Chief Compliance and CRO for Merrill & The Private Bank, Enterprise Credit Commercial and Special Assets Group COR, Business Electronic Communications, Bank of America

Susan F. Axelrod is the Chief Compliance and Chief Risk Officer (CRO) for Merrill and the Private Bank, Enterprise Credit Commercial and Special Assets Group Compliance and Operational Risk and the Business Electronic Communications Executive for Bank of America. In this role, she has responsibility to oversee key Compliance and Operational Risk activities across the GWIM businesses, including Merrill Lynch Wealth Management and The Private Bank, as well as Enterprise Credit Commercial and Special Assets Group. In addition, Susan is responsible for managing Business Electronic Communications compliance across the enterprise. Prior to her current role, Susan served as Broker-Dealer Compliance Oversight Executive for Bank of America where she oversaw activities across the firm’s broker-dealers. Susan joined the Firm in 2018 as Chief Supervisory Officer for Merrill Lynch and was in role for 5 years.

Before joining Merrill, Susan was an Executive Vice President of Regulatory Operations at FINRA. In that capacity, she managed the Examination and Enforcement programs as well as the Office of Fraud Detection and Market Intelligence. Previously, Susan was the FINRA Executive Vice President and head of Member Regulation—Sales Practice, responsible for ongoing surveillance and examinations, both routine and investigative, of FINRA-regulated securities firms. Formerly, she served as Senior Vice President and Deputy of Regulatory Operations, where she assisted in the oversight of the Market Regulation, Enforcement and Member Regulation functions. She also served in the creation of FINRA and the related integration of NASD and NYSE Regulation entities.

Prior to joining FINRA in 2007, Susan was Chief of Staff to the CEO of NYSE Regulation. In this position, her responsibilities included overseeing operations on a day-to-day basis and acting as a liaison with various business areas including finance, human resources, government relations and communications.

Susan joined the NYSE in 1989 as a Staff Attorney in the division of enforcement and became an Enforcement Director in 1997.

Susan serves as Executive Sponsor of the Inter-Generation Employee Network (IGEN), as well as market sponsor for the Albany Market. She is a member of Bank of America’s Operating Committee and Management Controls Committee, GWIM’s Risk Committee, and the Global Financial Crimes Committee.

In 2022, Susan was a receipt of the David Brady award, an award recognizing teammates who demonstrate extraordinary commitment and dedication to their clients, colleagues and community as personified by Merrill financial advisor David Brady. She is a member of two not-for-profit boards: Girls Inc. of New York City and Volunteers of America for the Greater New York Area. Susan is a member of Stanford University’s Center for Longevity, SIMFA’s Legal and Compliance Executive Committee and the North American Securities Administration Association Senior Advisory Council.

Susan received her J.D. from the Hofstra University School of Law and her B.A. from Emory University. In 2021, she was a recipient of the Outstanding Women in Law, awarded by her alma mater, Hofstra University.