Royal Bank of

Canada is rebranding Ferris Baker Watts, the investment bank it acquired last February, as RBC Wealth Management. FBW was acquired as part of RBC's commitment to bolster its wealth management presence in the

US by aligning with firms that carry a strong regional presence.

In addition to the FBW integration, RBC Wealth Management will be adding a seventh region to its

US structure. The new Mid-Atlantic region will be comprised of former FBW branches, as well as existing RBC Wealth Management branches in the region.

"The acquisition of FBW represented a strong strategic and cultural fit for RBC's US wealth management business, and significantly expanded our presence in the Eastern, Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions - all important markets for us," said
John Taft, head of US Wealth Management, RBC. "FBW financial consultants and clients will benefit from this integration by having access to the added resources of a global firm with a strong and stable parent company in RBC."

FBW clients will now have access to expanded capabilities and products, including fixed income inventory and strategy desks, managed account platforms, retirement solutions and resources, trust and estate resources, cash and lending products, insurance and annuity products, and mutual funds analysts and ETFs.

"For the past few years, RBC has been focused on significantly growing its presence in the

US," said Jim Chapman, co-president, private client group, RBC Wealth Management and director of the new Mid-Atlantic region. "The name change and addition of a new region are important steps in expanding the firm's capabilities, and providing more financial consultants and clients with global resources."

RBC Wealth Management serves high net worth clients in
Canada, the
US, Latin America, Europe and
Asia with investment, trust and other wealth management solutions.

The business also provides asset management products and services directly and through RBC and third-party distributors to institutional and individual clients, and has $450 billion of assets under administration, $220 billion of assets under management and more than 4,000 financial consultants, advisors, private bankers and trust officers.