Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc. today announced that it has appointed Harold Ford, Jr., former congressman from Tennessee, as vice chairman and senior policy advisor, effective March 5.

Ford will advise senior management on domestic policy issues, serve as a member of the firm’s public policy and social responsibility management committee, and support a variety of business development initiatives in the institutional and retail markets. He will report to Greg Fleming, president of the firm’s Global Markets and Investment Banking group and maintain offices in New York and Nashville.

“We are delighted to have a dynamic, energetic visionary like Harold Ford join Merrill Lynch,” said Stan O’Neal, the company’s chairman and CEO, in a news release. “At a young age, Harold has excelled in virtually every assignment he has ever taken on, distinguishing himself in the Congress and bringing fresh ideas and solutions to government that transcended partisan politics. We have every expectation that Harold will be equally successful supporting Merrill Lynch in its efforts to pursue new business opportunities and be responsive to the communities we serve around the world.”

“Harold’s experience, enthusiasm and perspective make him a valuable addition to our management team,” said Fleming. “We look forward to his contributions to Merrill Lynch’s business development efforts and expect to benefit greatly from his government experience and personal insight as we address the public policy implications of our various business activities over the next few years.”

“I’m thrilled to be joining the executive team at Merrill Lynch,” said Ford. “For generations, the Merrill Lynch brand has
represented the path to economic opportunity for millions of Americans and citizens the world over. It’s a great tradition that I look forward to helping build on during my tenure with the firm.”

Ford earned a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School and a bachelor’s degree in American History from the University of Pennsylvania. He was elected to congress in 1996 at age 26 and served five terms. He sat on the House Budget Committee and the House Committee on Financial Services.