In just her second year as president and co-head of
In partnership with Eric Schimpf, president and co-head of the 25,000-employee Merrill Wealth Management unit, Hans boosted year-over-year revenue by 9% in 2024 and increased the AUM balance of the Investment Advisory Program by 18% year-over-year, among other accomplishments.
The unit's success has continued into 2025. During the first half of this year, Merrill Wealth Management posted nearly $10 billion in revenue, and wealth management advisors added 12,700 clients and more than 20,000 households. As of March 31, Hans and Schimpf oversaw client balances of $3.5 trillion.
Advisors on her team "stepped up during this time, demonstrating to clients again and again the value of a Merrill advisor," Hans said. "In moments of uncertainty, they helped clients refocus on their long-term plans, reassess their goals, and make necessary adjustments."
In a six-month span amid the market chaos, Merrill Wealth Management produced more than 500,000 investment planning documents for clients, Hans said. Furthermore, the company's Chief Investment Office, with backing from
"As a result, Merrill clients were net buyers — not sellers — of equities during the peak of volatility, and client assets across various investment products grew," Hans said. "Many clients, with the guidance of their advisors, took advantage of the market environment to build more balanced portfolios designed for future growth."
Hans has weathered numerous market swings since joining Merrill Wealth Management in 2014 as a division executive for the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast markets. Three years later, she was promoted to head of Merrill's Private Wealth Management, International and Institutional business. Hans was elevated to her current roles in 2023. In addition to her work at Merrill Wealth Management, Hans manages
Before coming aboard at Merrill, she spent more than a decade at UBS Financial Services, where she most recently had been a complex director, charged with leading financial advisors in her region.
As Hans advances through her third year as president and co-head, she's mindful of her clients' growing desire for holistic advice that goes beyond traditional investment management to include banking, lending, and other money matters. A key to this will be reliance on the 2,400 professionals in Merrill's training program. Hans noted that trainees brought aboard one-third of Merrill's new households in the second quarter of 2025, and more than half of those households boasted assets exceeding $500,000.
"As today's advisors plan for succession, many of these trainees are joining established teams, ensuring continuity for clients and long-term success for the firm," Hans said.
Hans, national executive sponsor of Merrill Wealth Management's Women's Exchange, believes strongly in the power of mentorship for trainees and other employees.
"I always encourage women to find a mentor — and to do so early in their careers. I've benefited from mentors throughout my career, both men and women, as well as serving as a mentor," Hans said. "It's difficult to predict the path your career will take, so having someone to help you prepare for the realities of the journey is invaluable."
In line with Hans' firm belief in mentorship, Merrill Wealth Management has reintroduced the Advanced Educational Symposium, which provides career development tools for experienced advisors, and has launched a program called Level Up, which supplies coaching, education, and peer support geared toward each phase of an advisor's career.
"I'm proud of how we're investing in our advisors at every stage of their careers," Hans said.
