BanyanGlobal Family Business Advisors today announced that partner Stephan Roche has been elected Managing Partner. The appointment comes as Banyan continues to expand its work with complex, multigenerational family enterprises navigating succession, governance, and long-term ownership strategy.
Roche is a leading authority on family offices and multigenerational enterprises, with nearly two decades of experience advising globally dispersed families. Before joining Banyan as a partner, he served as CEO of Walton Enterprises, the family office for the Walton family, and as Chief Operating Officer of Cascade Asset Management, the investment office for Bill Gates and the Gates Foundation—two of the most prominent and sophisticated family offices in the world.
At Banyan, Roche works at the intersection of ownership, governance, and family dynamics—helping families navigate succession, align across generations, and sustain both enterprise value and family cohesion. Known for his pragmatic approach and clear-eyed understanding of the human side of wealth, he is a trusted advisor to some of the world’s most complex family enterprises.
He is also a deeply respected voice in the field, serving on the advisory board of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business Family Office Initiative and holding multiple corporate and nonprofit board roles.
“Stephan has spent his career at the highest levels of family enterprise—both as an operator and as an advisor,” said Banyan co-founder Rob Lachenauer. “And he brings unmatched passion for Banyan and its clients.”
“I’m honored by the partners’ confidence in asking me to step into the Managing Partner role,” Roche says. “I believe deeply in this firm: in our team, in our clients, in our model, and most importantly in our future. I’m excited about where Banyan is headed and believe in our potential to keep building something truly distinctive — the most admired family enterprise advisory firm in the world.”
Stephan received an AB degree with honors from Princeton University and his MBA at Harvard Business School. He is based in Seattle, WA where he lives with his wife. He is the proud father of adult triplets.
About BanyanGlobal Family Business Advisors
Since its founding in 2012, BanyanGlobal Family Business Advisors has guided nearly 300 family business ownership groups across industries and geographies. The firm helps families address critical questions of governance, succession, and long-term stewardship so they can make better decisions for their enterprises and for future generations. Banyan has been named “Family Business Advisory Practice of the Year” three times by the STEP Private Client Awards, and its work has been featured in leading international and industry publications.
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