Michael J. Harrington
Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Harrington brings more than three decades of experience across institutional
investment management and capital markets. His career includes senior roles at Northern
Trust (2001–2007), William Blair (2007–2013), JPMorgan Chase (2013–2023), and Nuveen
(from 2023), where he focused on investment strategy, client outcomes, and disciplined
portfolio construction.
Mr. Harrington earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania's
Wharton School (1991) and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business
(1995). He is a Chartered Financial Analyst® charterholder. As CEO of Build Financial
Assets, he leads the firm's mission to deliver long-term, sustainable value through
diversified strategies, rigorous research, and prudent risk management.
Daniel Mercer
Co-Founder, Chief Investment Officer, Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Mercer is a U.S. financial analyst with deep experience in equity and fixed income
fundamental analysis, corporate financial research, and portfolio management. His career
includes roles at AllianceBernstein in New York as an Investment Analyst (1998–2001) and
Senior Investment Analyst (2001–2005), where he covered equity markets and industries
including manufacturing, consumer, and technology, supporting portfolio managers and
institutional clients with research and stock selection.
From 2005 to 2008, he served as Vice President, Investment Research at BlackRock in New
York, contributing to institutional portfolio research and asset allocation across equities
and fixed income. From 2009 to 2023, he was Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager at
JPMorgan Chase in Chicago, overseeing day-to-day management of institutional portfolios,
strategic asset allocation, portfolio construction, risk exposure, and rebalancing. He is
based in Chicago, Illinois.
