Our Philosophy

We believe your unique goals should be at the center of all of your financial decisions and form the foundation of your financial strategy. Because significant wealth requires customized goals-based financial strategies, we believe in building lasting relationships with a limited number of clients, taking the time to understand your most important priorities for today, tomorrow and your long-term future. Our philosophy celebrates collaboration. Working with a team of specialists, we draw on the resources and insights of a global financial institution to create strategies that reflect your aspirations for yourself and current and future generations of your family. Finally, we believe that while significant wealth brings complex challenges, our experience, passion and perspectives can help you simplify your life.

A Team to Rely On

If you’ve founded a company or contributed to a successful business, you know the importance of a good team. People drive the success of an organization.

Speak to us for a few minutes, and you’ll notice something different. We’re as passionate as you are about our work. We’ve committed ourselves to optimizing your experience—today and twenty years from now. Our purpose manifests in ways that matter to you and your family: 

Our Knowledge and Insight.
Ahmed Khatib holds the CFA® and CFP® certifications, testifying to his extensive background in investment management and wealth strategy. Alina Lloyd also holds the CFP® certification and, in turn, has spent her career advising ultra-high-net-worth clients about their distinctive needs, from pre-liquidity event planning, to legacy design and structured credit. Both Ahmed and Alina have earned their M.B.A.s. Their knowledge, training, and experience support you in making informed decisions, avoiding common pitfalls, and leveraging a robust opportunity set.

Our Work Ethic.
We know how hard you’ve worked. We share your belief that diligence and dedication are the foundation of excellence. We’re tireless in our efforts to assist you and your family in pursuing your goals – a commitment we embody by staying at the forefront of changing trends in investing, tax policy, business structuring, legacy opportunities, and other needs of the entrepreneurial community.*

Our Network.
We’re not outside looking in; we’re deeply entrenched in the Silicon Valley community, professionally and personally. We understand the culture here, and we’ll do everything we can to facilitate your success. Within Merrill, we draw upon a deep bench of dedicated resources within the Merrill Private Wealth Management Group, providing you with entrée to resources, capabilities, and client events specially designed for you and your family members. Moreover, we’ll spearhead effective collaboration with your external tax and legal advisors, overseeing the sustained communication that is an essential underpinning of holistic wealth management.

*Merrill, its affiliates, and financial advisors do not provide legal, tax, or accounting advice. You should consult your legal and/or tax advisors before making any financial decisions.

Differentiated Capabilities

As your wealth has grown, it’s likely you’ve encountered a level of complexity that was difficult to imagine at the outset of your career. We’re skilled in tackling the intricacies that significant wealth can entail. We don’t shy away from difficulties – we embrace them, because their steady resolution allows us to make a significant difference in your life and the lives of the people you care about.

Here are a few of the ways we can help you streamline your wealth and deploy it more effectively:

• Assess your wealth in its totality—what is it, where is it, and what you want to accomplish with it. For each person, the answers will be unique. We’ll spend significant time getting to know you, your priorities, and your passions. Together, we’ll lay out a detailed plan that helps you identify near-term objectives and long-term aspirations, advancing steady progress toward the fulfillment of both.

• Perform an in-depth analysis of your investment allocation with regard to diversification, risk, cash-flow, and time horizon, allowing you to identify redundancies, discern gaps and exposures, and evaluate tax efficiency and fees.

• Spearhead integrated strategies and structures before, during, or after a liquidity event, helping you optimize the impact of critical inflection points in your wealth.

• Examine both sides of your balance sheet, facilitating access to strategic and smart credit from Bank of America.

• Support you and your family members as stewards of your wealth, providing you with the knowledge you need to make reasoned and thoughtful decisions about the direction and scope of your legacy.

Mindful of a Larger Context

We believe strongly in the value and meaning of your work. We’re privileged to advise innovators who have changed the world for the better through their ingenuity and ideas.

As advisors, guides, and sounding boards, we relish the opportunity to make your life easier, so that you can focus on what most excites you: maybe it’s the business you’ve founded, or the one you have in mind. Maybe it’s providing for your children or grandchildren, so that they become strong and capable stewards of your wealth. Or maybe it’s supporting a cause or initiative that excites you, enacting strategic philanthropy that is metrics-based and measurable.

Whatever your passion, concern, or curiosity, we’re eager to connect with you. You’ll find us to be earnest, attentive, and absolutely focused on you and your needs.

If you have a challenging situation, consider reaching out to us. We’re confident we can expand your thinking, supporting you as you move forward in discerning the meaning, value, and ultimate purpose of your wealth.

Technology Entrepreneur

As a technology entrepreneur, you focus relentlessly on what’s next. Yet as you look ahead to each new venture or cutting-edge innovation, it’s important to maintain the financial foundation that helps power your success and helps you take advantage of potential opportunities as they arise. We have experience helping entrepreneurs and business owners balance their personal lives with their life’s work. We understand the challenges you face every day, whether managing your newly achieved success or gaining access to the liquidity you need as seed capital or for personal expenses. We are dedicated in providing the experience and resources to help support your ongoing success.

Corporate Executives

We understand the complexities that come with your executive position and the extreme demands on your time. We can help you develop a customized strategy that your finances and compensation require. We can help with risk management strategies for your concentrated stock position while navigating complex SEC rules, trading restrictions and reporting requirements. If you’ve just been promoted and would like help evaluating your new compensation plan, or if you’re looking to develop a long-term financial strategy for you and your family — designed to enable you to live life as you want it, with reliable access to cash — we can help simplify your financial life, as well as develop new strategies as your career and goals evolve.

Company Founders, Private Business Owners & Entrepreneurs

When you have built your own business, your personal finances and the life of your company are closely intertwined. You may be thinking about how to invest in your company’s growth while also deciding how best to use your personal assets. Helping ensure the future of your business likely involves employee benefits, retirement plans and succession planning. Helping secure your family’s legacy could entail wealth transfer strategies, trusts and philanthropy. Whatever your specific needs, we at Merrill Private Wealth Management can help entrepreneurs and business owners balance their personal financial lives with their life’s work. We are dedicated in providing the experience and resources to help support your ongoing success.

Intergenerational Family Wealth

As a family that spans multiple generations, you have needs that go beyond preserving assets, tax minimization strategies and designating heirs. Your goals also likely include passing on values and helping the rising generation become effective stewards. We can help with personalized wealth transfer strategies, family wealth education and developing and implementing philanthropic visions. In working with you to create an approach that reflects your family’s intentions and helps ensure your assets are distributed according to your wishes, we proceed in a manner that recognizes the complexities of your life challenges and the unique nature of your goals. Our extensive experience working with other families of significant wealth helps  us to see and share best practices to help you achieve them.

A Commitment to Service

Merrill Private Wealth Management is committed to providing a select group of clients with highly personalized one-on-one service. When you work with us, our knowledgeable, rigorously trained private wealth advisors will gain a deep understanding of your goals, help you develop a multigenerational wealth strategy, and help you update your strategy as needed. We are committed to providing you access to the investment insights of Merrill and the banking convenience of Bank of America, and Merrill will continue to invest in client tools and new technology to enhance your overall experience as you and your private wealth advisor pursue what’s most important to you.