The Patnaik Group at Morgan Stanley

At The Patnaik Group, we are a team with a shared mission, dedicating our practice to helping each of our clients confidently pursue their most important financial goals on their own terms. Combining our own talents with the vast resources of Morgan Stanley, we offer an experienced perspective to make informed decisions and the dedicated capabilities needed to put those decisions into action.

With 22 years of wealth management experience, Raj Patnaik is proud to lead this team of seasoned financial professionals. Our clients have created and monetized highly successful business in healthcare, technology and other growth industries and now face multi-generational planning challenges. We invest the time to understand your priorities, your goals and your values, so we can craft a truly comprehensive solution that is yours alone.

We look forward to learning about you and your family and discussing our approach to helping you realize your vision of a successful life. To begin that conversation, please contact us.

2024 Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors
Source: Forbes (Awarded April 2024). Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC for the period 6/30/22-6/30/23.

2019-2022 Forbes America's Top Wealth Advisors
Source: Forbes.com (Awarded 2019-2022). Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on 12-month time period concluding in March of the year the award was issued.
  • Thanks to the trust our clients have placed in our team, Raj Patnaik was recognized by Forbes magazine on its Best-in State Wealth Advisor list, 2019–2022.
Capabilities
  • Comprehensive Wealth Planning
  • Pre-Liquidity Planning
  • Sustainable & Responsible InvestingFootnote1
  • Philanthropy Management
  • Family Governance & Wealth Education
  • Lifestyle Advisory ServicesFootnote2
  • Tax, Trust & Estate AdvisoryFootnote3
  • Tailored LendingFootnote4
  • Proprietary Investment Opportunities
Check the background of Our Firm and Investment Professionals on FINRA's BrokerCheck.*

About PWM

Founded in 1977, Private Wealth Management is the division of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management that is dedicated to serving the firm’s most affluent clients, including some of the world’s most accomplished entrepreneurs, executives and stewards of multigenerational wealth. Functioning as an exclusive investment boutique within a global financial firm, we deliver sophisticated solutions that leverage the intellectual capital and insight of Morgan Stanley’s substantial global resources. Drawing on a deep understanding of your financial life, our goal is to help you:
  • Manage investments with an unwavering focus on your financial strategy and personal goals
  • Create comprehensive, multigenerational wealth management plans based on your needs, challenges and the values that guide your life and legacy
  • Simplify financial complexity to help you achieve clarity and control
Private Wealth Management Highlights
  • Approximately 350 teams1 specialized in assisting individuals and families with $20MM+ in investable assets
  • Over $980 billion in AUM1
  • Comprising 23% of the Barron’s Top 250 Private Wealth Management Teams for 2024
  • Direct access to ultra high net worth experts in philanthropy, family dynamics, wealth transfer, lifestyle advisory and other areas of interest to ultra high net worth families
1 Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, December, 2024

Source: Barron's.com (May 2024) 2024 Barron's Top 250 Private Wealth Management Teams awarded in 2024. The teams are ranked on a variety of factors, including their size and shape, their regulatory records and credentials of their members, and the resources they have at their disposal to serve their client bases. The rankings are meant as a starting point for clients looking for an advisor—a first-pass vetting that can help investors narrow a search. Every advisor will have his or her own approach to investing, financial planning, and other services. Clients are encouraged to approach a search for an advisor the way they would a search for a doctor—interviewing multiple professionals and getting opinions from multiple third parties. Rankings are based on the opinions of Barron's and this ranking may not be representative of any one client’s experience. This ranking is not indicative of the Financial Advisor’s future performance. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC is not affiliated with Barron's. Barron’s is a registered trademark of Dow Jones & Company, L.P. All rights reserved.

