Brett Bernstein
CEO and Co-Founder,
XML Financial Group
Brett Bernstein is the CEO and Co-founder of XML Financial Group. He serves as the firm’s head of the financial planning department and manages the operations of the firm, including the firm’s M&A strategy. Brett is an active financial advisor assisting clients with his holistic approach to goal setting and problem solving. Prior to co-founding XML in 2004, he was a Vice President and Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch, where he was designated Producing Sales Manager for a complex that managed over $5 billion in assets.
Brett is a serial entrepreneur actively investing in many start-up companies and has led his firm in acquiring two local wealth management firms. This entrepreneurial spirit has led Brett to be active at the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business as an Advisor and Subject Matter Expert. Additionally, Brett volunteers his time to the Bullis School’s entrepreneurial program, sponsoring the Capstone Entrepreneurial Shark Tank competition.
Brett received a Bachelor of Science degree in finance from the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business and continued his education at Georgetown University and Harvard Business School’s Executive Leadership Program. He earned his CFP® certification in 2003.
Brett has served on various non-profit organization boards in numerous leadership positions but over the past nine years has served as the Board Chair of So What Else, a local, grass-roots charity helping at-risk youth with after school and summer programs.