LPL Fortifies Leadership to Drive Growth and Advisor Experience

SAN DIEGO, CA – March 04, 2026 – LPL Financial today announced the promotions of two of its long-serving executives, Kirby Horan-Adams and Joe Lanser, to managing director roles, a move that solidifies the firm’s leadership team as it continues an aggressive growth trajectory in the competitive wealth management landscape.

The appointments reflect the expanded responsibilities for both leaders and place them on the firm’s 15-person Operating Committee, a key governance body established in early 2025 to steer the execution of strategic priorities. The move signals a deliberate strategy of promoting from within, leveraging deep institutional knowledge to fuel future expansion and enhance operational stability.

“Kirby and Joe each bring a combination of deep institutional knowledge and disciplined leadership that has shaped how LPL operates and evolves,” said LPL CEO Rich Steinmeier in the official announcement. “Their perspectives, judgment and ability to connect strategy with execution continue to be critical as we support the growth of advisors and financial institutions, while fueling the long-term growth of the firm.”

Bolstering a High-Growth Engine

The promotions come at a time of significant momentum for LPL Financial. The firm, one of the fastest-growing in the U.S. wealth management sector, ended 2025 on a high note, reporting a 23% year-over-year increase in adjusted earnings per share for the fourth quarter. It attracted an impressive $147 billion in organic net new assets for the full year, pushing its total brokerage and advisory assets to a record $2.4 trillion.

This growth has been fueled by a combination of strong organic recruitment and strategic acquisitions, including the successful purchase of The Investment Center, Inc. in 2025 and the ongoing integration of Commonwealth Financial Network, which is expected to be completed later this year. Against this backdrop of rapid expansion, the elevation of seasoned internal leaders is seen as a crucial step to ensure disciplined execution and maintain the firm’s robust financial health.

By placing Horan-Adams and Lanser in key managing director positions, LPL is reinforcing its core operational and financial pillars. This approach ensures that the leaders guiding the firm’s future have a granular understanding of its complex ecosystem, which supports over 32,000 financial advisors and 1,200 institutions serving approximately 8 million Americans.

A Strategic Focus on the Advisor Experience

Kirby Horan-Adams steps into the role of managing director of business design and solutioning, a position designed to directly address one of the most critical challenges in the wealth management industry: the advisor and client experience. Her mandate is to lead teams in designing and delivering business solutions that reduce friction across LPL’s vast array of offerings, creating a more cohesive and efficient end-to-end experience.

For LPL’s network of independent advisors, this focus is paramount. A streamlined platform with intuitive tools, integrated services, and effective sales support can be a powerful differentiator in attracting and retaining top talent. Horan-Adams’s work is aimed at enhancing sales effectiveness and ensuring that LPL’s technology and service models are not just competitive, but a core reason for advisors to affiliate with the firm.

Having joined LPL in 2006, Horan-Adams brings nearly two decades of institutional knowledge to the role. Her career at the firm has spanned a range of strategic leadership positions, including chief of staff to the chief investment officer, director of research, and head of product management. This diverse experience provides her with a unique, holistic view of the firm’s operations, from investment strategy to product development. Furthermore, her multidisciplinary academic background—with degrees in mathematics, economics, finance, and a Juris Doctor—equips her with a unique analytical framework for tackling complex business and product strategy challenges.

Reinforcing Financial Discipline for Strategic Execution

In a parallel move, Joe Lanser has been promoted to managing director and head of financial planning and analysis (FP&A). In this capacity, he will oversee LPL’s entire financial strategy, enterprise planning, and performance management. His role is central to navigating the financial complexities of a multi-trillion-dollar firm engaged in both organic growth and large-scale M&A.

Lanser’s leadership of the FP&A function is vital for translating LPL's strategic ambitions into viable financial plans. This includes managing budgeting, forecasting, and long-term financial modeling to support key investments in technology, advisor services, and future acquisitions. His oversight will be critical in maintaining the operational discipline that has supported LPL’s strong financial performance and shareholder value.

Since joining LPL in 2015, Lanser has held several senior leadership roles across finance, investor relations, and business operations. His experience is notably highlighted by his tenure as chief of staff to the CEO, a position that provided him with an unparalleled, top-down perspective on the firm's strategic objectives and operational intricacies. Most recently, he served as executive vice president of business solutions, where he oversaw the CFO, administrative, and marketing solutions offered to advisors before returning to the finance organization. This deep and varied experience makes him exceptionally prepared to guide the firm’s financial engine through its next phase of growth.

A Unified Strategy Driven by the Operating Committee

The true significance of these promotions is amplified by the inclusion of both Horan-Adams and Lanser on the firm's Operating Committee. This 15-person body acts as the central nervous system for LPL, responsible for ensuring that high-level strategy is translated into coordinated, actionable initiatives across all business units.

By placing the head of Business Design and the head of FP&A on the same leadership committee, LPL is creating a powerful link between the advisor experience and the firm’s financial strategy. It acknowledges that investments in client-facing solutions must be underpinned by rigorous financial planning, and that financial strategy must be informed by the on-the-ground needs of advisors and their clients. This integrated approach is designed to foster greater agility and alignment as the firm navigates market volatility and competitive pressures.

With these appointments, LPL Financial is not merely filling senior roles but is making a clear statement about its priorities. The firm is doubling down on its commitment to internal talent, ensuring that its most critical functions are led by individuals with proven track records and a deep understanding of the LPL culture. This strategic fortification of its leadership ranks positions the firm to continue its impressive growth, enhance its value proposition for advisors, and solidify its standing as a dominant force in the wealth management industry.