Gilbert Tong is a Senior Vice President and Senior Resident Director who leads the Merrill office in Santa Monica. With over 30 years of experience, he specializes in advising ultra high net worth individuals, multigenerational families, senior corporate executives, entrepreneurs, financial professionals, and institutional clients with complex financial needs. His practice focuses on delivering customized, objective-driven wealth strategies aimed at preserving, growing, and transitioning capital across market cycles and generations.
Holding a Certified Private Wealth Advisor® (CPWA®) designation, Gilbert provides counsel in liquidity and exit planning, business valuation and monetization strategies, estate and legacy planning, asset protection, charitable foundation structures, and tax-efficient wealth transfer. Additionally, he serves as a Retirement Benefits Consultant to institutional plan sponsors, offering fiduciary guidance for corporate and nonprofit retirement plans including 401(k), 403(b), defined benefit, and cash balance plans. His institutional expertise includes plan design, investment oversight, governance, and executive benefits.
Gilbert is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles. He resides in Southern California with his wife and three children. Outside of his professional work, he is an accomplished endurance athlete participating in long-distance triathlons and serves as the Malibu Triathlon Team Captain. He is also involved with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra.