For over twenty years, I worked in the financial services industry, first as a financial consultant managing the investment portfolios of ultra high net worth individuals and corporations, and later, in a series of management and marketing roles of increasing scope and responsibility. During my time in New York at Merrill Lynch’s world headquarters, I led the structuring and marketing of over $20 billion in initial public offerings of various equity and debt securities, mutual funds and private placements, including some of the most successful in the firm’s history. In my last position at Merrill Lynch, I developed new products and strategic initiatives for the benefit of ultra high net worth clients located in thirty-three countries and doing business in seven languages.

In 2002, I was recruited to join Prudential Financial as head of their securities and financial planning businesses in the northeastern United States and a member of the securities company Operating Committee. My focus here was to restructure the branch management leadership, sales and compliance structure to enhance productivity and profitability within the region and to develop marketing and strategy for the wealth management division overall.