Barclays Wealth Names Brian Sears as Regional Manager for Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Barclays Wealth, a leading global wealth manager and advisor by assets under management, is pleased to announce the appointment of Brian Sears as a Managing Director and Regional Manager for Los Angeles.

Mr. Sears is responsible for managing all aspects of the Los Angeles branch and growing the regional business. He reports to Steve Houston, Head of Wealth Management, Americas, who oversees the regional branch offices and Investment Representatives network.  

"Developing the Los Angeles region is an integral part of our expansion plans in the Americas, and we look forward to Brian's leadership," said Mitch Cox, Head of Barclays Wealth, Americas, and Head of Global Research and Investments globally for the firm. "Over the course of two decades of private wealth experience, Brian has developed a deep understanding of the needs of high net worth clients."

Mr. Sears joins from Neuberger Berman in New York, where he was most recently Global Co-Head of Distribution for Alternative Investments. Prior to that, he spent 15 years as an investment advisor at Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch and Goldman Sachs. Before joining the financial services industry, Mr. Sears served in the U.S. Navy. He holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a BS in Economics from the United States Naval Academy.

Commenting on his position, Mr. Sears said: "I am excited to contribute to the growth and momentum of Barclays Wealth in the Americas."

With 14 offices across the U.S. and Latin America, Barclays Wealth in the Americas provides comprehensive wealth management to high net worth individuals and families. The firm focuses on understanding its clients' financial needs, personal aspirations and tolerance for risk in order to design and implement highly customized investment solutions.

About Barclays Wealth

Barclays Wealth is a leading global wealth manager, and the UK's largest, with total client assets of $232bn (153.5bn pounds Sterling), as of June 30, 2010. With offices in over 20 countries, Barclays Wealth focuses on private and intermediary clients worldwide, providing international and private banking, investment management, fiduciary services and brokerage.

Barclays Group is a major global financial services provider engaged in retail and commercial banking, credit cards, corporate banking, investment banking, wealth management and investment management services with an extensive international presence in Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia.

For further information about Barclays Wealth, please visit our website www.barclayswealthamericas.com.

Twitter page: www.twitter.com/barclayswealth

Barclays Wealth is the wealth management division of Barclays Bank PLC, functioning through Barclays Capital Inc. in the United States. Barclays Capital Inc., an affiliate of Barclays Bank PLC, is a U.S. registered broker-dealer and regulated by the Securities & Exchange Commission. Member SIPC.

SOURCE Barclays Wealth