BMO Wealth Management Appoints New Chief Investment Officer

CHICAGO, Jan. 22, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - BMO Wealth Management (U.S) today announced the appointment of Mike Stritch as Chief Investment Officer. Stritch will continue to serve as Senior Vice President and National Head of Investments, supported by Yung Yu Ma, Ph.D., Chief Investment Strategist.

Since 2015, Stritch has led the U.S. Wealth Management investment strategy and a research team of over 30 individuals, including senior professionals across asset classes and industries. Stritch also chairs the Personal Asset Management Committee, and is responsible for setting investment policy and strategy for clients throughout the United States. With nearly two decades of experience in money management, Stritch brings a deep background in market analysis, portfolio construction and risk management to the role.

"Mike's extensive experience in investments will enable us to continue delivering industry-leading insights and driving our investment strategy forward," said Darrel Hackett, President, BMO Wealth Management U.S. "Our strong investment team under Mike's leadership is poised to continue guiding our clients and serving as an essential partner to all their investment matters."

As Chief Investment Officer, Stritch replaces Jack Ablin who plans to pursue other interests in the private equity space. Ablin has served in the role of Chief Investment Officer for the past 16 years playing an integral part in the business and leadership team. His tenure will come to an end at the end of January.

"Jack has been a tremendous asset to our leadership team and a pleasure to collaborate with throughout his time at BMO," added Hackett. "We thank him for his extraordinary work, and wish him all the best as he embarks on the next chapter of his career."

Stritch will continue to be supported by Dr. Ma, who joined BMO in 2016 and brings a dynamic combination of academic achievements and industry experience to the investment team. As Chief Investment Strategist, Dr. Ma is responsible for performing macroeconomic analysis, valuation modeling, and market analysis across asset classes to guide strategic and tactical asset allocations for client portfolios.

Stritch joined BMO in 2013 and previously held the role of Managing Director of Investments for CTC | myCFO, the Ultra High Net Worth group within BMO Wealth Management. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst, and a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma International Honor Society, CFA Institute, CFA Society of Chicago, and the Chicago Quantitative Alliance. Stritch earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Northwestern University and a Master of Business Administration with distinction in Finance and Decision Sciences from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.

Prior to BMO, Dr. Ma was a finance professor at Lehigh University, where he taught courses in fixed income, equities and derivatives. Dr. Ma also worked for a global consulting firm performing financial and market analysis for companies with operations in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Mainland China. He earned his Ph.D. in Finance at the University of Utah and his Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science, magna cum laude, at Williams College.  

For more information about BMO Wealth Management or to learn more about wealth planning, please visit: https://wealth.bmoharris.com/

About BMO Wealth Management U.S.
BMO Wealth Management serves mass affluent, high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals and families with a full suite of wealth management solutions including wealth planning, banking and borrowing, investment management, retirement planning, trust and estate services, philanthropy, insurance and risk management, tax planning and ultra-high net worth services.  With more than 140 offices across 16 states and international offices in Canada, Hong Kong, and Singapore, BMO Wealth Management provides guidance and planning advice combined with individualized service and local experience. As of October 31, 2017, BMO Wealth Management had assets under management of US$49 billion and assets under administration of US$61 billion. BMO Wealth Management is supported by the resources and stability of one of North America's premier financial services organizations—BMO Financial Group. Visit bmowealthmanagement.com.

SOURCE BMO Harris Bank