Michael Marks (financier)
Michael John Paul Marks | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 28, 1941 |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, banker |
| Years active | 1958–2014 |
| Known for | Executive chairman of Merrill Lynch Europe (1995–2003) |
Michael John Paul Marks (born 28 December 1941) is a prominent British entrepreneur, recognized for his role as executive chairman of Merrill Lynch Europe from 1995 to 2003. Prior to this, he held the positions of CEO and chairman at City of London stockbroker Smith New Court between 1985 and 1995, until the firm was acquired by Merrill Lynch.
Career
Marks commenced his career in 1958 at the City of London stockjobbing company Smith Brothers, which later became Smith New Court. He initially worked as a messenger and progressed through the ranks to become a director by 1975.
In 1987, Marks was appointed CEO of Smith New Court, which was partially owned by NM Rothschild at the time. He took over as executive chairman in 1995, succeeding Sir Michael Richardson, and managed the company's acquisition by Merrill Lynch that same year.
After departing from Merrill Lynch in 2003, Marks co-established the boutique investment firm NewSmith Capital Partners with former associates, drawing inspiration from their previous enterprise. He retired from NewSmith alongside co-founder Stephen Zimmermann in 2014.
Between 1994 and 2004, Marks held a non-executive directorship at the London Stock Exchange. During this tenure, Merrill Lynch acted as an advisor to the Exchange on a proposed merger with Deutsche Börse in 2000; however, the merger did not proceed after Merrill Lynch withdrew following its collapse.
In recognition of his contributions to financial services, Marks was honored with the title Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1999 New Year Honours.
