Bank of the West's Wealth Management Group has expanded its Investment Advisory & Management team, bringing two new senior portfolio managers onboard. Drew Brahos and Bruce Wetter will provide investment management for personal investment portfolios, trust accounts, retirement assets, foundations and endowments. They will also contribute research and insights to the Wealth Management Group's investment committee, the bank said in a statement.
In addition to his role as senior portfolio manager, Brahos will serve as market strategist, providing intellectual leadership related to changes and trends in the economy and the impact on the team's portfolio allocation strategies.
Brahos, who is based in Newport Beach, joins Bank of the West from Santa Barbara Bank & Trust where he managed the Value Stock Fund and Growth Stock Fund Common Trust Funds as senior portfolio manager. Prior to that, he served as senior economist with Bank of America, focusing on international equity strategy, asset allocation and fixed income strategy.
Wetter is based in San Francisco. He was previously a portfolio manager with HighMark Capital Management and a relationship manager with Union Bank's Private Banking Group. Before that, he worked as a senior branch credit officer and relationship manager at Bank Hapoalim B.M.
"As accomplished investment professionals, Drew and Bruce bring a depth of expertise that will be a strong asset for our clients as we work with them to manage their portfolios," Don Silva, head of Investment Advisory & Management for the bank's Wealth Management Group, said in a statement.
Clients will be able to access the bank's team of portfolio managers through its network of relationship managers called
Bank of the West, a subsidiary of BNP Paribas, operates more than 700 retail and commercial banking operations in 19 Western and Midwestern states.
