Combining years of private practice, in-house experience, and business leadership at leading international private wealth firms, Sergio Alvarez-Mena provides unique insight and solutions to the industry's private wealth challenges. A recognized industry leader, he represents clients in cross-border matters involving U.S. and international regulatory authorities including in-country regulators. He regularly advises international banks and broker-dealers in their private wealth business on tax transparency, AML issues arising from private wealth matters, SEC and FINRA obligations, and conduct of business internationally.
Sergio has an extensive legal and corporate background in cross-border regulatory matters involving the Latin American, European, and Asian private banking markets.
Prior to joining Jones Day, Sergio served as director of Credit Suisse Securities (USA) in the legal and compliance department, where he was responsible for CSSU's international cross-border private banking business and advised CSSU North America private banking on securities and banking and lending matters.
Prior to Credit Suisse, he was lead counsel for all domestic and U.S.-based cross-border business for Morgan Stanley, including the Latin American division, and for the New York, Geneva, Miami, and São Paulo offices as well as the Private Wealth Management domestic business. He also served as business head of Morgan Stanley's international private client group.
In addition, Sergio served as lead counsel to Merrill Lynch International's Latin America private client division and Merrill Lynch Bank & Trust (Cayman) and Merrill Lynch Bank Suisse for a decade and was partner at an international law firm for 15 years, where he represented financial institutions in cross-border matters.
Experience
Additional Publications
- June 2020
Después de la Pandemia: ¿Vendrán Más Impuestos? - December 2019
La nueva regulación de Reg BI: mucho más que la idoneidad mejorada - June 2019
"It presents significant challenges': How the SEC's Reg BI ruling impacts offshore advisors, Citywire Americas
Speaking Engagements
- May 24, 2019
Fourth Annual Latin America Privacy & Cybersecurity Symposium - 13 junio, 2018
Arbitraje y litigios transnacionales en las nuevas tecnologías: Blockchain y Criptomoneda - May 16, 2018
Reflections on an Evolving Cross-Border Legal and Regulatory Landscape, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management International Symposium - May 4, 2018
Regulatory Update, Bolton Capital Market - May 2018
Merrill Lynch International Private Banking Offsite - April 25-26, 2018
Third Annual Latin America Privacy & Cybersecurity Symposium - April 2017/2018
Jones Day Cyber Law Conference - February 2018
Banco Sabadell Latin American Offsite - November 2, 2017
FIBA Private Wealth Leaders' Forum - October 2017
FIBA How to Bank PICs and Other Offshore Structures - October 2017
FIBA Argentina Regulatory Update - September 2017
FIBA Venezuela Sanctions Roundtable - 2010-2018
FIBA AML Conference, Chair Broker-Dealer Panel - August 2017
Wells Fargo Advisor Conference - August 2017
Franklin Templeton Advisor Conference - June 28, 2017
Revising NAFTA: Two Sides of the Same Coin - May 17-18, 2017
Second Latin American Cybersecurity and Privacy Symposium - Mayo 17-18, 2017
Segundo Simposio Latinoamericano de Ciberseguridad y Privacidad - May 2017
Bolton Advisor Conference - March 2017
FIBA AML Conference The Panama Papers
- The University of Georgia (J.D. 1981; Welborn Cody Scholar; Editor, Georgia Journal of International and Comparative Law); Loyola of the South (B.A. summa cum laude 1978)
- Florida and Georgia
Director of the Florida International Banker's Association (FIBA), where he also served as vice-chair of the board of directors and director and chair for the Wealth Management Committee for nearly a decade
- Spanish