Key Takeaways
- • Focus Financial Partners closed its acquisition of ML Management Partners (MLM), a New York City-based business management firm serving entertainment industry professionals, on November 1, 2026.
- • MLM was founded in 1988 by Mark Landesman, has offices in New York City and Los Angeles, and provides business management and family office services to actors, comedians, directors, producers, writers and other creative professionals.
- • The deal expands Focus's business management portfolio, which sits within a platform that reported more than $550 billion in collectively advised assets as of June 30, 2026.
- • Travis Danysh, Chief Strategy Officer at Focus, called the transaction an important step in the evolution of the firm's business management strategy.
Summary
Focus Financial Partners, a firm providing wealth management, family office and business management services, has acquired ML Management Partners (MLM), according to the original report. The transaction closed on November 1, 2026. MLM is a New York City-based business management firm that serves entertainment industry professionals and high-net-worth individuals, and the acquisition strengthens Focus's business management platform with added expertise serving clients in television, film and related creative industries.
Founded in 1988 by Mark Landesman, MLM initially focused primarily on comedians before broadening its services across the entertainment industry. Its clients include talent in front of and behind the camera, including actors, comedians, directors, producers, writers and industry executives. The firm also provides family office services to high-net-worth individuals with specialized financial management requirements. It operates from New York City and Los Angeles.
Travis Danysh, Chief Strategy Officer at Focus, said the company's business management portfolio shows exceptional scale, quality and growth, and described the addition of MLM as an important step in the evolution of that strategy. Focus reported more than $550 billion in collectively advised assets as of June 30, 2026. The company said it expects to work with MLM's team to grow the business and serve additional clients.
Landesman said the firm has built a reputation as a trusted advisor to some of the entertainment industry's most successful professionals over three decades. He described the acquisition as a natural next step that preserves MLM's service standards while giving the firm access to the greater resources and infrastructure of Focus. The partnership is intended to let MLM continue serving existing clients while developing additional capabilities.
Founded in 1988 by Mark Landesman, MLM initially focused primarily on comedians before broadening its services across the entertainment industry. Its clients include talent in front of and behind the camera, including actors, comedians, directors, producers, writers and industry executives. The firm also provides family office services to high-net-worth individuals with specialized financial management requirements. It operates from New York City and Los Angeles.
Travis Danysh, Chief Strategy Officer at Focus, said the company's business management portfolio shows exceptional scale, quality and growth, and described the addition of MLM as an important step in the evolution of that strategy. Focus reported more than $550 billion in collectively advised assets as of June 30, 2026. The company said it expects to work with MLM's team to grow the business and serve additional clients.
Landesman said the firm has built a reputation as a trusted advisor to some of the entertainment industry's most successful professionals over three decades. He described the acquisition as a natural next step that preserves MLM's service standards while giving the firm access to the greater resources and infrastructure of Focus. The partnership is intended to let MLM continue serving existing clients while developing additional capabilities.
Go deeper than the headline
Research every firm in this story, track the ones that matter and get the daily briefing — free for 7 days.