San Francisco-headquartered wealth manager and private bank First Republic, a division of Merrill Lynch Bank & Trust, has opened a new preferred banking office on Wilshire Boulevard in Santa Monica.

Headed by Suzy Kazanchyan, the new office will provide private and business banking, real estate lending, investment management, brokerage and trust services to individuals, their families and businesses. She previously managed Bank of America's main branch in downtown Los Angeles.

"First Republic's Santa Monica office will better serve existing clients and deliver the bank's unique brand of banking and wealth management services to new clients in the area," said Katherine August-deWilde, First Republic's president and chief operating officer.

First Republic Bank operates preferred banking or trust offices in ten major metropolitan areas: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Newport Beach, San Diego, Las Vegas, Portland, Seattle, Boston and New York City.

First Republic's other Los Angeles locations include Beverly Hills, Century City, Studio City and downtown Los Angeles.