Insigneo has announced the appointment of Mercedes García-Ayuso as Head of Investment Products and Executive Director. The professional brings extensive experience in private banking, investment management, and serving high-net-worth clients, placing her at the core of the firm’s growth strategy.
According to the firm’s announcement, García-Ayuso will join its Executive Committee and will be responsible for designing and developing investment solutions aimed at both clients and the firm’s investment professionals across various platforms and geographies.
Her arrival coincides with a particularly significant moment for Insigneo. The U.S.-based firm specializing in international wealth management has accelerated its expansion across the Americas during 2026, particularly strengthening its presence among Latin American clients with international wealth.
Last June, Insigneo completed the integration of client accounts from VectorGlobal Wealth Management Group and its Registered Investment Adviser.
The transaction added nearly $4 billion in client assets, bringing the total assets supported by the platform to approximately $37 billion, with over 500 investment professionals and more than 32,000 clients.
The acquisition also expanded Insigneo’s footprint in markets including Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela, alongside the United States and Canada, according to the firm.
In this context, García-Ayuso’s new role carries a dimension that extends beyond an executive replacement. Her responsibilities will be directly tied to one of the most critical elements for international wealth management platforms: the ability to build investment solutions that translate across markets and serve increasingly global family wealth.
From Goldman Sachs to Citi
García-Ayuso joins Insigneo following an extensive career at some of the leading global financial institutions.
Her track record includes a tenure at Goldman Sachs, where she worked between 2001 and 2008 according to FINRA records, while Citi documentation identifies her as a Client Portfolio Manager at Goldman Sachs Asset Management between 2006 and 2007. She subsequently joined Citi, where her career spanned approximately 18 years.
At Citi Private Bank, she held roles focused on advisory and investments. Regulatory documentation from 2024 identified her as IC Team Leader, while public FINRA records confirm her affiliation with Citigroup Global Markets starting in March 2008.
Insigneo notes that prior to her arrival, García-Ayuso led Citi’s Investment Counseling team serving a major portion of Latin America, excluding Mexico and Brazil.
Her experience therefore combines two dimensions that are particularly relevant to her new position: structuring and supervising investment solutions, and deep familiarity with high-net-worth clients in Latin American markets.
Her academic background includes studies at Universidad Pontificia Comillas (ICADE) in Spain and an MBA from Columbia University, according to regulatory filings in the U.S.
Insigneo Pursues Growth with a Stronger Focus on Latin America
The appointment follows a series of strategic moves reflecting Insigneo’s sustained expansion in international wealth management.
The firm notes that in recent years it acquired Citi’s international wealth management vehicles in Puerto Rico and Uruguay, as well as PNC’s offshore wealth management assets targeting Mexican clients.
In 2026, it added VectorGlobal’s operations, gaining significant exposure to Latin America. This expansion is also reflected in its physical presence: Insigneo currently operates in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Peru, among other markets.
The firm has been taking this strategy directly to the region. In September, it hosted Insigneo 360 LATAM events in Colombia and subsequently brought the program to Lima, holding targeted meetings for clients and investment professionals. In Colombia, for instance, the firm brought together over 250 clients and professionals across Bogotá and Bucaramanga.
The Investment Products department thus takes on heightened importance: as Insigneo integrates new teams, clients, and geographies, it must also broaden and standardize the tools its professionals use to serve investors who increasingly hold assets, businesses, and financial needs across multiple jurisdictions.
Latin American Wealth Increasingly Looks Abroad
This process forms part of a broader transformation within Latin America’s wealth management industry. For global firms, high-net-worth Latin American clients are no longer confined to the investment opportunities of their domestic markets.
Insigneo has built much of its value proposition around access to international markets and a platform designed for professionals serving global clients. In May 2026, the firm refreshed its corporate identity, adopting the tagline “Your Passport to Possibilities” to highlight its role as a bridge connecting international clients to global capital markets. At that time, it reported over $33 billion in assets and more than 500 investment professionals.
With the addition of García-Ayuso, this strategy integrates expertise from two major Wall Street institutions—specifically from Citi Private Bank, where client knowledge, asset allocation, and access to global solutions sit at the core of the business model.
