Karen Cecilio, Head of Diligence and Integration, joins prestigious program designed to amplify the voices of women and other underrepresented experts
LOS ANGELES, June 29, 2023 - Cetera Financial Group (Cetera), the premier financial advisor Wealth Hub where financial advisors and institutions can optimize professional control and value creation, announced that Head of Diligence and Integration Karen Cecilio was recently selected for and participated in in Bloomberg's New Voices Media Training Program, a prestigious media training program that trains women and other underrepresented voices as news sources. As part of the program, Cecilio spent four hours at Bloomberg's Los Angeles bureau participating in a rigorous media training designed to help her effectively dictate her expertise in mergers and acquisitions through broadcast media.
Cecilio has been involved in nearly every major M&A deal over her 12-year tenure at Cetera and was instrumental in the January 2023 acquisition of the Securian Financial retail wealth business. She excels at looking beyond the figures of M&A deals and into the intricacies of combining companies' cultures. She hopes to use her new media savvy to tell stories about relevant integration and culture-focused M&A topics.
"Participating in New Voices helped me build the confidence to participate in broadcast interviews within my area of expertise," Cecilio said. "This experience has shown me the unique perspective I have in the M&A space – and how I can turn those perspectives into compelling insights for reporters and their audiences. I'm ready to establish myself as a thought leader in the M&A space and look forward to serving as a trusted source for Bloomberg viewers."
"I'm proud to work with talented professionals like Karen, who strive to not only hone the skills in their area of expertise, but also to work hard to amplify their voices in the media and beyond," said Jessica Caris, head of corporate communications and public relations at Cetera. "Karen's dedication to Cetera and our advisors is second to none, and we so appreciate her commitment to helping tell Cetera's story. We can't wait to help her thrive in media opportunities in the future."
Bloomberg began its New Voices program in 2018 based on the belief that news coverage is more balanced and complete when outlets amplify the voices of women and other underrepresented experts across platforms. Each year, the outlet hosts the intensive media training workshops for diverse executives in business and finance in 15 global cities. More than 500 women and other underrepresented executives have completed the media training, with more than 2,500 subsequent appearances on Bloomberg TV and radio, tripling female representation on Bloomberg TV since 2018.
About Cetera Financial Group®
Cetera Financial Group (Cetera) is the premier financial advisor Wealth Hub where financial advisors and institutions optimize their control and value creation. Breaking away from a commoditized and homogenous IBD model, Cetera offers financial professionals and institutions the latest solutions, support, and services to grow, scale, or transition with a merger, sale, investment, or succession plan. Cetera proudly serves independent financial advisors, tax professionals, licensed administrators, large enterprises, as well as institutions, such as banks and credit unions, providing an established and repeatable blueprint for scalable growth.
Home to more than 8,000 financial professionals and their teams, Cetera oversees approximately $330 billion in assets under administration and $116 billion in assets under management, as of March 31, 2023. In a recent advisor satisfaction survey of more than 21,000 reviews, Cetera's Voice of Customer (VoC) program vigorously measures advisor experience and satisfaction 24/7. Currently, it's ranked 4.8 out of 5 stars.
Visit www.cetera.com, and follow Cetera on LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.
"Cetera Financial Group" refers to the network of independent retail firms encompassing, among others, Cetera Advisors LLC, Cetera Advisor Networks LLC, Cetera Investment Services LLC (marketed as Cetera Financial Institutions or Cetera Investors), and Cetera Financial Specialists LLC. All firms are FINRA/SIPC members. Located at: 655 W. Broadway, 11th Floor, San Diego, CA 92101.
Individuals affiliated with Cetera firms are either Registered Representatives who offer only brokerage services and receive transaction-based compensation (commissions), Investment Adviser Representatives who offer only investment advisory services and receive fees based on assets, or both Registered Representatives and Investment Adviser Representatives, who can offer both types of services.
SOURCE Cetera Financial Group
