Ex-Merrill exec Wright to guide investment policy for insurer's wealth biz. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management, the advisory wing of Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance, has hired former Merrill Lynch executive Emmett Wright to be its CIO.

Wright will be based in Milwaukee, where Northwestern Mutual is headquartered.

In-house accounts

"Emmett brings more than 15 years of experience in the financial services industry, with much of that time spent implementing and managing investment strategies," says Ed Tippetts, president and CEO of the Northwestern's wealth-management group, a "limited purpose" federal savings bank and registered investment advisor.

Wright was formerly CIO at Merrill Lynch Investment Managers (MLIM) in Plainsboro, N.J., where he was in charge of investment policy and performance for MLIM's proprietary separately managed account business and for Merrill's trust company.

Between his time with MLIM - which is on its way to merging with BlackRock -- and his appointment to Northwestern Mutual, Wright was a principal of Network Partners, a New York-based telecoms consultancy.

Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management has about 40 advisors in 18 States, mostly in the West, Midwest and South. -FWR

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