F2 Strategy announced Tuesday that it appointed former Orion executive Ryan Beach as its new CEO, succeeding Doug Fritz, the consultancy firm’s Co-Founder, who is shifting to the role of Executive Chairman. In the Executive Chairman role, Fritz will focus on strategic initiatives and client engagements, according to F2.
The recruitment of Beach is the latest in a series of strategic personnel additions by F2 that also included Laura Korbel being named President in 2023 and Jay Halbert becoming Chief Financial Officer in April, a newly created position at the firm.
F2 has expanded in the last 18 months, after a majority investment from private equity firm Renovus Capital Partners. That growth “necessitated the strategic addition of top industry talent to the leadership team to sustain F2’s strong momentum,” according to a press release.
“We couldn’t be happier that Ryan has agreed to come on board at F2,” said Fritz. “We’ve already exceeded our aggressive growth targets, and Ryan has the exact experience we need to help fuel the next stage of our evolution. His leadership as CEO will allow me to focus on what I’m most passionate about—working hands-on with our clients and shaping the future of the industry.”
Beach served almost 13 years at Orion in executive technology and wealth management roles, including Chief Operating Officer and President of Orion Wealth Management, and was involved in the firm’s M&A initiatives.
“I’ve long admired F2 Strategy’s thoughtful approach to helping the wealth management industry adapt to a rapid pace of change,” said Beach. “During my time at Orion, I saw firsthand the value F2 brought as a partner, delivering innovative solutions and real-world insights.”
Beach is “committed to transforming financial services by leveraging disruptive technologies, improving operational efficiency and delivering value to clients and stakeholders alike,” according to F2.
“This is an exciting time for F2 Strategy, and Ryan is the right leader to guide the company through its next phase of growth,” according to Lee Minkoff, Managing Director at Renovus. “His experience at a large organization like Orion equips him to strengthen operations and build on the strong foundation that Doug and Liz [Fritz, Co-Founder] created.”
F2 opened a new headquarters in Chicago last year and has offices in New York and St. Louis.
The firm has more than 100 employees, 3,600 consultants, and serves a client base representing over $3.8 trillion in assets under management (AUM), it said.
Jeff Berman, Contributing Editor and Reporter at Wealth Solutions Report, can be reached at jberman@wealthsolutionsreport.com.
