Merrill Lynch has appointed a new international financial advisor to its Miami office as it looks to bolster its Latin America operations.

Merrill Lynch Wealth Management has appointed Fernando Nicolau to its Miami office as an international financial advisor, as the firm looks to expand its Latin America operations.

Nicolau will work with Andre Mendes and Pedro Paulo Silva, the firm’s Brazil team serving the LatAm ultra-high net worth market, Merrill Lynch said yesterday in a statement.

He joins from JP Morgan Private Bank, where he was responsible for more than $1 billion in client assets. Nicolau has more than 17 years’ experience in the sector and started his career at Citibank, where he spent 13 years working in Brazil, New York and Miami.

In 2012, Nicolau joined JP Morgan Private Bank in Miami as an executive director for ultra-high net worth Brazilian clients.

“We are pleased to welcome Fernando to our Miami international office,” said Andres de Corral, market executive. “His years of experience working in the Latin American market make him the right fit for our Brazil client segment."