Manhattan West is pleased to announce that two of its directors, Francois Maximilian Schramek, CFA, Managing Director & Financial Advisor, and Justin McCurdy, CFP®, Managing Director & Financial Advisor, were recognized as Entertainment Business Visionaries in the June 2024 edition published by L.A. Times B2B Publishing.
The Los Angeles Times Entertainment Business Visionaries spotlights professionals in entertainment providing financing, transactions, and advisory services for the industry, featuring impactful individuals whose work “fuels the engines that drive the industry forward.”
Lorenzo Esparza, Chief Executive Officer and Founding Principal at Manhattan West commented on the achievement, “Manhattan West is fortunate to have these incredible financial advisors on our team. Francois Schramek brings a sophisticated global perspective to the financial counsel he provides clients, drawing from an extensive range of experience. With an impressive client portfolio, Justin’s expertise in financial management for professional athletes and entrepreneurs makes him one of the most uniquely qualified advisors in Southern California.”
Francois Maximilian Schramek, CFA, Managing Director & Financial Advisor at Manhattan West, is a distinguished investment manager specializing in serving ultra-high-net-worth individuals and institutions. With nearly two decades of experience, Mr. Schramek has provided expert advisory services to prominent and successful entrepreneurs both in the United States and internationally. Mr. Schramek brings a unique global perspective, having traveled to over 130 countries and resided on five continents. Mr. Schramek’s expertise in navigating cross-border transactions and comprehensive understanding of asset allocation across various asset classes, including private market investments, have attracted investors from 15 countries. Throughout his career, Mr. Schramek has managed large pools of assets for UHNW clients worldwide and currently oversees one of the largest books of business at the firm. Before joining Manhattan West, Mr. Schramek held key positions at several prestigious Wall Street firms, including J.P. Morgan, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, and Pathstone, a leading multi-family office with over $100 billion in assets under management. His investment focus spans the Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Energy Transition, and Space Exploration sectors, complemented by sophisticated financial planning strategies tailored to his clients’ needs. Mr. Schramek holds FINRA Series 7, 63, and 65 licenses and is a CFA Charterholder. He is fluent in English, French, German, and Spanish, enhancing his ability to serve a diverse and global clientele.
Justin McCurdy CFP®, Managing Director at Manhattan West, works with prominent public figures in professional sports and entertainment, including musicians, producers, journalists, and athletes, such as Hall of Fame professional boxer Andre Ward and NBA veteran Aaron Holiday. Specializing in retirement planning, tax planning, estate planning, budgeting, cash management, and investment management, Mr. McCurdy takes a personalized approach to guiding his clients and encouraging questions to build a transparent relationship. He is committed to diversity in finance, aiming to uplift aspiring advisors of color and advocate for inclusion in the industry. In 2008, Mr. McCurdy founded ProSkills Basketball, a premier youth basketball organization in Los Angeles, with a mission of providing athletic education opportunities to athletes from all walks of life.
Manhattan West is a wealth management and alternative investment firm for individuals and institutions founded by former J.P. Morgan executives. One of the firm’s key value-adds comes from exclusive access to direct, private investment opportunities. Contrary to many firms that only outsource underwriting work to external fund managers, Manhattan West also internally sources, underwrites, finances, and executes transactions with a key focus on private equity and venture capital. Clients benefit from an increased investment opportunity landscape and can selectively add exposure to a broad spectrum of asset classes to their investment portfolios.
See the complete list of 2024’s Entertainment Business Visionaries.
