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Robertson Stephens
Robertson Stephens launched in 2013, building a multi-city wealth management platform that now stretches from San Francisco to Rhode Island. The firm recruits...
Robertson Stephens
Robertson Stephens launched in 2013, building a multi-city wealth management platform that now stretches from San Francisco to Rhode Island. The firm recruits seasoned advisors from family offices, boutique wealth managers, and global private banks, aiming to offer institutional-quality portfolio construction to high-net-worth individuals, multi-generational families, and entrepreneurs navigating liquidity events. The firm's investment approach balances long-term capital preservation with thematic and alternative exposures. Publicly, CIO Stuart Katz has emphasized a three-part resilience framework: capital preservation via asset-allocation discipline, thematic returns targeting trends such as digital infrastructure and healthcare innovation, and alternative strategies that embed managers with the capacity to control or influence company outcomes. The firm's portfolio tools include in-house strategies, external fund selection, and direct indexing, while its planning practice covers wealth transfer, executive stock option liquidation, and crypto-asset exit planning. Robertson Stephens services clients from offices in California, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Texas, Idaho, and Rhode Island, among other locations. In Q2 2024, the firm expanded through the acquisition of Three Points Financial, adding advisory capacity and client relationships. While the firm does not publicly disclose total assets under management or aggregate deployment, its footprint across 14 states and its continued recruitment of experienced teams signal a strategy of steady geographic and talent-based expansion rather than a single-family anchor. Structurally, Robertson Stephens functions as a fiduciary, fee-only registered investment advisor rather than a single-family office or a broker-dealer. That regulatory posture shapes how it sources product — it does not manufacture proprietary investment vehicles but instead assembles portfolios across public and private markets using third-party managers and internally designed strategies. This open-architecture design distinguishes it from bank-owned wealth managers whose incentives tie to proprietary funds.
General information
Firm type
Bank / Wealth / Trust
Year founded
2013
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
San Francisco
Corporate office
455 Market Street, Suite 1600, San Francisco, CA 94105, United States
Additional offices
New York, NY · Boston, MA · Westport, CT · Austin, TX · Sun Valley, ID · Rhode Island
Principals
Stuart Katz
Chief Investment Officer
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Robertson Stephens?
Stuart Katz serves as Chief Investment Officer and sets the firm's investment strategy. He has articulated a portfolio construction framework built around capital preservation, thematic returns, and alternative strategies. The firm's advisors then tailor asset allocations to individual client financial plans, drawing on both in-house strategies and external fund managers.
Is Robertson Stephens a single-family office or a multi-family wealth manager?
Robertson Stephens operates as a multi-family wealth manager and registered investment advisor, not a single-family office. It serves high-net-worth individuals, multi-generational families, business owners, and entrepreneurs from offices in 14 states. The firm's advisors come from family office, private bank, and boutique wealth management backgrounds.
Does Robertson Stephens use proprietary investment products?
No. Robertson Stephens employs an open-architecture model, constructing client portfolios using a combination of in-house investment strategies and external third-party fund managers. As a fiduciary, it does not manufacture proprietary funds, which it argues reduces product-push conflicts common at bank-owned wealth managers.
What investment approach does Robertson Stephens use for client portfolios?
The firm's CIO has detailed a three-pillar resilience framework: capital preservation through deliberate asset allocation, thematic exposure to durable trends such as digital infrastructure and healthcare innovation, and alternative strategies that utilize active managers who can influence company outcomes. The firm also offers direct indexing and ESG integration for clients pursuing sustainability mandates.
Does Robertson Stephens handle tax and estate planning alongside investments?
Yes. The firm provides financial, tax, and estate planning services, often coordinating with third-party specialists. The planning practice covers wealth transfer, exit planning for business owners, and liquidation of stock options and crypto assets. This planning capability is integrated with its investment management offering.
What was the significance of the Three Points Financial acquisition?
In Q2 2024, Robertson Stephens acquired Three Points Financial, a move that extended its advisory capacity and added new client relationships. The transaction aligns with the firm's broader strategy of growing through selective team lift-outs and acquisitions rather than a single-family anchor or institutional fundraise.
Where does Robertson Stephens maintain physical offices?
The firm's headquarters sits at 455 Market Street in San Francisco, with additional offices confirmed in New York, Boston, Westport, Austin, Sun Valley, and Rhode Island. The firm holds registrations enabling it to serve clients in at least 14 states, including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming.
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