Brad West

About Brad West

I am a CEO, President, and operator with 30+ years of experience building, scaling, and transforming FinTech, financial services, healthcare, and technology-enabled businesses. Over my career, I have held full P&L responsibility and led organizations through growth, restructuring, and complexity, with a consistent focus on durable value creation for investors, clients, and employees—primarily by building strong leadership teams and disciplined operating models.Most recently, I joined at inception and helped found and build Alternative Investment Exchange (AIX) into a market-leading SaaS platform supporting the retail alternative investment ecosystem. Working alongside an exceptional team, we scaled the business to approach $10B in facilitated transactions by the close of 2025, with ARR growth nearing 70%+ over the prior two years. I led enterprise strategy and execution through rapid scale, regulatory and operational complexity, and recapitalization readiness, positioning the company for a successful investor liquidity event. I am most proud of the team and the culture we cultivated: disciplined, accountable, and resilient under pressure, with a bias toward precision, quality, and relentlessly serving our clients.Previously, as CIO and CISO of FS Investments, I helped scale the firm from $2B to $24B in AUM by modernizing the technology and security foundation and strengthening enterprise operating capabilities. Earlier, as President & CEO of BankersEdge, I led a full operational turnaround—restructuring the business, doubling the client base, improving profitability to 36% EBITDA, and delivering a successful private equity exit with a 2.5x investor return.Today, through West Advisory Group, I advise selectively while evaluating my next long-term CEO or President role. I am drawn to opportunities where hands-on operating leadership, strong governance, and aligned capital can unlock durable value—whether within a PE-backed portfolio company or through a control investment with partners who share a long-term perspective.

Experience

1. Principal & Chief Executive Officer

   West Advisory Group, Llc

   Jan 2025 — Present · Philadelphia, PA, US

   Founded and led an advisory firm focused on enterprise strategy, operating model design, and long-term value creation for FinTech, alternative investment, wealth infrastructure, and technology-enabled businesses. • Advise founders, boards, and investors on enterprise strategy, operating model design, commercialization, and enterprise scale across private markets, financial services and regulated services.• Serve as hands-on operator supporting revenue growth, margin expansion, organizational design, and execution disciplines in complex, multi-stakeholder environments.• Partner with capital providers, independent sponsors, and boards to evaluate acquisition opportunities, post-transaction operating plans, and long-term value creation strategies.• Actively developing independent sponsor strategy to acquire and operate controlling interest in a founder-led or carve-out business aligned with long-term CEO ownership and operational leadership.Focus Areas: FinTech & Wealth Infrastructure | Alternative Investments | SaaS Platforms | Technology Enabled Businesses | Operating Model Design | CEO & Board Advisory | Independent Sponsor Acquisitions

Education

• Saint John's University

  BA, Economics

  1991 — 1994

• UMN Carlson School of Management

  MBA, Strategic Management, Finance

  1995 — 1998