SAN DIEGO, March 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Cetera today announced the appointment of Ed O’Brien as Chief Operating Officer in May 2026. In this role, O’Brien will focus on accelerating advisor growth and translating Cetera’s scale into a durable competitive advantage.
O’Brien will build on the institutional foundation established under longtime Chief Operating Officer Tom Gooley, who recently announced his planned retirement following a multi-year period of development and operational growth. The appointment marks Cetera’s transition from achieving enterprise scale to activating that scale through platform-led expansion – driving advisor productivity, deeper planning relationships, and stronger investor outcomes.
“Tom Gooley was instrumental in building the backbone of this firm – expanding our scale, strengthening our rigor, and bringing stability while Cetera grew its operations,” said Mike Durbin, Chief Executive Officer of Cetera. “Our next chapter is about growth that comes from helping advisors do more for their clients, more consistently. Ed’s role is to turn our platform into a true growth engine, turbocharged by AI, for advisors and a source of confidence and continuity for investors.”
O’Brien brings decades of experience building and scaling wealth management platforms across custody, clearing, financial planning, and product ecosystems. Throughout his career, he has led multiple category-creation moments – standing up early infrastructure and converting it into platforms that drive adoption, advisor growth, and long-term retention.
“What attracted me to Cetera is the tremendous growth opportunity,” said O’Brien. “I believe my experience can drive meaningful impact, and I look forward to partnering with Mike and the leadership team to accelerate Cetera’s market position. Cetera has built a powerful platform and strong momentum, and the growth runway ahead is significant.”
As Chief Operating Officer, O’Brien will lead the service, technology, trading and operations teams. His focus will include increasing advisor productivity and planning depth, converting platform capabilities into repeatable client acquisition and retention, and strengthening the durability and confidence that support long-term enterprise growth. These priorities sit at the core of Cetera Advantage, the firm’s strategy for making independence work better – and grow faster – at scale.
About Cetera
Cetera Financial Group (Cetera) is the premier financial advisor Wealth Hub, empowering independent advisors and institutions with personalized support, flexible affiliation models, and end-to-end growth solutions. Home to approximately 12,000 advisors and institutions, Cetera’s multi-channel ecosystem enables financial professionals to grow, scale or transition their businesses on their own terms.
Unlike traditional IBDs, Cetera offers true choice – blending modern technology, integrated wealth solutions, and a community-driven culture. Cetera’s five-channel model and commitment to long-term advisor value provide a scalable blueprint for consistent, repeatable growth.
As of Dec. 31, 2025, Cetera firms manage approximately $640 billion in assets under administration and $294 billion in assets under management. Its award-winning Voice of the Customer program has captured more than 40,000 advisor reviews, with over 40,000 five-star ratings, giving Cetera a 4.8 out of 5 satisfaction score.
Learn more at www.cetera.com and follow Cetera on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and X.
Cetera Financial Group (Cetera) is a network of independent retail firms, including those that are members of FINRA/SIPC: Cetera Advisors LLC; Cetera Wealth Services, LLC (formerly known as Cetera Advisor Networks); Cetera Investment Services LLC (marketed as Cetera Financial Institutions or Cetera Investors); and Cetera Financial Specialists LLC. Entities registered as investment advisers with the Securities and Exchange Commission include Cetera Investment Management LLC and Cetera Investment Advisers LLC. Cetera’s principal office is located at 655 W. Broadway, 11th Floor, San Diego, CA 92101.
Avantax Planning Partners, Inc., is an SEC registered investment adviser within the Aretec Group, Inc. (dba Cetera Holdings, an affiliate of CFG). All the referenced entities are under common ownership.
Cetera exclusively provides investment products and services through its representatives. Although Cetera does not provide tax or legal advice, or supervise tax, accounting or legal services, Cetera representatives may offer these services through their independent outside businesses. This information is not intended as tax or legal advice.
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SOURCE Cetera Financial Group
