the firm's presence across Northern California. Financial and legal terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Re-disseminated by Wealth and Society

EP Wealth, a California-based registered investment adviser, has acquired Opes Wealth Management, a Menlo Park firm with over $900 million in assets under management. This marks EP Wealth's fifth deal of 2025, bringing its Bay Area presence to approximately $6 billion in assets. Founded in 2005, Opes specialises in serving technology executives and clients with significant real estate holdings. The firm's eight team members, led by Mark Duvall and Erin Whalen, will join EP Wealth as regional directors. EP Wealth aims to provide Opes with family office services and enhanced planning capabilities, leveraging its 45-strong planning team. The deal follows EP Wealth's recent launch of a cash-based incentive programme for non-shareholder employees. Alaris Acquisitions advised Opes on the transaction.