Experience

John has over 30 years of experience in the finance industry. He started his career in corporate finance working at First Interstate Bank and later Banque Paribas, focusing on the Media and Telecommunications industry. He then shifted into investment management about 20 years ago and worked at Morgan Stanley before joining UBS in 2006. 

John uses his knowledge of investment banking and investment management to help families deal with everyday issues including retirement planning, investing, college saving, selling closely held businesses and estate planning.

John received his MBA from the University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business and his BS from the University of Colorado, Boulder. He also obtained his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™  and Certified Investment Management Analyst®  certifications. John resides in Manhattan Beach with his wife and two children. John, an Eagle Scout, is passionate about helping others through his involvement with the Boy Scouts, Rotary, and charities serving the developmentally disabled. John enjoys golf, tennis and skiing among other sports.

At UBS, John concentrates on in-depth wealth management strategies and comprehensive financial planning. In addition to being a Senior Vice President of Wealth Management, he is a Senior Portfolio Manager for Bel-Air Wealth Management, specializing in portfolio management.

John's background and experience span over 40 years in finance including investment banking, financial services and banking regulation. His career in wealth management began 20 years ago with Merrill Lynch and he eventually managed their office in Santa Monica. He joined UBS in 2005 and in 2010 he became a member of Bel-Air Wealth Management. He holds an MBA in finance from the University of North Texas and a BBA in finance from the University of Iowa. He holds his Series 7, 8, 66 and 31 securities licenses in addition to being a Certified Investment Management Analyst® and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional. 

John and his wife, Ellen, live in Beverly Hills and enjoy tennis, skiing and traveling. They are active members of the Riviera Tennis Club, the Jonathan Club and Friends of Contemporary Art.

Mark started with UBS in 2016 and has more than 30 years of investment management and finance experience. Mark has extensive expertise working with high net-worth and ultra-high net-worth clients and their families to design customized investment strategies to protect and grow their wealth.

Prior to joining UBS, Mark worked at Bel Air Investment Advisors, LLP, a boutique wealth management firm serving ultra-high net-worth clients. Before that, Mark founded and was the Managing Partner of Lionshead Capital Management, LLC, an investment management firm which made direct structured equity and debt investments into publicly-traded small and mid-cap companies. Mark also held the roles of Senior Vice President at Tucker Anthony Sutro in Los Angeles and at Morgan Stanley in New York.

Mark received his B.A. with honors from UCLA and his M.B.A. from the UCLA Anderson Graduate School of Management.

Mark lives in Westwood with his wife and three boys. He served on the board of the Ahmanson/UCLA Adult Congenital Heart Disease Center and is an active supporter of Children International and UCLA.

After graduating from UCLA in 1986 with a BA in economics, David joined one of the country's largest accounting firms, Deloitte Haskins and Sells. After earning his CPA designation as an auditor and tax specialist, he spent the next two decades building a career as a family office CEO and business manager focusing on high net worth individuals and families in the media and entertainment fields. In both roles, David managed all aspects of his clients' financial lives including tax and estate planning, insurance, art, philanthropy, investment and retirement planning, as well as real estate development, and property management.

In 2000, David pivoted to focus exclusively on investment advice and financial management, and joined JP Morgan. After 15 years, he and his team moved to UBS and formed Palisades Advisors. As a founding partner, Senior Portfolio Manager, and chief strategist, he is responsible for developing all of the team's investment platforms. Now a 10-member team with 5 partners and 5 associates, the team has the size, depth and experience to offer and deliver a very personalized and meaningful approach to wealth management with a specific focus and specialty in the Athlete and Entertainment space.

For over 20 years, David has been passionately involved in animal rescue and animal welfare causes. In 2008, he formed Used Pets, a 501(c)(3) public charity which helps fund a foster network that provides care and safe homes for rescued dogs. He is also a founding board member of the Best Friends Animal Society’s "No Kill LA" initiative, a PETA Vanguard Member, and an active voice and donor to Wags And Walks and MaeDay Dog Rescue.

David lives and works splitting his time between Pacific Palisades and Newport Beach.

Todd joined UBS wealth management in 2015 and co-founded Palisades Advisors. In addition to being the team's lead trader and point person for our financial planning initiatives, he assists with asset allocation modeling, portfolio reviews, investment vehicle selection, and proposals. 

Todd also serves as the team's lending specialist, assisting clients with residential and commercial mortgage needs, as well as security-based lending and margin loans. He also earned his insurance license and helps clients obtain life insurance and long-term care coverage.

Prior to joining UBS, Todd started his career in 2005 at J.P. Morgan.  He received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Yale University.  During his time at Yale, he played Varsity Football and was named to the All-Academic & All-Ivy League football teams.

In addition to his love for sports, Todd is a car enthusiast and still has his first car... a 1967 Chevy Nova SS.  Todd lives in Lake Sherwood with his wife Jenn, sons Luke & Logan.

Ling is responsible for leading the team's client service and administration efforts. She brings a unique perspective to her role. She approaches every relationship with empathy, understanding and a commitment to helping clients move successfully through financial challenges toward their goals. Her meticulous attention to detail and follow up are invaluable to our team and our clients.

Ling earned a BA in Biology from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. In 1999 she began her career in wealth management and joined UBS in 2008. Ling holds the following securities industry licenses: Series 7, 63, 65, 9 and 10. Outside the office, Ling frequents Disneyland and LEGOLAND with her husband and their two young daughters.

Grant is a Registered Client Service Associate who has a few years of experience in wealth management from working at UBS’s home office and joining our team in 2021. He brings a special perspective with his empathetic and interpersonal approach. His primary focus is helping our clients with administrative and operational services.

Being a Los Angeles native growing up in Manhattan Beach, Grant attended Chapman University earning a BS in Business Administration while also studying psychology, piano performance, and movie score composition. He aims to become a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and has passions for art, music, animals, and above all, helping others.

Jordan was born and raised in Los Angeles and attended the University of Southern California, where he studied International Relations and Global Business. While at USC, he served as a research assistant to the former Chairman of the U.S. National Intelligence Council. He joined Bel-Air Wealth Management in January 2022 and is currently serving as the lead associate for the Palisades book of business.

In his free time, he enjoys playing soccer and is a massive supporter of Arsenal Football Club.

Derek Matos is a Long Beach, California native. He completed his B.A. in Economics at the University of California, Los Angeles. During his UCLA career, he coupled his Economics background with leadership positions in international student organizations centered around investing and consulting. In addition, prior to joining Bel-Air Wealth Management as a Client Service Associate, he led a large, service-oriented team as an Executive Team Leader at Target.

During his free time, Derek loves engaging in business-related writing. With a multitude of published articles under his belt, he continues to further his business education through on-on-one conversations with up-and-coming CEOs. Furthermore, Derek enjoys working out and has a passion for maintaining a healthy and productive lifestyle with his friends.

Helena was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at the University of Pittsburgh. During her time at Pitt, she focused her studies on marketing and held internship positions in marketing and event planning. Her professional experience continued in 2021 when she joined Vanguard as a Client Relationship Associate within their investments team.  She moved to Los Angeles in 2023 to join the Bel Air Wealth Management team.  She is highly service-oriented and has a commitment to fostering strong interpersonal relationships with clients and teammates. 

Outside of the office, Helena enjoys hiking and camping in nature, live music, cooking, reading, and socializing with friends.