(Source: Merrill Lynch) "Stan O'Neal, chairman and chief executive officer, Merrill Lynch heads one of the world's leading personal and institutional financial management and advisory firms, with offices in 37 countries and approximately $1.6 trillion (€1.1 trillion).

"O'Neal became chief executive of the company in December 2002 and was elected chairman in April 2003. He has held a series of increasingly responsible positions since joining the company in 1986 as vice president of investment banking.