Robert Balentine is the Chairman and founding partner of Balentine, a firm he started nearly four decades ago with his father after leaving a successful Wall Street career—because he believed there had to be a more principled, transparent way to serve families with wealth.
An entrepreneur at heart, Robert has built, bought, and sold businesses, and he has spent his career advising business owners and multigenerational families on how to manage not just capital, but responsibility. He often reminds leaders that wealth can be created quickly—but legacy is built slowly, through intention, discipline, and stewardship.
Today, Balentine is one of the Southeast’s only independent wealth management firms, with more than 65 employees and offices in Atlanta and Raleigh—built deliberately to serve clients across generations with long-term perspective.
Robert is a frequent speaker and writer on investing, entrepreneurship, and leadership, and he is the co-author of First Generation Wealth, a book that explores how families and founders can preserve both financial capital and shared values over time.
Beyond business, Robert has played a meaningful role in Atlanta’s civic, cultural, and environmental life—from arts and education to conservation and community service. He is the founder of Southern Highlands Reserve and has served in leadership roles across many of the institutions that shape this city and region. He was recently presented with Ann Cramer Lifetime Achievement Award from the Atlanta Business Chronicle for his meaningful contributions to the community.
At the core of Robert’s work is a simple belief: leadership carries responsibility—and the truest measure of success is the impact you leave behind.
