"Our expanded presence on the east coast is also a testament to our long-term commitment to serving clients in Brazil - and the wider region - with the full scope of our platform"

Bank of America Merrill Lynch opened a new office in Rio de Janeiro's Botafogo district on August 10.

The new office reflects the importance that BofA Merrill places on continuously investing in the quality of its service in the country and beyond. Rio de Janeiro is Brazil's second economic capital and a concentration of various industries - the largest Brazilian companies in the mining and oil sectors for example, in addition to the major Brazilian pension funds.

"This move underscores our unwavering focus on clients and places us in closer proximity to those in Rio de Janeiro," explains Rodrigo Xavier, country executive of BofA Merrill in Brazil. "Our expanded presence on the east coast is also a testament to our long-term commitment to serving clients in Brazil - and the wider region - with the full scope of our platform," he added.

BofA Merrill's vice chairman, Marco Geovanne, heads the new office with the mandate of working closely with clients in the city and surrounding area to further deliver solutions tailored to their unique needs.

Building on the firm's ability to bring world-class services to the heart of the city, Mauricio Haidar will lead the office's Global Transaction Services sales activities, providing a full suite of services for which Euromoney magazine named BofA Merrill "The Best Transaction Services House" globally and in Latin America.


Bank of America
Bank of America is one of the world's leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 48 million consumer and small business relationships with approximately 4,800 retail financial centers, approximately 16,000 ATMs, and award-winning online banking with 31 million active users and approximately 18 million mobile users. Bank of America is among the world's leading wealth management companies and is a global leader in corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 3 million small business owners through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch is the marketing name for the global banking and global markets businesses of Bank of America Corporation. Lending, derivatives, and other commercial banking activities are performed globally by banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including Bank of America, N.A., member FDIC. Securities, strategic advisory, and other investment banking activities are performed globally by investment banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation ("Investment Banking Affiliates"), including, in the United States, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, which is a registered broker-dealer and member of SIPC, and, in other jurisdictions, a locally registered entity. Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Merrill Lynch Professional Clearing Corp. are registered as futures commission merchants with the CFTC and are members of the NFA. Investment products offered by Investment Banking Affiliates: Are Not FDIC Insured * May Lose Value * Are Not Bank Guaranteed.

Ouvidoria Bank of America Merrill Lynch1, DDG: 0800 886 2000, ouvidoria_bamlbrasil@baml.com
1Bank of America Merrill Lynch Banco Múltiplo S.A. e Merrill Lynch S.A. Corretora de Títulos e Valores Mobiliários

Reporters May Contact:
Katia Oliveira, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, 55 11 21884285
katia.oliveira@baml.com

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