Chief Compliance & Risk Leader

People Moves:
Hightower Hires Compliance Head from Edelman

In addition, LPL hires a corporate strategy head from Edward Jones, Vanguard assigns its personal investor division to its advice and wealth head, and Envestnet hires a chief marketing officer.

Hightower Advisors, the Chicago-based registered investment advisor with $350.3 billion in client assets, has hired Bob Lavigne from Edelman Financial Engines to be chief compliance officer of parent firm Hightower Holdings.

In the newly created role, Lavigne will spearhead the firm’s compliance program, regulatory strategy and risk governance for its network of advisors and its broker/dealer, Hightower Securities, the RIA announced Monday. Claire Gorman, currently chief compliance officer for Hightower Advisors, will remain in her role, according a spokesperson.

Lavigne joins after having a similar role as vice president and chief compliance officer at Hightower competitor Edelman Financial Engines, which has more than $308 billion in client assets. That RIA appointed Ralph Haberli as its new CEO last October, following the resignation of Jay Shahin May 2023.

Lavigne had been with Edelman for a little under three years, having previously worked in compliance and risk at firms including VALIC Financial Advisors, Kaufman Rossin and the Bates Group.

“Bob is an accomplished leader whose experience, judgment and collaborative approach make him well-suited for Hightower’s continued growth,” Restieri said in a statement. “His work helping advisors navigate an increasingly dynamic regulatory environment aligns with our intention to modernize our compliance program.”

LPL Financial, the San Diego-based independent broker/dealer with servicing and custody of about $2.3 trillion in brokerage and advisory assets, has hired an executive vice president of corporate strategy in a newly created role geared toward growth opportunities.

Ilan Davidovici left Edward Jones to take the role leading LPL’s corporate strategy team that works across the broker/dealer to set priorities and consider growth opportunities, the firm announced Monday. He will report to Chief Growth Officer Marc Cohen, according to a spokesperson.

Davidovici was a principal and general partner at Edward Jones, where he led client and branch experience management for over six years. Before that, he had been global head of wealth and asset management at Salesforce, and wealth management practice leader at consultancy Deloitte.

“Ilan’s deep expertise in strategy, digital transformation and client experience will be instrumental as we advance our long-term vision and accelerate enterprise growth,” Cohen said in a statement.

Vanguard is expanding the role of its head of advice and wealth management to include oversight of its personal investor division after the former head left for a chief executive position in the United Kingdom.

Managing Director Joanna Rotenberg, who has been leading advice and wealth, will assume an expanded role managing Vanguard’s direct-to-investor business as the firm continues to invest and grow in these areas.

The move comes as Matt Benchener, who had led the personal investor division for five years, left to be chief executive of Bristol, U.K.

-based retail investment platform Hargreaves Lansdown. He will replace interim CEO Richard Flint, who will move to a new role on the board as deputy chair, according to the firm.

Vanguard hired Rotenberg from Fidelity Investments at the start of 2025, where she was president of personal investing, leading the firm’s retirement, brokerage and wealth management businesses, according to an announcement at the time. With her hiring, Vanguard established a new advice and wealth management division, which it said was among the firm's fastest-growing offerings.

“These businesses serve individuals across the investment spectrum,fromfirst-time investors and savers to individuals and families navigating more complex financial needs, including estate or tax planning,” the Valley Forge,…