Approach

Discovery Process
Investing the time to learn about you and your family; your assets and liabilities and the risk exposures, enables us to formulate strategies and customize the relationship to your needs.
Formulation of Tax, Trust and Estate Strategy
Working with your tax and legal advisors, we help analyze your income and estate tax circumstances to identify and tailor planning techniques that may be used to address your objectives.
Creation of Customized Strategic Asset Allocation
Your customized asset allocation reflects risk, opportunities and taxation across multiple entities, while integrating your investing and estate plans.
Integration of Tactical Asset Allocation
Short-term adjustments seek to capitalize on temporary market distortions. Before making adjustments, we analyze the impact of taxes and trading costs on potential returns.
Implementation of a Customized Wealth Strategy
After comprehensive due diligence and analysis of expected results across multiple market scenarios, strategies are chosen from our expansive investment platform.
Ongoing Assessment
In coordination with your other advisors, we can conduct ongoing reviews and comprehensive reporting to ensure that your strategy adapts to changing financial and family needs.

Welcome

As Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Advisors, we focus on developing a customized financial approach for ultra high-net-worth individuals, families and family offices. Our goals-based wealth management approach places the family or individual at the center of our focus, not the market.

We are committed to understanding your unique concerns, priorities, and financial resources. We will meet with you, as needed, to sort through your financial complexities, measuring progress against goals, not just market benchmarks.

Clients

We serve highly accomplished families and individuals, that have successfully navigated the private business sector or have made a career in the C-suite of public companies.

Additionally, we work with those who serve as stewards of significant wealth, via a family office structure.

Our clients tend to have many demands on their time, balancing multiple commitments to their businesses, families and communities. We implement processes and deliver resources to counter-balance those stressors.

    Location

    3102 West End Ave
    Suite 200
    Nashville, TN 37203
    US
    Direct:
    (615) 269-2441(615) 269-2441

    Meet The Patnaik Group

    About Me

    As the founder and managing partner of The Patnaik Group, Raj Patnaik oversees the team’s long-term strategies and investment direction, and provides guided access to dedicated professionals. He has extensive experience advising senior executives, business owners and stewards of significant family wealth in the areas of planning, investment management and philanthropic solutions. Coordinating efforts with their attorneys and CPAs, Raj delivers comprehensive wealth management plans based on each client’s specific needs and aspirations.

    Thanks to the trust his clients have placed in him and his team, Raj was recognized by Forbes magazine on its Best-in-State Wealth Advisor list in 2019 – 2022.

    Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Raj spent 20 years at Merrill Lynch, helping a national clientele of affluent families pursue their financial goals. During his time at Merrill, Raj served as a faculty member within their peer-to-peer coaching curriculum, as well as a keynote speaker for various complex events.

    Raj earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Campbell University in North Carolina. Outside of the office, he enjoys traveling with his family, spending time on the lake and playing golf, as time allows. He is an active member of Brentwood United Methodist Church and remains active in the community by supporting organizations such as Safe Haven Family Shelter and The Nashville Children’s Theater. Raj and his wife, Lee, live in Brentwood, Tennessee, with their three children.


    "2019-2022 Forbes America's Top Wealth Advisors
    Source: Forbes.com (Awarded 2019-2022). Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on 12-month time period concluding in March of the year the award was issued.
    Securities Agent: CO, CA, AZ, AK, AL, WI, VA, UT, TX, TN, SC, OH, NY, NV, NJ, NE, NC, MS, MO, MI, MD, MA, LA, KY, IN, IL, HI, GA, FL, CT; BM/Supervisor; General Securities Representative; Investment Advisor Representative
    NMLS#: 590389

    About Francesco Maranto

    Francesco Maranto contributes to an outstanding overall wealth management experience for the team’s clients. Drawing on seven years of experience and a keen eye for detail, Francesco oversees the administration of accounts and addresses a multitude of client service requests.
    He also has responsibilities for managing client portfolios and modeling various retirement planning and cash flow scenarios.

    Francesco joined The Patnaik Group at Merrill Lynch, where he spent seven years before moving with the team to Morgan Stanley in 2022. He earlier worked as a financial planning support professional for an independent wealth management firm in Oakbrook, Illinois.

