People can have multiple talents within themselves and execute many of them one time. There are fashion models owning their own boutiques and fashion line, chefs having food packaging companies while also owning their very own restaurant, authors being palmist or maybe a surgeon. Similarly, we have Illán on the list.
Ivan M. Illán is an U.S.-based financial advisor to the Hollywood stars and beyond. He’s also married to fashionista, John Rikley. He’s a dichotomy – a gay, Hispanic, first generation American, and Republican – making dinner conversations with him an extraordinary night. Ivan is also the bestselling author of two books. Frequently quoted and published in financial media and is famous for founding a boutique wealth management firm catering to HNW clients in Hollywood, Miami, Atlanta, and New York.
Illán has brought a level of visibility to the inner workings of the financial services industry. Not only through the operation of his successful wealth management firm but also through his books and articles published. While having a BA in Philosophy, Illán also holds a degree in Finance from Boston College. Apart from this, he is a Certified Fund Specialist (CFS) from the Institute of Business and Finance and a member of the CFA Institute, where he’s the Founding Member of the CFA Society Los Angeles Wealth Management League.
Having an interest in the stock market in the early age is surprising, Illán was one of those kids who at the age of 11 was found having his interest in the stock market and innovative investing strategies. He started his professional career in financial product development and distribution at Nuveen Investments, and later founded the investment banking consultancy, Ming Consulting Group, Inc. Most recently, since 2011 he serves as the founder and chief investment officer at Aligne Wealth Preservation & Insurance Services, LLC.
While his professional work and other contributions are being focused upon, let’s not forget to mention that he is an official member of the Forbes Financial Council and continually contributes to the publishing of finance-related media. Also, not ignoring the fact that he has been an active contributor on Forbes and an Elite Contributor at Equities.com.
As a financial services industry entrepreneur and disruptor, Illán ‘s business and writings advocate for a higher standard of care in client financial services. Through greater compensation, fees and other revenue transparency, as well as, clear disclosure of any bias and conflict of interests, clients will have increased confidence in the financial markets. He details all these points as an author, in both his first book, “How to Hire (or Fire) Your Financial Advisor, Ten Simple Questions to Guide Decision Making” (iUniverse, ©2015) and second bestselling book “Success as a Financial Advisor for Dummies” (Wiley, ©2018). He’s received critical-acclaim from The Washington Post.
Last but not the least fact to be shared about Illán would be that he is a very strong advocate for the LGBTQ Community and wishes to help his community to not be afraid of any sort of challenges. In addition, he emphasizes that personnel diversity (e.g. LGBTQ) because it’s property to every company, especially the financial ones that are associated with the “bro” culture. Getting rid of the marks of shame and separation through more visible prominence should be taken place.