Hatem Dhiab, CFP® CIMA®

Hatem Dhiab, CFP®, CIMA® is a Founding and Managing Partner at Gerber Kawasaki Wealth and Investment Management, one of Los Angeles's premier independent wealth management firms. As one of the top financial advisors in Los Angeles, Hatem delivers comprehensive financial planning and fiduciary investment management to entrepreneurs, high-earning professionals, creatives, entertainment executives, and technology leaders across Southern California and beyond.

Hatem also leads Gerber Kawasaki's High Net Worth Division, where he specializes in complex and advanced planning strategies, alternative investments, and customized portfolio construction for clients with sophisticated wealth management needs.

Background & Education

Raised in Tunisia and France within a multicultural family of bankers, Hatem developed a global financial perspective from an early age. He moved to the United States at 18 to pursue a career in finance, graduating Magna Cum Laude with a degree in International Business and Finance from California State University, Los Angeles. He subsequently earned his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) designation after completing a certificate in Personal Financial Planning from Bryant University, as well as the CERTIFIED INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT ANALYST® (CIMA®) designation — positioning him among the most credentialed financial advisors serving clients in the greater Los Angeles area.

Areas of Expertise

Hatem advises a diverse clientele of high-income professionals navigating complex financial landscapes. His core areas of expertise include:

• Equity Compensation & Concentrated Stock Positions — RSUs, ISOs, NSOs, ESPP strategies, and single-stock risk management

• Business Exit Planning & Liquidity Events — M&A advisory coordination, IPO planning, and pre-liquidity tax structuring

• Tax Optimization Strategies — Roth conversions, tax-loss harvesting, backdoor Roth strategies, charitable planning, and multi-year tax projection modeling

• Retirement Plan Design — 401(k), SEP IRA, Cash Balance Plans, Defined Benefit Plans, and deferred compensation planning

• Estate Planning Coordination — Trust structuring, wealth transfer strategies, and multi-generational planning with estate attorneys

• Real Estate Planning — 1031 exchanges, real estate investment analysis, and property portfolio integration

• Risk Management — Insurance analysis, asset protection, and liability planning

• Alternative Investments — Private equity, venture capital, real estate funds, and structured products for accredited and qualified investors

Clients Served

Financial Advisor for Doctors & Physicians in Los Angeles

For physicians, medical practice owners, and healthcare executives in Los Angeles, Hatem provides specialized financial planning around private practice structuring, partnership buy-ins and buy-outs, cash flow management, disability and malpractice insurance optimization, student loan repayment strategies, and long-term wealth accumulation. He understands the unique trajectory of a physician's financial life — from residency through peak earning years and into retirement — and builds plans accordingly.

Financial Advisor for Entertainment Professionals & Creatives

For entertainment professionals, creatives, actors, producers, writers, and music industry executives, Hatem designs financial strategies tailored to fluctuating income, backend compensation structures, residual and royalty streams, contract negotiation guidance, and building sustainable, long-term wealth during peak earning years. His approach accounts for the inherent variability of entertainment careers and emphasizes disciplined planning and diversification.

Financial Advisor for Tech Executives & Startup Founders

For senior technology executives, startup founders, and early-stage employees, Hatem specializes in equity compensation planning, liquidity event strategy, IPO and direct listing preparation, deferred compensation analysis, and sophisticated tax strategies around vesting schedules and concentrated equity positions. He brings deep familiarity with the Los Angeles tech and startup ecosystem, offering planning that reflects the pace and complexity of technology-driven wealth creation.

Awards & Recognition

Hatem's commitment to excellence has earned consistent recognition from both his firm and the broader financial services industry:

• Gerber Kawasaki Top Advisor, Top Advisor AUM, and Top Risk Manager — 2025

• Leader of Influence — Los Angeles Business Journal (multiple years)

• Top Advisor — Forbes

• Top Advisor — InvestmentNews

Media, Thought Leadership & Podcast

A frequent guest on major television networks including CNBC, Fox Business, and Bloomberg, Hatem provides expert commentary on financial markets, technology trends, artificial intelligence investing, and innovation. His media presence reinforces his role as a thought leader at the intersection of finance and technology.