    A Chicago native, Francesco earned his Bachelor of Science degree in finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Away from the office, Francesco enjoys sport shooting, fast cars and exploring all that Nashville has to offer, especially the local restaurant scene.
    Securities Agent: MA, HI, AK, WY, VT, TN, NJ, NH, NC, KY, KS, GA, TX, SC, PA, MN, MD, FL, CT, AR, RI, ME, CO, VA, SD, OH, LA, CA, UT, AZ, NV, ND, MS, AL, WI, OR, OK, NE, MI, IL, DE, IN, WA, NY, MO; General Securities Representative; Investment Advisor Representative

    About Rhonda E. Williams

    A financial services professional for over 35 years, Rhonda Williams brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to clients of The Patnaik Group. Rhonda is dedicated to delivering thoughtful guidance and personalized service, leveraging the vast resources of the firm to deliver personalized solutions. She connects with clients on a daily basis, providing the highest level of attention at every stage of the wealth continuum.

    Rhonda joined the Patnaik Group at Merrill Lynch, where she was recognized as one of the firm’s Top 100 Client Associates. She moved with the team to Morgan Stanley in 2022.

    A dedicated student of the financial industry, Rhonda has earned the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) certification awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. and the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor℠ designation.

    Rhonda earned a Bachelor of Science degree in finance from the University of Florida. She and her husband, Steve, live in Franklin, Tennessee, with their two children.

    About Sophia Douglas

    Sophia Douglas plays a key role in delivering a superior service experience to every client of The Patnaik Group. Sophia’s dedication is on display with her diligent attention to detail and utmost sense of care. In addition to her administrative and operational duties, she is responsible for crafting The Patnaik Group client experience, which includes digital access and communication, as well as dedicated events tailored to specific interests.

    Sophia joined The Patnaik Group at Merrill Lynch in 2020 and moved with the team to Morgan Stanley in 2022. Prior to her time at Merrill, she spent two years as a relationship banker at Bank of America. Along with earlier retail management experience, Sophia has over ten years of client care experience.

    Sophia earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Middle Tennessee State University. Away from the office, she loves to read and spend time outdoors with her family. She lives in Burns, Tennessee, with her husband and two children.
    Wealth Management
    Global Investment Office

    Portfolio Insights

    Managing Significant Wealth

    • Investment Management
    • Wealth Transfer & Philanthropy
    • Cash Management & Lending
    • Family Governance & Wealth Education
    • Lifestyle Advisory
    • Business Services
    Funding Climate Action: Pathways for Philanthropy
    Article Image

    Funding Climate Action: Pathways for Philanthropy

    Share a new report in collaboration with the Aspen Institute. The report aims to help climate-oriented philanthropists explore critical issues and align their wealth management strategies with their environmental impact ambitions.

    Insights and Outcomes

    Thought Leadership for our ultra high net worth clients, which contains thought-provoking articles, authored by leading experts from Morgan Stanley Family Office Resources.
    Larry Fitzgerald Jr.'s Playbook on Leadership and Values
    Article Image

    Larry Fitzgerald Jr.'s Playbook on Leadership and Values

    The renowned NFL wide receiver shares insights on aligning your investments with your values.

    Private Wealth Management Podcast

    Bringing you engaging stories and key insights surrounding the complexities associated with significant wealth, including:
    • Intergenerational Planning
    • Philanthropic Giving
    • Non-Traditional Assets
    • Managing Family Wealth
    LISTEN | Passion Assets: Investing in Art
    Article Image

    LISTEN | Passion Assets: Investing in Art

    When a passion for collecting evolves into something of considerable value, new issues are raised. Hear what the professionals have to say about the best practices and pitfalls of collecting art and collectibles.
    We look forward to discussing your needs and goals, and the exceptional resources we can place at your disposal.
    Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the United States, which it authorizes use of by individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.

    1Investing in the market entails the risk of market volatility. The value of all types of investments may increase or decrease over varying time periods. The returns on a portfolio consisting primarily of sustainable or impact investments may be lower or higher than a portfolio that is more diversified or where decisions are based solely on investment considerations. Because sustainability and impact criteria exclude some investments, investors may not be able to take advantage of the same opportunities or market trends as investors that do not use such criteria.

