Hightower Advisors Appoints Vanguard Executive Marco De Freitas as New President
Hightower Advisors has appointed Marco De Freitas, former head of digital and analytics at Vanguard, as its new president. He will assume the role in mid-fourth quarter 2026, succeeding Roberto Stewart who stepped down less than three months after joining the firm. De Freitas is expected to lead Hightower's operations, technology initiatives, enterprise AI strategy, and investment platform under CEO Larry Restieri. De Freitas brings over a decade of experience from TD Ameritrade in digital transformation and client experience leadership before his tenure at Vanguard. The appointment aligns with the firm’s strategic focus on growth through integration and technological advancement. Additionally, Jennifer Frazier has been named president of Hightower Signature Wealth, which now manages more than $40 billion in assets under management (AUM). This follows recent expansion efforts including the addition of Stearns Financial Group. The leadership changes reflect a broader organizational restructuring aimed at enhancing advisor support and client service capabilities. The firm is also strengthening its executive team with roles such as Mike Hirsbrunner serving as COO for HTSW, while Penny Phillips continues to lead advisor growth initiatives.
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