As competition for adviser talent intensifies, access to alternative investment products may play a growing role in how advisers evaluate firm affiliation.
Adviser retention remains one of the industry’s most pressing strategic challenges. Executive concern surrounding adviser turnover is well founded, as advisers continue to demonstrate a willingness to move when they perceive limitations related to compensation, technology, or product availability, according to “The Cerulli Report — U.S. Private Banks and Trust Companies 2026.”
Overall, 84 percent of bank executives cite talent retention as a concern, with nearly half (47 percent) identifying the issue of adviser retention as a major business risk. While adviser decision-making is often more nuanced than firms assume, Cerulli finds that product breadth — particularly access to alternative investments — is becoming a greater part of the affiliation equation.
As investor demand (particularly from hig
