Daniel London, 28

At 28 years old, Daniel London’s career is taking off in multiple ways.

He’s an entrepreneur, commercial real estate investor and the youngest managing director at Naples-based Capital Wealth Advisors.

Photo by Mark Wemple

London, recently promoted to director, oversees investments of about $225 million for 50 clients.

In all, the firm had $4.01 billion in assets under advisement as of Sept. 11. It has made the Inc. 5000 list of fast-growing companies multiple times since its 2004 founding.

As for London’s early success, he unabashedly points to his father, Mark London, as his role model, giving him much of the credit. “He modeled discipline, integrity and resilience,” says London. 

As a teenager, London says he knew he wanted to be financially literate and an entrepreneur like his father.

It took a mandatory six-week college internship, which he spent at Capital Wealth Advisors, to alter his career path.

“I loved the culture, I loved the firm,” he says. “I just knew I didn’t want to be an analyst sitting in front of a computer in an office all day. I’m more of a big picture guy.”

After graduation, he called Capital Wealth Advisors CEO William Beynon to thank him for the experience, but told him he intended to work in commercial real estate sales in Atlanta.

“You’re not asking me for a job?” Beynon replied.

London explained he didn’t want to sit in front of a computer all day.

Beynon asked London to work as his apprentice for two years. He offered to pay for the cost of an MBA for London if he later decided against staying with the firm.

Beynon’s offer was generous and London says he knew he’d be foolish to reject it.

“People believing in you is one of the greatest gifts you can find,” says London, who recently returned from a two-week visit to Europe, including stops in Paris, Greece and Switzerland.

“It was the best decision of my life,” London says of choosing to work with Beynon.

And no, London doesn’t sit in front of a computer screen all day. He carries his laptop with him and has two others on his team. 

There are also other business interests. With his father, he owns and manages a 12,000-square-foot office building, called London Executive Suites. They bought it in a distress sale a few years ago. They offer tenants flexible leases, which has boosted the building’s occupancy rate from 70% to 90% in the past 18 months, he says.