Merrill Lynch Wealth Management new hire Rebecca Rothstein, Beverly Hills Managing Director

Merrill Lynch Wealth Management has hired Rebecca Rothstein as a Managing Director and Private Wealth Advisor in our Beverly Hills, California, Private Banking and Investments Group (PBIG) office. Rebecca and her 11-member team manage approximately $2.5 billion in assets and joined the firm on Friday, October 19. They had been at Morgan Stanley since 1999 and Alex Brown & Sons for 10 years prior to that.

Rebecca cited Bank of America’s broad lending platform and the strong capabilities of its private banking group as the reasons she joined the firm, noting strong client demand for these offerings.

Among the 11 on her team, she works with Managing Director and partner Mark Varo and two of her four sons – Evan and David Rothstein.

The team has been together for 17 years, and their practice focuses on estate, tax, and financial planning, especially in the entertainment and real estate industries. Rebecca also works extensively with corporate officers and directors on liquidity and diversification strategies for concentrated positions.

Frequently named to Barron’s list of America’s Top 100 Women Advisors (#2 for the last 3 years and #1 in 2009, 2007, and 2005), she was also named to the Barron’s list of America’s Top Advisors (men and women) every year since the listing was created.

In addition to her work as a private wealth advisor, Ms. Rothstein sits on five charitable boards and is a founding board member and chairman of the board of Teen Cancer America, an organization championed by rock legends Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend dedicated to improving the lives of teens and young adults with cancer.

A Canadian from Winnipeg who grew up in Fair Haven, New Jersey, Ms. Rothstein and her husband of 36 years live in Beverly Hills.