Hatem is the founder and co-host of the Future Money Podcast by Gerber Kawasaki, where he and co-host Ayal Shmilovich explore the evolving landscape of investing, fintech, AI, and the future of wealth management. The podcast delivers timely market insights and forward-looking financial commentary to a growing audience of investors and professionals.

Leadership at Gerber Kawasaki

Within the firm, Hatem leads multiple divisions that reflect his broad expertise and strategic vision:

• High Net Worth Division — Advanced planning, alternative investments, and bespoke portfolio management

• Technology Division — Research and investment strategy focused on technology, AI, and innovation

• International Division — Cross-border planning, expatriate advisory, and international investment strategy for foreign nationals

Hatem also serves as a mentor to rising financial advisors at Gerber Kawasaki, helping develop the next generation of fiduciary wealth managers.

Community Involvement

Beyond his advisory practice, Hatem is deeply committed to giving back. He serves on the Board of Trustees for the Selfless Love Foundation, where he has contributed a decade of service focused on feeding families and creating opportunities in underserved communities. He is also active in the Venice and Westside Los Angeles community through the CD11 Foundation and participates in local neighborhood beautification and clean-up initiatives.

Philosophy & Approach

Hatem's approach to wealth management is built on independence, transparency, and long-term partnership. As a fiduciary financial advisor, he is legally and ethically obligated to act in his clients' best interests — a distinction that underpins every recommendation he makes.

He is known for his ability to simplify complex financial strategies, coordinate seamlessly with clients' CPAs, attorneys, and other professional advisors, and design customized investment portfolios within a comprehensive wealth management architecture. His clients value his disciplined planning process, deep tax strategy knowledge, and genuine commitment to their financial success over decades — not quarters.

Schedule a Consultation

To discuss your financial planning needs with Hatem Dhiab, CFP®, CIMA® at Gerber Kawasaki Wealth and Investment Management, visit gerberkawasaki.com or contact the firm directly.

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CA Insurance Lic:#0E93364

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Designation Disclaimers

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

For more than 30 years, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® certification has been the standard of excellence for financial planners. CFP® professionals have met extensive training and experience requirements, and commit to CFP Board's ethical standards that require them to put their clients' interests first.

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Candidates for the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® certification must have a bachelor’s degree (or higher) from an accredited college or university and three years of full-time personal financial planning experience or the equivalent part-time experience (2,000 hours equals one year full-time). Designation training requirements for the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® certification include completion of a CFP-board registered program, or hold one of the following: Certified Public Accountant (CPA); Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC); Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU); Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA); Ph.D. in financial planning, finance, business administration or economics; Doctor of Business Administration; or attorney's license. Following completion of the course requirements, applicants must complete a proctored final certification exam and continuing education of 30 hours every two years.

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https://www.finra.org/investors/professional-designations/cfp

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“CERTIFIED INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT ANALYST (CIMA®):

The Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA®) certification is a prestigious designation for investment professionals. It focuses on practical portfolio construction and wealth management strategies. The CIMA® designation is issued by the Investments and Wealth Institute.

Initial Certification Requirements:

• Experience: Have a minimum of three years of verified work experience in the financial services sector.

• Education: Complete an executive education program through an approved provider (University of Chicago Booth School of Business, the Yale School of Management, or Portfolio Construction Forum), focusing on investment management principles and practices.

• Exams: Pass the CIMA® Certification exam, demonstrating a strong grasp of investment analysis, portfolio management, and ethical conduct in financial services.

Ongoing Requirements:

• Continuing Education: CIMA® recipients must complete 40 credit-hours of continuing education within a 2-year period.

• Ethics: CIMA® recipients are required to adhere to the Investments & Wealth Institute Code of Professional Responsibility.”