Mercer names Thomas Cannataro as US wealth management leader

Thomas Cannataro, head of US wealth management at Mercer.

Firm taps BlackRock veteran to lead US wealth management growth strategy.

Mercer has appointed Thomas Cannataro as its US Wealth Management Leader, effective immediately, tapping a BlackRock veteran with more than two decades of experience in the wealth advisory space to accelerate growth across one of the firm’s key business segments.

Cannataro will report to Anne Marie Schultz, Mercer’s US Investments Commercial Leader, and will be responsible for expanding the firm’s wealth management capabilities and driving commercial growth for clients nationwide.

Schultz called Cannataro an “exceptional leader” whose background aligns with Mercer’s strategic direction.

“His experience aligns closely with our strategy, and he brings the leadership, commercial acumen, and execution focus to continue to unlock our strengths and build the next generation of our wealth management business,” she said.

BlackRock career

Cannataro spent more than 20 years at BlackRock, where he held a series of senior roles across US Wealth Advisory.

Most recently, he served as Head of Portfolio Design and Models Distribution, leading a national business responsible for the commercialization and advisor adoption of model portfolios and portfolio construction solutions — an area of growing focus as financial advisors increasingly seek turnkey investment tools to serve clients efficiently.

Earlier in his BlackRock tenure, Cannataro led the Princeton and San Francisco Sales Desks and headed the Advisor Services Group. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Finance from the University of Delaware and carries both the Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) and Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA®) designations.

“Mercer has a strong platform, a highly respected brand and tremendous potential to grow its business within the wealth management industry,” Cannataro said. “I look forward to working with colleagues across the firm to build on that foundation and deliver for clients.”

Mercer, part of Marsh McLennan, has been working to strengthen its position in the US wealth management market, where independent and fee-based advisors represent a significant and growing client base.