Leading advisor joins independent multifamily office expanding its national footprint

Evolve Private Wealth (“Evolve”), an independent wealth management firm serving high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth families, today announced the addition of Brett Cohen as a Managing Partner, further strengthening its leadership team as the firm continues to scale nationally.

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Brett Cohen

Cohen joins Evolve from Morgan Stanley, where he built one of the firm’s fastest-growing next-generation advisory practices, overseeing approximately $800 million in client assets as of January 2026. With his addition, Los Angeles–based Evolve Private Wealth now manages more than $2.5 billion in assets and has grown to 22 employees, with significant additional hires planned in 2026.

The move also marks a meaningful expansion of Evolve’s national footprint. With offices now spanning both coasts, the firm operates as a truly bicoastal platform, enabling its teams to support clients across major markets nationwide. Cohen will oversee the continued buildout and day-to-day leadership of the firm’s New York office, while also working alongside the other managing partners on the firm’s overall leadership and strategic direction.

“Brett’s decision to join Evolve reflects the strength and flexibility of the platform we’ve built,” said Jonathan Lewis, Managing Partner at Evolve Private Wealth. “Our partnership is intentionally multigenerational, combining deep experience with the perspective of emerging leaders. Brett’s leadership and client-first mindset fit naturally within that structure as we continue to grow.”

Cohen’s move reflects a broader shift among advisors who are choosing to align earlier in their careers with firms designed for long-term flexibility and thoughtful growth. Over nearly a decade at Morgan Stanley, Cohen earned a reputation as a trusted resource for private business owners and multigenerational families across the United States. He is known for a highly integrated, outsourced family office approach, with a strong emphasis on tax-aware planning across complex family balance sheets.

“At this stage of my career, the question wasn’t just scale, it was structure,” Cohen said. “I wanted a firm that could support sophisticated families through liquidity events, multigenerational planning and complex tax considerations without being constrained by a legacy platform. Evolve has built that environment deliberately, and it was clear this was the right place for my clients and me for the long term.”

Cohen works primarily with private business owners and multigenerational families, providing comprehensive wealth management that spans investment strategy, tax planning, estate coordination and strategic business advisory. His approach emphasizes planning across the entire family wealth profile, rather than isolated portfolio construction.

Evolve Private Wealth was founded in 2022 by a group of senior advisors who left Wells Fargo to build an employee-owned firm aligned solely with client interests. The firm completed its transition to full independence in January 2025 and has expanded through a combination of organic growth and selective partner additions.

Today, Evolve operates as a collaborative, multigenerational partnership, emphasizing continuity, shared stewardship and long-term alignment as it continues to invest in talent, technology and client experience.

“What stood out to me was the culture,” Cohen said. “There’s a real balance here with deep experience, real momentum and a shared commitment to building something enduring. That balance ultimately benefits clients, which is what matters most.”

About Evolve Private Wealth

Evolve Private Wealth, LLC is an independent wealth management firm dedicated to serving the complex needs of high-net-worth families across the U.S. Evolve is committed to delivering personalized financial planning and investment solutions backed by evidence-based methodologies and a holistic approach to tax, retirement, insurance, education and estate planning. Evolve is a registered investment advisor with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Visit www.evolveprivatewealth.com.

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