Octave Francis III,

Octave Francis is the Managing Director and Senior Vice President, Investments at FFC Investment Advisors of Raymond James. As founding leader of FFC Investment Advisors of Raymond James, he oversees business development and client-facing investment management activities for a diverse portfolio of clients. He applies nearly 40 years of experience in investments, finance, community leadership, and relationship building to optimize outcomes for stakeholders in both the public and private sectors.

Prior to joining Raymond James in 2018, Octave served as Managing Principal of a New Orleans based investment banking enterprise which did business as FFC Capital Markets. After launching the investment advisory and consulting division in 2001, and the underwriting and trading division in 2011, together with a dynamic team of professionals, Mr. Francis built FFC into a robust and highly reputable investment operation with as high a watermark of $3.4B+ assets under management. Throughout his career, he has provided critical advice and consultation to support client objectives in a dynamic and ever-changing market environment.

Recognized throughout the Gulf Region for his investment, finance and business acumen, Octave has been selected to serve as a fiduciary on the boards of several public and private organizations. Of note, in 2013 Octave was appointed by the Mayor of New Orleans to serve as a Commissioner on the New Orleans Aviation Board (NOAB), the organization that oversees finance and administration for the World Class Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY).

As another example of his civic leadership, Octave currently serves on the board of the Catholic Community Foundation of New Orleans (CCFNOLA) as Past President, where alongside clergy and other Catholic community leaders, he directly serves with the Archbishop of New Orleans. He’s served Archdiocese of New Orleans related entities since 2002, through many of the cultural, ministerial, structural and financial challenges faced by both the Church and one of region’s larger community foundations, serving in several leadership roles, including President, Vice President, and Secretary.

Other boards that Mr. Francis has been a member include, among others: Past Chair of the New Orleans Regional Black Chamber of Commerce; member of the Orleans School Facilities Foundation board; the Louisiana Children’s Museum Foundation board; and the Providence Community Housing board.

He cut his teeth in the investment and finance world as an intern at New Orleans based investment bank Howard Weil while still a student at Tulane University’s School of Engineering, where at the time he thought of the experience as “just a holiday-break job between semesters”. It turned out to be the very opportunity that placed him on a successful career path in investment banking. After stints with both Legg Mason and Paine Webber, as a Senior Investment Advisor at Prudential Securities, Mr. Francis established and led an investment advisory group that specifically served the investment portfolio needs of banks, insurance companies, DB pension plans, endowments and foundations. He took that group private in 2001 as FFC Capital Markets.

Mr. Francis possesses a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Finance from A. B. Freeman School of Business at Tulane University in New Orleans. He also completed executive education in investment management at The Wharton School of Business’ Aresty Institute, University of Pennsylvania where he earned his Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) license. Octave is also an Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF); and he holds FINRA Series 7, 24, 50, 52, 53, 63 and 65.

Octave resides in New Orleans, Louisiana with his wife of 39 years Penny D. Francis. Penny is the noted CEO and Lead Designer of Eclectic Home, Inc., a 25 year old, family-owned design consulting and furniture retail business serving distinctive clients from coast-to-coast. Together they share their home with their younger daughter Camryn M. Francis; a graduate in Architecture with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) from Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD); and who is currently both employed by, while enrolled in Tulane University of New Orleans School of Architecture’s Master’s Program. The Francis’ older daughter Casi M. Francis-St. Julien is also a BFA graduate from SCAD in Interior Design, and is an independent Interior Designer, wife and mother of one; she lives in Texas with her husband Cedrick and their son Oliver.