About Us
Our Mission
Based on a deep understanding of and experience with the psychology of serving high net worth and ultra high net worth clients, RGA Ventures’ mission is to empower wealth management firms and multi-family offices to deliver a truly differentiated client experience as well as innovative, high impact solutions in a profitable and scalable fashion.
Ron Albahary
Ron Albahary, CFA, has spent his entire career as a creative wealth management “designer.” He wakes up every morning passionate about helping investors crystallize their objectives and tailoring solutions for virtually all types of clients and their goals. Having served clients in a broad range of roles within the wealth and investment management industry, he has a demonstrated track record of success at driving growth, inspiring colleagues and innovating solutions for clients.
As a 30 year veteran of the wealth/investment management industry, Ron has worked at some of the most notable private client institutions (Merrill Lynch, Northern Trust Private Bank) as well as some of the smallest boutique firms serving the ultra-high net worth (Threshold Group—the original George Russell SFO which became an MFO as well as Legacy Advisors and Convergent Wealth Advisors). He has experienced serving wealthy families from every perspective.
Over the past twelve years, Ron has served as either a Chief Executive Officer or Chief Investment Officer bringing to bear his deep experience in every facet of wealth management. He has worked with clients directly as their advisor, developed and led teams of advisors, led the investment function with responsibility for over $20bn AUM and has run firms as part of the executive/partner team for three multi-family offices.
Ron has also been a featured speaker at many industry events and has served as a regular source and commentator for financial news media including the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Bloomberg TV and CNBC, among others.
Lessons Learned
I have worked directly with high net worth and ultra-high net worth clients as the lead advisor and, in some cases, the co-lead, during three major crises—the Tech Bubble, the Great Financial Crisis, and, most recently, the Global Pandemic. Nothing teaches one humility as well as very valuable lessons regarding client psychology than being on the front line with clients shepherding them through volatile periods.
Experience has taught me this business is all about inspiring the people who work with you as well as the clients you work for. Servant leadership, coaching, vulnerability, compassion and transparency are the hallmarks of my leadership style.
My Journey
Since my Dad spoke several languages (all self-taught), this New York-born boy developed a multicultural background having lived in multiple European countries before the age of eighteen. While I do not have the language skills my father possessed, I was fortunate to become fluent in French having attended Le Lycee Internationale de St. Germain-en-Laye, an immersion program in which every course was taught in French from day one regardless of your knowledge of the language.
I returned stateside for the final three years of high school and had the great fortune of being accepted to the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania graduating with a dual concentration in Finance and Multinational Management full of vim and vigor.
One benefit of being a professional for over thirty years is the ability to break up one’s career into three tranches.
First decade of experience was primarily focused on designing and building solutions for high net worth and ultra-high net worth segments. Many of the solutions were innovative back then but are mainstream now.
Second decade of experience was primarily focused on investment management during which I learned how to analyze securities, build portfolios and manage them for high net worth, ultra-net worth and institutional clients as a Portfolio Manager for Merrill Lynch Investment Management and Northern Trust Private Bank as well as the Chief Investment Officer of Merrill Lynch Retirement Group and as the Global Head of Client Portfolio Management at SEI leading a team based in Oaks, PA, London, Paris and Hong Kong. While my technical skills were honed, the greatest gift of the second decade was the front line experience I developed leading clients through the tech boom and bust cycle. Shepherding clients through the volatility of that period made me a student and practitioner of behavioral finance.
Third decade of experience has been focused on C-suite level executive roles for multi-family office/wealth management firms involved in all running facets of the business- most notably, leading, developing and recruiting teams of client advisors, business development, strategic plan development and execution, people development, streamlining and optimizing operating processes, partnering with Compliance on routine SEC audits, designing and managing the technology stake, developing a marketing plan, pursuing and engaging in M & A transactions, contract negotiation, and real estate management.