Advisor moves: UBS nabs $1B Merrill advisor team in Puerto Rico

UBS has scored a recruiting win in Puerto Rico with the arrival of a billion-dollar pair from Merrill, while Osaic and the Bahnsen Group, a multibillion-dollar firm with roots from Morgan Stanley, announce their own additions.

UBS hires Merrill advisor duo in Puerto Rico

UBS has added a veteran advisor team in San Juan, bringing on financial advisors Mark Lilley and Gabriel Trigo along with senior registered client associate Ivelisse Moreno Guzman. The group joins the Puerto Rico Market, which is led by regional and market leadership based on the island.

Lilley joins from Merrill Lynch, where he spent more than 15 years working with individuals, families and institutions. He started his career at PaineWebber in 1996 and now has roughly three decades of experience in the industry, with a practice built around portfolio construction, risk management and long-term planning.

UBS is positioning Lilley’s background as a bridge between global markets and the specific needs of clients in Puerto Rico, a market that blends local wealth, cross-border families and business owners with ties to the mainland US and Latin America.

Trigo also arrives from Merrill Lynch, bringing more than 10 years of experience. He has focused on asset allocation, cross-border advisory work and global investment strategy, serving both domestic and international clients.

That cross-border focus aligns with the increasingly international nature of many Puerto Rico-based households and businesses that tap advisors for planning across currencies, tax regimes and jurisdictions.

Osaic attracts Missouri team launching F & M Investment Partners

In the independent channel, Osaic said Missouri-based advisors Michael Murray and Brian Fruend have launched F & M Investment Partners on its platform. The team, based in the greater St. Louis area, oversees about $232 million in client assets and brings more than 60 years of combined experience working with individuals and families.

Murray and Fruend were previously registered with Stifel for more than 20 years, according to their BrokerCheck records.