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    2Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (the “Firm”) and its affiliates do not currently offer the services provided by this Service Provider(s). The Service Provider(s) is not an affiliate of the Firm. Any review of the Service Provider(s) performed by the Firm was based on information from sources that we believe are reliable but we cannot guarantee its accuracy or completeness. This referral should in no way be considered to be a solicitation by the Firm for business on behalf of the Service Provider(s). The Firm makes no representations regarding the appropriate or otherwise of the products or services provided by the Service Provider(s). There may be additional service providers for comparative purposes. If you choose to contact the Service Provider(s), do thorough due diligence, and make your own independent decision.

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    3Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC and its affiliates and their employees (including Financial Advisors and Private Wealth Advisors) are not in the business of providing tax or legal advice. These materials and any statements contained herein should not be construed as tax or legal advice. Individuals should consult their personal tax advisor or attorney for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving personal trusts and estate planning.

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    4Tailored Lending is a loan/line of credit product offered by Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association, an affiliate of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. A Tailored Lending credit facility may be a committed or demand loan/line of credit. All Tailored Lending loans/lines of credit are subject to the underwriting standards and independent approval of Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association. Tailored Lending loans/lines of credit may not be available in all locations. Rates, terms, and programs are subject to change without notice. Other restrictions may apply. The information contained herein should not be construed as a commitment to lend. Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association is a Member FDIC that is primarily regulated by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. The proceeds from a Tailored Lending loan/line of credit (including draws and other advances) may not be used to purchase, trade, or carry margin stock; repay margin debt that was used to purchase, trade, or carry margin stock; and cannot be deposited into a Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC or other brokerage account.

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    Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the United States, which it authorizes use of by individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.

    Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC does not accept appointments nor will it act as a trustee but it will provide access to trust services through an appropriate third-party corporate trustee.

    Asset Allocation does not assure a profit or protect against loss in declining financial markets.

    The securities/instruments, investments and investment strategies discussed on this website may not be suitable for all investors. The appropriateness of a particular investment or investment strategy will depend on an investor's individual circumstances and objectives. The views and opinions expressed on this website may not necessarily reflect those of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”). This website and its associated content are intended for U.S. residents only.

    Morgan Stanley and its Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Visitors to this website should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning and other legal matters.

    Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Advisers may only transact business in states where they are registered or excluded or exempted from registration. Transacting business, follow-up and individualized responses involving either effecting or attempting to effect transactions in securities, or the rendering of personalized investment advice for compensation, will not be made to persons in states where Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Advisers are not registered or excluded or exempt from registration.

    For more information, please see the Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC Client Relationship Summary.

    See the Financial Advisors Biographies for Registration and Licensing information.

    Certified Financial Planner™ Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and CFP® (with flame logo)® in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP® Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements.

    Investment Management Consultants Association, Inc. owns the marks CIMA®, Certified Investment Management Analyst® (with graph element)®, and Certified Investment Management Analyst® .

    Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC offers insurance products in conjunction with its licensed insurance agency affiliates.

    Life insurance, disability income insurance, and long-term care insurance are offered through Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC's licensed insurance agency affiliates.

    Lifestyle Advisory Services: Products and services are provided by third party service providers, not Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”). Morgan Stanley may not receive a referral fee or have any input concerning such products or services. There may be additional service providers for comparative purposes. Please perform a thorough due diligence and make your own independent decision.

    Private Bankers are employees of Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association.

    Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC is a registered Broker/Dealer, Member SIPC, and not a bank. Where appropriate, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC has entered into arrangements with banks and other third parties to assist in offering certain banking related products and services.

    Investment, insurance and annuity products offered through Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC are: NOT FDIC INSURED | MAY LOSE VALUE | NOT BANK GUARANTEED | NOT A BANK DEPOSIT | NOT INSURED BY ANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY

    Awards Disclosures
    CRC 4237142 (02/2025)