About Us
Most wealth advisors talk about managing money. We talk about managing families. Big difference. Citadel Private Wealth exists because we got tired of watching successful families implode over control issues, unclear expectations, and conversations that never happened. Founded by people who've lived through messy transitions themselves, we help families design governance structures that actually work — not theoretical frameworks gathering dust in a binder. Think of us as the architect and therapist rolled into one (the therapist part is crucial). We work with roughly 47 families across Romania who've chosen clarity over chaos.
Over time, we’ve built a reputation for reliability, quality, and clear communication. We treat each project as a partnership and aim for outcomes that last.
Our Story
Citadel started in 2016 when our founders realized their own families needed help. Not investment advice. Not tax optimization. But actual structure — the kind that prevents siblings from feuding over control or parents from feeling like they're handing off a grenade. We spent our first few years mostly doing this work quietly, learning what works and what spectacularly doesn't. By 2021, word spread. Families started finding us. We're still relatively small by design. Smaller means we actually know your story.
Meet Our Team
The people behind Citadel Private Wealth
We’re a team that values ownership, clarity, and growth. We celebrate wins, learn fast, and keep client outcomes at the center.
Mihai Țepeș
Founder & Principal Advisor
Spent 18 years in wealth management before realizing that families needed help before they needed portfolios. Accidentally became an expert in family dynamics. Refuses to use PowerPoint.
Anca Popescu
Governance Architect
Trained as a lawyer, retrained herself as a listener. Designs the actual structures — bylaws, decision frameworks, conflict resolution systems — that families live within. Speaks five languages, prefers silence.
Cristian Novac
Family Dynamics Advisor
Background in organizational psychology. Brings the 'why families fight' expertise to the table. Runs the facilitation sessions where real conversations finally happen. People surprisingly open up to him.
Our Core Values
The principles that guide everything we do
Radical Honesty
We'll tell you what you don't want to hear. If your succession plan is built on wishful thinking, we'll say so. Uncomfortable conversations now beat catastrophic ones later.
Complexity Simplified
Family governance isn't simple. But explanations should be. We translate legalese into actual English. If we can't explain it clearly, we've probably overcomplicated it.
Your Values Come First
We don't impose governance frameworks. We extract what matters to your family — actually matters, not what sounds impressive — and build around that.
Long-Term Thinking
We're measuring success in decades, not quarters. That changes everything about how we advise. We're pushing back against short-termism constantly.
Our Mission
Design and implement governance structures that let families preserve wealth, align values, and reduce the arguments. We translate 'what happens to our money' into 'who decides what, when, and why.' Our job's done when your family can have productive conversations without lawyers present.
Our Vision
A landscape where family wealth strengthens relationships instead of destroying them. Where the next generation inherits not just assets but actual competence and confidence. Where succession plans feel less like a funeral and more like a handoff to someone ready for the job.