In wealth management, the investment function of a firm is critical to the core mission of serving clients because firms must ensure that clients receive the expertise of good investment leadership, whether from inside or outside the firm. Investment leadership is more complex today than ever, with constant innovation and changes in products, services and economic conditions.
Becoming an exceptional chief investment officer requires the ability to absorb troves of information, make decisions across a broad range of products and portfolios, and engage clients and prospects with clear and concise analyses.
For our second annual CIO 5: Top Wealth Management CIOs, we searched the industry for outstanding investment leaders with histories demonstrating market expertise and dedication to the industry, recognition and reputation as wealth management leaders, and a positive impact on the development of the investment and wealth management arenas.
The honorees’ names are set out alphabetically below. Please join us in congratulating them.
Neil Blundell, CIO, CAIS Advisors, And Head of Investments, CAIS
Neil Blundell serves as the CIO of CAIS Advisors and Head of Investments at CAIS, where he supported the development and launch of Compass, a portfolio construction tool that allows advisors to create and analyze asset allocations with alternative investments.
Blundell was previously the Global Head of Client Solutions and Alternatives for the Investment Solutions team at Invesco, where he led the development and management of over $95 billion in customized multi-asset investment strategies spanning both traditional and alternative solutions. Prior to Invesco, Blundell spent over 10 years at BlackRock as a Managing Director, first as Head of Hedge Fund Investment Strategies, then as Alternatives Platform Head.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Miami.
As growth stabilizes and inflation moderates, Blundell sees strengthening tailwinds for alternatives. “Private credit expands amid bank retrenchment, while private equity remains cautiously active and real assets see greater selectivity,” Blundell noted. “Advisors increasingly adopt alternatives in portfolios, and asset managers leverage wealth as a key distribution force, driven by ongoing structural innovation and rising adoption across the market.”
Matt Dmytryszyn, CIO, Miracle Mile Advisors
Matt Dmytryszyn oversees all aspects of Miracle Mile Advisors’ investment strategy for over $7.5 billion in assets under management (AUM). As CIO, he chairs the firm’s investment committee, directs its research agenda and is responsible for portfolio management, trading and implementation practices. He also plays a large role in the firm’s investment philosophy, insights and strategies.
Before joining Miracle Mile, Dmytryszyn served as the CIO at Telemus Capital and as an Analyst and Portfolio Manager focusing on U.S. equities at LaSalle Street Capital Management. He has also served as a Senior Research Analyst at Russell Investments, where he advanced proprietary investment research and chaired the Direct Investing Research Committee.
Dmytryszyn holds the Chartered Financial Analyst certification, serves on the board of directors for Bridge Communities and is a Planning Commissioner for the Village of Downers Grove.
Dmytryszyn focuses his firm’s research agenda on two issues: “First, we strive to offer an array of solutions that meet client needs, not just around risk and return, but also around their preferences for liquidity, tax efficiency, income, drawdown risk and values alignment,” he explained. “Then we integrate macroeconomic assessment with bottom-up trends and insights we garner from across asset classes.”
Philip Straehl, CIO For The Americas, Morningstar Wealth
As CIO for the Americas at Morningstar Wealth, Philip Straehl is part of a team that oversees $328 billion in combined AUM and assets under advisement (AUA), including model portfolios and separately managed accounts (SMAs).
Straehl joined Morningstar 17 years ago through its Development Program. Before his current role, Straehl served as Chief Investment Officer for Quantitative Strategies at Morningstar Investment Management, where he led systematic strategies and direct indexing. He also held the role of Global Head of Research, managing the firm’s global research and risk capabilities.
He recently published “Should Your Stock Portfolio Consider Your Career?” This study examines strategies for diversifying employer-specific risk from equity compensation and human capital.
“Since stepping into the Americas CIO role,” Straehl said, he has “prioritized enhancing collaboration between portfolio managers and the firm’s 400-member global research team. This effort aims to solidify our strong foundation, ensure our strategies align with Morningstar’s highest standards, and explore new product opportunities.”
Rick Wedell, President And CIO, RFG Advisory
Rick Wedell joined RFG Advisory as CIO in 2016, and added the role of President last year, while also keeping his CIO role. Wedell manages multi-asset portfolios, provides insights on asset allocation and portfolio construction, and leads the design and enhancements of RFGs “Bluemonte” investment platform, with over $3 billion in AUM.
Wedell was instrumental as RFG doubled advisor growth in 2024 and the firm’s AUA surpassed $5 billion.
His guiding principle is to couple simple, straightforward analysis with a consistent, rigorous investment process.
Before joining RFG, Wedell worked at Bain Capital Credit for 12 years, including as Executive Vice President, Head of Fixed Income Consumer Investments, and Assistant Portfolio Manager. He took a major part in helping Bain grow to manage over $30 billion in client assets.
Wedell studied mathematics and economics at Harvard University and earned a Master of Business Administration from Stanford University.
According to Wedell, his dual role as CIO and President ensures that the firm provides a comprehensive institutional investment solution for its advisors. “We strive to offer a concierge, white glove service level for our advisors’ investment needs, delivering customized 1-1 experiences for their clients,” he said. “My role as President reflects this focus, ensuring that all areas of the firm work together to deliver on this promise.”
Jen Wing, CIO And Head Of Investment Solutions, GeoWealth
Jen Wing is the CIO and Head of Investment Solutions at GeoWealth. She is responsible for delivering the investment needs of GeoWealth’s clients, including overseeing the management of investment portfolios and ensuring its platform offers access, flexibility and investment expertise.
Under Wing’s leadership, GeoWealth’s investment solutions – including a third-party model marketplace, advisor managed models and hybrid models – has experienced significant growth. GeoWealth’s Model Marketplace now features over 750 strategies across 75 managers.
Wing also spearheaded the launch of a new managed custom unified managed account (UMA) program designed for mass affluent and high net worth clients, allowing advisors to combine private markets, direct indexing, fixed income SMAs, ETFs and mutual funds into a single account.
“GeoWealth will elevate portfolio management for advisors by delivering personalized, custom portfolios at scale,” she said, regarding her plans for 2025. “Our modern technology provides the long sought ‘easy button’ on custom portfolios, enabling advisors to combine multiple types of investment solutions – liquid and semi-liquid funds, stocks and bonds – within a single account.”
Janeesa Hollingshead, Contributing Editor at Wealth Solutions Report, can be reached at editor@wealthsolutionsreport.com.
