Sanctuary Wealth, a Miami‑based hybrid Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) platform, has solidified its ongoing expansion strategy with the onboarding of Valen Private Capital, an advisory firm founded and led by seasoned wealth manager John Durham. The new firm enters the Sanctuary network with approximately $477 million in assets under management, reflecting the continued migration of high‑performing advisors from traditional wirehouse environments to independent or hybrid platforms.

The announcement, made on June 5, 2026, emphasizes Sanctuary Wealth’s commitment to attracting highly experienced advisors seeking operational autonomy while benefiting from institutional‑grade infrastructure, technology, and support services. Valen Private Capital will focus on serving ultra‑high‑net‑worth (UHNW) families with complex financial needs, including multigenerational planning, tax‑efficient wealth transfer, investment management, and bespoke legacy strategies. By leveraging Sanctuary’s resources, the team aims to offer a high‑touch advisory experience tailored to affluent client expectations.

John Durham, the founder and principal of Valen Private Capital, brings more than 25 years of industry experience to his new venture. Prior to launching the firm, Durham served in senior roles at Merrill Lynch, where he built a practice advising affluent and UHNW clients across comprehensive wealth planning disciplines. His move to Sanctuary reflects a broader industry trend of advisors departing large wirehouses to establish independent practices under platforms that facilitate business ownership and strategic growth.

“As I evaluated independence, I wanted a partner that would allow me to build Valen Private Capital around my clients — not force my clients into someone else’s model,” Durham said. “Sanctuary offered the combination of flexibility, experienced support and UHNW resources I was looking for, while allowing me to retain control of the firm I am building.”

Sanctuary’s President of Wealth Management, Vince Fertitta, highlighted the strategic fit between Sanctuary’s Partnered Independence ethos and Durham’s vision for his advisory business. According to Fertitta, the platform is designed to support advisors with sophisticated practices that demand a blend of autonomy, operational excellence, and advanced planning capabilities. This alignment is particularly critical in the UHNW segment, where clients often require highly customized solutions that transcend standard brokerage offerings.

Valen Private Capital will integrate Sanctuary’s technology stack, compliance support, investment research and planning tools, as well as custodial relationships accessible through the platform. These capabilities aim to expand the firm’s service bandwidth while reducing operational burdens that typically accompany standalone RIA launches. The model reflects Sanctuary’s hybrid approach: allowing advisors to maintain ownership and cultural identity, while leveraging shared services that drive scalability and client service consistency.

In addition to Durham, Valen Private Capital’s leadership includes Benjamin Durham, who joins as partner and director of financial planning after previously serving as a wealth management specialist, and Lisa Downey, who will steer operations. The presence of a cohesive leadership team underscores the firm’s readiness to transition smoothly and deliver uninterrupted client service amid the organizational change.

The transition of Valen Private Capital represents one of several recent advisor migrations to Sanctuary. Over the past year, the platform has attracted multiple established teams and RIAs departing wirehouses or launching independent firms. These moves are driven by a combination of factors, including the desire for equity ownership, greater control over client engagement, and the pursuit of personalized service models unencumbered by wirehouse constraints.

Industry observers note that hybrid and independent RIA platforms, such as Sanctuary Wealth, have become increasingly attractive alternatives to traditional models. Advisors cite the ability to capture more enterprise value over time, participate in strategic decision‑making, and align business growth with client outcomes as key drivers of the shift. This movement is occurring amid a broader recalibration in the wealth management sector, where entrepreneurial advisors are seeking platforms that can support longevity, succession planning, and tailored solutions for affluent and UHNW clientele.

Sanctuary’s Partnered Independence structure emphasizes a collaborative ecosystem where advisors can tap into centralized compliance, investment research, portfolio construction resources, and operational support — while retaining autonomy in client engagement and advisory philosophy. This hybrid framework is seen as a middle ground between full independence and the resource depth of larger institutions.

For affluent clients, the ability of advisors to operate within this hybrid model can translate into enhanced service continuity, customized financial strategies, and a deeper alignment between client objectives and advisory incentives. In the UHNW segment particularly, where legacy planning, business interests, and complex estate considerations intersect, the advisor’s capacity to craft bespoke solutions without institutional limitations is viewed as a competitive advantage.

Valen Private Capital’s launch with Sanctuary Wealth is also reflective of broader industry dynamics, including advisor succession planning, generational wealth transfer, and the strategic positioning of advisory businesses as long‑term enterprises. By capturing ownership and aligning with a growth‑oriented platform, advisors like Durham aim to build sustainable firms capable of meeting evolving affluent client expectations while preserving business continuity for future generations.

Beyond the immediate implications for Valen Private Capital, the move reinforces Sanctuary’s reputation as a magnet for high‑caliber advisory talent. The platform’s ability to integrate multiple teams with significant assets under management signals robustness in infrastructure and adaptability to diverse advisory models. As the trend toward independence continues, the competitive landscape for wealth management platforms is likely to intensify, with platforms vying to attract and retain advisors from traditional firms.

Importantly, the affluent and UHNW segments remain core growth drivers for wealth management practices, where advisors leverage deep planning expertise to manage intricate financial and intergenerational issues. Platforms like Sanctuary that cater to these needs with comprehensive toolsets and collaborative frameworks may benefit from sustained inflows of advisor talent seeking independence without sacrificing operational excellence.

In summary, Sanctuary Wealth’s onboarding of Valen Private Capital with $477 million in assets under management underscores the firm’s strategic momentum in attracting advisor talent seeking autonomy and sophisticated resource support. The development illustrates the evolving nature of wealth advisory practices — from traditional wirehouse alignment toward hybrid, independent models that emphasize advisor ownership, specialized service delivery, and robust infrastructure for affluent and ultra‑affluent client populations.