Mercer Advisors, a national wealth management firm with approximately $114 billion in client assets, has appointed Kyle Pounder, Ph.D., as Vice President of Data.
Pounder will lead the firm’s core data team and support the expansion of artificial intelligence capabilities across its technology platform.
The appointment is intended to help Mercer serve more than 460 advisors and over 43,000 clients through better data integration, analytics, and technology-enabled financial planning.
Pounder’s responsibilities include overseeing data infrastructure supporting Aspen, Mercer’s integrated technology platform, and developing data services that provide actionable information to financial advisors.
The company is investing in tools designed to make client information more accessible, simplify administrative workflows, and support personalized wealth management services.
Pounder joins Mercer after five years at Wealth.com, where he most recently served as Chief Technology Officer.
At Wealth.com, he led engineering, security, and data teams during a period of expansion that included funding rounds led by Google Ventures and Charles Schwab.
His work included developing production-level artificial intelligence systems and implementing enterprise data infrastructure meeting SOC 2 Type 2 security standards.
Earlier, Pounder worked at Meta, where he was a data scientist supporting products designed to help creators grow their presence on Facebook and Instagram.
He holds a Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Arizona and a Master of Education from the University of Notre Dame.
The appointment strengthens Mercer’s growing technology leadership team.
Cynthia Loh recently joined as Chief Platform Officer after holding leadership positions at Goldman Sachs, Charles Schwab, and Betterment.
Ehsan Lavassani, a founding engineer and former Chief Engineering Officer of Personal Capital, has also been promoted to Head of Artificial Intelligence.
Pounder and Lavassani will report to Loh.
Mercer operates through more than 110 locations nationwide and employs over 1,770 professionals.
Its services include comprehensive financial planning, tax planning, estate planning, insurance solutions, and trust-related services.
KEY QUOTES:
“Our clients expect the same boutique experience in every one of our markets, and our advisors want their time and attention on serving clients, not on looking for information. Kyle knows how to turn complex data into something a team can act on. His work can put the right insight in front of the right client at the right moment, and that’s how we scale keeping our promises to those we serve.”
Cynthia Loh, Chief Platform Officer Of Mercer Advisors
“Data is only valuable when it helps someone do something better for a client. Mercer Advisors takes that seriously. The firm has already invested in a strong technology foundation, talented people, and the culture to make data and AI practical. I’m excited to build on that, using data and AI to make information more accessible, simplify complex workflows and give advisors more time to focus on nurturing client relationships and delivering high-touch service.”
Kyle Pounder, Ph.D., Vice President Of Data At Mercer Advisors
“Kyle is yet another example of the talented technology leaders choosing to join Mercer Advisors to build a different kind of wealth management firm, one that combines the strength of a national platform with the personalized service clients expect. We are committed to making Mercer Advisors a destination where technologists and practitioners can do the most meaningful work of their careers side-by-side, with the scale, data and specialized teams to further enhance how we serve our clients. We are thrilled to welcome a technologist of Kyle’s caliber and to put his deep expertise in data and AI to work delivering on the family office promise we make to our clients.”
Daniel Gourvitch, President Of Mercer Advisors
