Michael Watson (right) is taking his practice management program development skills from TD Ameritrade Institutional to LPL Financial, the nation’s largest independent broker/dealer, LPL said this morning.
Watson has been named LPL’s senior vice president of business consulting. He is tasked with developing practice management programs for advisors, focusing on client acquisition and growing the bottom line. Watson will be based in San Diego, Calif. and will report to Andy Kalbaugh, executive vice president of business consulting. Watson starts today, the company said.
The news comes ahead of LPL’s annual advisor conference, focus11, which starts Sunday in Chicago. LPL has more than 12,600 financial advisors.
Watson has been in the financial services business for 13 years. Before directing practice management at TD Ameritrade Institutional, he was vice president of Solutions Consulting at TD Waterhouse. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Watson holds Series 7, 8, 63 and 66 registrations.
Watson's former boss at TD Ameritrade Institutional—Zohar Swaine, managing director, institutional strategy & product—will handle Watson's responsibilities while the company seeks a successor, a spokeswoman said.