The Bank of America logo is featured in an illustration dated December 1, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration Purchase Licensing Rights. On May 8, Reuters reported that Bank of America (BAC.N) has appointed Richard Hardegree, a prominent investment banker from UBS (UBSG.S), as its new vice chair of mergers and acquisitions, according to an internal memo. With over 30 years of M&A experience, particularly in the semiconductor industry, Hardegree will join the second-largest lender in the U.S. this August, working out of Palo Alto, California. He will report to Eamon Brabazon and Ivan Farman, BofA's co-heads of global M&A investment banking. As major Wall Street banks intensify their recruitment efforts in light of a resurgence in dealmaking, BofA has previously onboarded four seasoned bankers from competitors to bolster its presence in tech transactions. A Columbia Law School alumnus, Hardegree recently held the position of vice chair of technology investment banking at UBS and has been instrumental in significant technology sector transactions, including Broadcom's acquisition of VMware and SAP's sale of Qualtrics to Silver Lake. Industry experts are optimistic that merger and acquisition activities will continue to grow in 2026, driven by a favorable regulatory environment in the U.S. and increasing investments in artificial intelligence technologies. This year has seen approximately $2 trillion in announced deals, marking a 32% increase compared to the same timeframe last year, as per Dealogic data. A Bank of America representative has confirmed the memo's details. Reporting by Milana Vinn in New York and Arasu Kannagi Basil in Bengaluru; editing by Sahal Muhammed. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.