Merrill Lynch Private Clients, San Diego — Assistant to the Investment Advisor, November 1998 to May 1999. A formative international station during the MBA at Alliant International University, providing direct exposure to private wealth advisory and client-facing financial services in the US market.
At Merrill Lynch Private Clients in San Diego, Michael Brinkmann supported an Investment Advisor in one of the world's leading wealth management institutions. This early international experience — embedded in the US financial system during his MBA studies — provided a deep understanding of client-centric financial services, portfolio thinking, and the institutional standards of a global financial institution.
The combination of academic study and practical financial services work in San Diego laid the groundwork for the later career focus on payments, fintech, and financial partnerships across the DACH region.