Stanley O'Neal

Who is Stanley O'Neal?

Earnest Stanley O'Neal is an American business executive who was formerly Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc., having served in numerous senior management positions at the company prior to this appointment. O'Neal was criticized for his performance during his tenure as chief executive at Merrill Lynch, where he oversaw the deterioration of the firm's stability and capital position, which resulted in his ouster in September 2007, and the firm's eventual fire sale to Bank of America one year later. Prior to his tenure as Chairman and CEO, Merrill Lynch had thrived as a stand alone company since 1914.

O'Neal was a member of the board of directors of General Motors from 2001 through 2006, also a company who required federal assistance during the financial crisis of 2007-2008. Despite these failures under his leadership, he currently serves on the board of Alcoa.