John Thiel, a visionary financial services leader whose deep caring and understanding of people guided his 28 years at Merrill Lynch, has leveraged his drive to improve the well-being of others as a board member, mentor, and now as Partner and Senior Advisor with MyNextSeason. Before joining MyNextSeason, John was Head of Wealth Management at Merrill Lynch, where he oversaw and transformed a $15B business with 23,000 employees. He additionally steered the firm through a period of unprecedented change, including the acquisition by Bank of America. Keeping his focus on people, John managed complex relationships, mobilized a global workforce, and reestablished trust with clients and the public following the financial crisis—all while driving dramatic business growth. John then served as Vice Chairman of Global Wealth and Investment Management before retiring from Merrill Lynch.

John recently joined the board of Franklin Resources, Inc. and additionally serves as a board member of Decker Communications, a leading business communications consulting firm. A longtime advocate for curing cancer, he serves on the board of the V Foundation for Cancer Research and chairs an annual event supporting the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund and its focus on eliminating healthcare disparities for African Americans. John helps improve the financial literacy of underserved populations as a member of the FINRA Investor Education Foundation board and is also deeply involved in increasing educational opportunity as a Trustee of the Florida State University Foundation.

John is a frequent speaker, sharing insights on leadership, creating client trust, and responding to changing financial needs in a shifting environment. John and his wife, Karen, live in Florida and have three adult children.