Balentine, an independent wealth management firm based in Atlanta and Raleigh, announces the advancement of Emily Balentine Barbour, CFP^® to Executive Vice President, and the promotion of Matt Raines and Ben Webb to Partner. The firm, originally founded in 1987 by current Chairman Robert Balentine and his father, has more than $9 billion in assets under advisement and 62 employees.

Emily Balentine Barbour, CFP^® joined Balentine in February 2010 as a Relationship Associate and has since worked her way through nearly every role at the firm, building a deep understanding of client needs and what sets the firm apart. This perspective now guides her as Executive Vice President, directing Family & Legacy, Client Experience, People & Culture, Operations, and Marketing. She still manages key accounts, staying close to clients’ concerns. She was elected Partner in 2025, making Balentine Atlanta’s only third-generation wealth management firm.

“Emily understands our business from the inside out and brings genuine empathy to both clients and colleagues,” said CEO Adrian Cronje, Ph.D., CFA. “Her promotion underscores the stewardship of a family-owned business with the exceptional professional leadership team Balentine continues to build. There is no one better suited to serve as a strategic thought partner to me as our firm continues to grow.”

Matt Raines’ promotion to Partner, together with his role as Senior Relationship Manager, recognizes his emergence as a leader in Raleigh and is a testament to his approach to nurturing client relationships. In recent years, Balentine has deepened its offerings to entrepreneurs, supporting them at every stage of their ownership journey. Firm leaders say Matt was among the first to put these offerings into practice. That instinct has shaped his work in Raleigh, where he helped the office nearly triple in staff and mentored relationship managers in the firm’s client-first approach.

“Balentine is intentionally building our next generation of leadership, and Matt has been an anchor of our Raleigh office and a trusted colleague to many across our firm,” said Cronje. “As Partner, he will help shape our strategic direction as we seek to become the go-to-firm for entrepreneurs.”

Ben Webb, CFA, was also promoted to partner, alongside his role as Head of Private Markets on the Investment Strategy Team. His promotion recognizes both the private capital platform Ben has built over 12 years and his leadership in the process. Ben developed Balentine’s platform to give clients institutional-level access to private equity, private credit, and other alternatives without the added costs many other firms charge. Building the platform also includes building a team that has improved efficiency and has enabled continued expansion under Ben’s values-driven leadership.

“If you want to understand what it looks like to walk the walk on Balentine’s fundamentals, look at Ben,” said Cronje. “He doesn’t just talk about our values – he builds his work and his team around them.” Ben is a CFA Charterholder and active with CFA Society Atlanta.