(September 18 – 15:00 ET) – Merrill Lynch today named Sue Dabarno as president and chief operating officer of Merrill Lynch Canada Inc. The brokerage firm says Dabarno will be responsible for Merrill Lynch’s private client business in Canada.

Dabarno, who is currently first vice president and global head of International Private Client Group’s (IPCG) sales and marketing, will continue to report directly to Winthrop Smith, Jr., chairman of Merrill Lynch International and President of IPCG. She will continue as a member of IPCG’s executive committee.

Dabarno succeeds Bill Packham, who held the role since August 1998, following the acquisition of Midland Walwyn. Currently, chairman of Merrill Lynch & Co., Canada Ltd., the holding company, he also will be named vice chairman of Merrill Lynch Canada Inc., the broker-dealer. Packham, who serves as vice chairman of the Investment Dealers Association of Canada, will focus increasingly on strategic securities industry and regulatory matters for Merrill Lynch in Canada.

A Montreal native, Dabarno has extensive client experience in Canada and around the world. She also is uniquely qualified to bring Merrill Lynch’s values, training, and global resources to our financial consultants in Canada, Smith said.

“Sue Dabarno has been a tremendous contributor to IPCG and has spent the past two years studying all aspects of Merrill Lynch’s business,” Smith said. “Her superb credentials in Canada make her the logical choice to take our business to the next level. By combining our local presence with Merrill Lynch’s global capabilities, we can build on the tremendous success we’ve already achieved in Canada.”

Dabarno spent 20 years at Canada Trust, holding senior positions in such areas as branch operations, asset management, insurance, trust services and banking services. She joined Midland Walwyn in 1996 as president of Atlas Mutual Funds, Midland Walwyn’s proprietary mutual fund business. After spearheading the growth of Atlas, she was appointed executive vice president of the Wealth Management Group in 1997.

Dabarno joined Merrill Lynch in 1998 when the company acquired Midland Walwyn. In 1999, she was named head of marketing and, later that year, she was appointed to lead the combined international sales and marketing group for IPCG.

The company said Dabarno’s new appointment is part of an overall plan to further integrate the Canadian business with Merrill Lynch’s global franchise.
-IE Staff