Klingenstein Fields & Company

James Williams serves as President and CEO, leading the firm's overall strategy and investment posture. He works alongside Co-Founder and Co-Chairman Kenneth Fields, who represents the founding generation's continuity. The firm's investment committee structure and asset-allocation decisions are overseen internally as an RIA, meaning all portfolio construction must adhere to a fiduciary standard. Jonathan Roberts, former Investment Adviser Association Chair, previously shaped the firm's governance disciplines.

The firm is operationally linked to the Esther A. and Joseph Klingenstein Fund, where Andrew Klingenstein serves as CEO and Trustee. The Fund directs significant support to the Klingenstein Center at Teachers College, Columbia University. While the family office and the philanthropic fund are legally distinct entities, they share family governance and long-term strategic coordination. This integration allows the wealth advisory to deeply embed philanthropic planning into multi-generational client strategies.

It operates as a registered multi-family office and RIA, formally structured as Klingenstein Fields Advisors. The multi-family form traces back to its 1989 founding, combining the Klingenstein and Fields families into a shared platform. It has since extended its services to external high-net-worth families, individuals, and institutions. This distinguishes it from a pure single-family office that solely manages one family's captive capital.

The firm's strategy spans both fund commitments and direct investments. Its allocation includes hedge funds and private credit, typically accessed through fund structures. For venture capital, it targets direct co-investments and early-stage to growth-stage exposures, with a particular focus on Healthcare Services, Consumer Tech, and Enterprise Software. The balance between fund-of-funds, SPVs, and direct company stakes is adjusted internally by the investment committee.

The Klingenstein family's wealth originated from the family's prominent role at Wertheim & Co., a storied Wall Street investment bank. Kenneth Fields brought his own financial-services background to the partnership, solidifying the multi-family architecture. This joint legacy — combining two principal lineages — forms the foundation of the firm's identity and its multi-family RIA model.

Yes. President and CEO James Williams is a member of the Young Presidents' Organization (YPO), providing access to a global network of chief executives. The firm also maintains strong ties to the Investment Adviser Association, with Jonathan Roberts having chaired its Board of Governors. Several team members hold CFA charters and participate in CFA Society New York, reinforcing a culture that prizes institutional standards.

The San Francisco presence, located in the Embarcadero Center, places the firm within reach of Bay Area technology and venture deal flow. While New York remains its headquarters and hub for hedge fund and private credit relationships, the West Coast office supports sourcing for its Consumer Tech and Enterprise Software mandates. This bicoastal footprint allows the advisory to evaluate early-stage and growth-stage tech companies alongside top-tier venture capitalists.