When asked why he made the move, Jamie Gilbert is very clear: he wasn’t looking to change firms. He and his team had built a highly successful advising career at Goldman Sachs, where they oversaw more than $1.8 billion in assets under management. But he knew the wealth management industry was changing, and client expectations were evolving even more rapidly.
So, after a chance meeting with Cresset Co-Founder Eric Becker, he started to seriously consider and explore where he wanted to spend the remainder of his career, and what would ultimately be most beneficial to his clients.
Today, Gilbert is more glad than ever that he made the move to the independent space. We recently sat down with him at his Jackson Hole, Wyoming, home to learn more about his decision-making process and why Cresset has proven to be the right home for his clients and team.
Jamie, tell us more about your decision-making process that led you to Cresset.
I wasn’t actually looking to move firms, but I knew the industry was evolving. So, I kept my eyes and ears open and had the good fortune of meeting Cresset Co-Founder Eric Becker. And the more I learned about the Cresset model and vision, the more interested I became. The vision that Cresset has really inspired me and it became clear that this is the type of model and culture that I want to share with my clients.
You clearly had built a successful career prior to joining Cresset. Why make the change at all?
It’s one thing to say you are a client-oriented advisor; it’s another thing to truly put client interests first and really “walk the talk” of being client obsessed. At too many big firms, the conflicts of interest are simply too ingrained. With Cresset being less than 10 years old and being majority owned by clients and employees, that alignment is incredibly powerful. We truly sit on the “same side of the table” as our clients with their best interests at the front and center of everything we do.
And I will say the entrepreneurial spirit at Cresset is infectious. Yes, Cresset has grown to more than $250 billion in AUM / AUA*, but we believe there is still much growth ahead, and the entrepreneurial spirit remains strong. That is incredibly exciting and invigorating.
This is ultimately a people business, both in terms of the clients we serve and the colleagues we work with. Tell us about the importance of culture and what you’ve found at Cresset.
Clients can quickly see through the commoditized services that generic wealth management brands offer. Increasingly, successful families want something more … more personalized, more human. That all comes down to people and having the right people who are willing to take the time to truly get to know the clients they serve, their families, their hopes and dreams and aspirations. Cresset is incredibly diligent about making sure our team members are all in on approaching client service holistically, and not simply a series of transactions. That is certainly what I’ve found at Cresset and why I’m so pleased to be here.
The wealth management landscape is evolving quickly. How did that play into your decision to join Cresset? What do you believe advisors need going forward to be successful?
It all comes down to a willingness to invest in the business on behalf of your clients and team members alike. Investing in good people. Investing in technology. Cresset has done all of this and is committed to continuing to do so. Take artificial intelligence (AI) for example, Cresset is a thoughtful leader in implementing AI in a very smart, client-centric, yet cautious way. That sort of investment has to be intentional; it has to be planful. Not every firm has the patience or foresight to take such a thoughtful approach to investing in the future. The firms that do are the ones that will be successful long term.
For advisors who are “on the fence” on whether now is the time to make a move, what would you tell them?
I would tell them this is not for the faint of heart. It takes effort and deep reflection. But for those who are willing to do the due diligence to find the right firm for themselves and their clients, it can absolutely be worth it. Ask yourself, where do you want to spend the next 10 or 20 years? Where and when do you want to retire? What does that day feel like? Will you have fulfilled your sense of purpose and truly accomplished all you want to accomplish for yourself and your clients? The grass absolutely can be greener on the other side. If after deep reflection and research you believe that, it’s time to get off the fence.
*Assets Under Management and Advisement represents $88B in Assets Under Management by Cresset Asset Management, LLC (“CAM”) and approximately $176B in Assets Under Advisement by CAM, Monticello Associates, LLC, and Connable Office Inc., as of July 1, 2026. See AUM/AUA the general disclosure for more details.