Focus Financial Partners, the group of independent wealth management firms, has appointed Garry Taylor as director of advisor services.

As part of the Focus Connections program, the firm's turnkey service, Taylor will assist breakaway advisors undergoing the transition to RIAs, the firm said in a statement.  

Previously, Taylor was director of client implementation at Fidelity Investments. In his new role at Focus he will be responsible for the changeover of breakaways joining Focus partner firms and affiliates, as sub-acquisitions. He will report to Rich Gill, managing director and head of Focus Connections, alongside Mark Dupont, who is also director of advisor services.

“Entrepreneurial advisors remain driven to establish their own firms, with market trends and client expectations ensuring that the growth and number of independent RIAs will continue to flourish,” said Rudy Adolf, founder and chief executive. 

During his time at Fidelity, Taylor supervised the transition of over 20 teams - primarily from large wirehouse firms - in excess of $5 billion. Before that, he was an investor services advisor at Merrill Lynch and Torrie & Co, which is now Charles Stanley.

Focus Connections, which was established in 2008, provides newly-formed RIAs with an interim chief operating officer, as well as a consultation team to offer advice on an array of transition issues such as the mechanics of founding a small business, and practices for managing an independent RIA firm.