Bank of America (BofA) has appointed UBS investment banker Richard Hardegree as vice chair of its mergers and acquisitions (M&A) division, according to an internal memo cited by Reuters.
Hardegree is a long-serving technology-focused dealmaker with more than 30 years of experience in investment banking, particularly within the semiconductor and wider technology sectors. At the time of his recruitment, he was serving as vice chair of technology investment banking at UBS.
The appointment reflects Bank of America’s continued efforts to strengthen its global M&A advisory capabilities, particularly in technology-related transactions. Hardegree is scheduled to take up his new role in August and will be based in Palo Alto, California. In his new position, he will report to Eamon Brabazon and Ivan Farman, who co-head the bank’s global M&A business.
Key appointment details
| Item | Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Richard Hardegree |
| New role | Vice Chair, M&A division |
| Employer | Bank of America |
| Previous role | Vice Chair, Technology Investment Banking, UBS |
| Experience | 30+ years in investment banking |
| Location | Palo Alto, California |
| Start date | August 2026 |
| Reporting line | Eamon Brabazon & Ivan Farman |
Hardegree has advised on several major transactions in the technology sector during his career. These include Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware, Veeco’s merger with Axcelis, and SAP’s sale of Qualtrics. These deals have been widely cited as part of his experience in large-scale cross-border and technology-focused M&A activity.
The appointment comes amid a broader wave of hiring activity across major Wall Street banks, as global mergers and acquisitions activity shows signs of recovery. Industry data referenced in the report indicates that dealmaking volumes have risen significantly in 2026 compared with the previous year, contributing to renewed recruitment of senior advisory bankers across leading financial institutions.
Bank of America has recently made several senior hires in its investment banking and technology-focused divisions as part of a broader strategy to expand its share in high-value advisory work, particularly in the technology, media and telecommunications (TMT) sectors.