B. Riley Financial named Jon Merriman senior managing director and chief business officer. This is an expanded role for Merriman who was previously head of Capital Markets for the firm’s broker-dealer subsidiary, B. Riley FBR.

In this role, Merriman will be focused on identifying opportunities across the entire B. Riley platform, specifically looking to identify synergies between the firm’s various business divisions. Additionally, he will continue to execute investment banking transactions at B. Riley FBR.

“I’m excited to see Jon step into this position,” said Bryant Riley, B. Riley chairman and co-CEO. “He has been a consistent contributor to the success of our broker-dealer. As we continue to grow our platform, we are looking to position resources to focus on finding opportunities which leverage multiple business units. Having Jon apply his business development experience and focus on this expanded effort brings us closer to our goal of providing full service, end-to-end solutions for our clients.”

“I’ve witnessed firsthand B. Riley’s substantial growth over the past few years,” said Merriman. “The breadth and depth of B. Riley Financial’s products and services make this an exciting opportunity for me. I look forward to my new role and contributing to the continued success of the firm.”

Merriman brings over 25 years of experience in the investment banking, brokerage and trading businesses. His deep experience in corporate turnarounds, capital markets transactions and growing organizations combined with his broad institutional and personal network, gives him a unique perspective when working with investment banking clients and institutional investors.

Prior to joining B. Riley FBR in 2016, Merriman was co-chairman and CEO of Merriman Capital and served as the head of Equities for Wells Fargo Securities. Merriman began his career in Merrill Lynch’s investment banking division and Bear Stearns. He has served on several private, public and non-profit company boards and continues to be active as a board member and advisor.