Profile

As recognition for his excellent service and passion, Billal Virani has been named to the 2023 Forbes “Top Next-Generation Wealth Advisors Best-in-State” list (Published on August 8, 2023. Rankings based on data as of March 31, 2023), as well as the Forbes/SHOOK "America’s Top Next-Generation Wealth Advisors" List in 2017 and 2018 (*Source: The Forbes “Top Next-Generation Wealth Advisors” list, published annually July - Sept. Rankings based on data as of March 31 of current year). 

The Virani Group is a team within Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. Through the investment platform at Merrill and banking solutions at Bank of America, we provide our clients with customized strategies for their entire financial life. 

What We Do

It’s simple: We create and implement an investment and wealth management strategy for clients.
 
We are committed to a process that is designed around our clients.
1. Understand Goals
2. Implement Strategy
3. Review Progress



Who We Are




Billal Virani is a Senior Vice President, Wealth Management Advisor and Senior Portfolio Advisor. A Senior Portfolio Advisor can help clients pursue their objectives by managing on a discretionary basis custom investment strategies, selecting from a wide range of Merrill model portfolios and third-party investment strategies. As recognition for his excellent service and passion, Billal Virani has been named to the 2023 Forbes “Top Next-Generation Wealth Advisors Best-in-State” list (Published on August 8, 2023. Rankings based on data as of March 31, 2023), as well as the Forbes/SHOOK "America’s Top Next-Generation Wealth Advisors" List in 2017 and 2018 (*Source: The Forbes “Top Next-Generation Wealth Advisors” list, published annually July - Sept. Rankings based on data as of March 31 of current year). He focuses on advising clients on creating a wealth management plan, setting an asset allocation strategy, and executing that plan by managing investments like stocks, bonds, and alternative investments. Billal earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and an MBA from University of Iowa.  Billal also holds multiple professional designations, including the Accredited Asset Management Specialist, AAMS designation, the Accredited Wealth Management Advisor, AWMA designation, and the Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist, CRPS designation. 

Billal primarily focuses on:

Meeting with clients
Discussing updates in markets or changes your financial strategy
Creating strategies that align with your goals and wealth management plan





Anthony Ferrazzi is an Assistant Vice President; Wealth Management Associate who has fifteen years of experience in client services, many of those years spent with Bank of America and Merrill. He graduated from Trinity Christian College. Anthony currently resides in Shorewood with his wife Jackie, who works as a data analyst. In their free time they enjoy walking their dog, traveling, and spending time with family. Anthony is responsible for all administrative functions for our team.

Anthony can help you with:

Questions on your relationship with us
Opening new accounts
Transferring external accounts
Moving funds within Merrill accounts
Banking solutions through Bank of America
Gaining online access on My Merrill 




Bill Christensen is a Wealth Management Client Associate with The Virani Group. Bill lives in Oak Brook with his wife Karen. In his free time, Bill enjoys fly fishing, open wheel racing, hiking national parks and studying consumer behavior/economics.

Bill can help with:

Scheduling appointments
Updating data in the wealth management plan

*Some or all alternative investment programs may not be in the best interest of certain investors. No assurance can be given that any alternative investment’s investment objectives will be achieved.

*Asset allocation, diversification and rebalancing do not ensure a profit or protect against loss in declining markets.

*Source: The Forbes “Top Next-Generation Wealth Advisors” list, published annually July - Sept. Rankings based on data as of March 31 of current year.

Data provided by SHOOK® Research, LLC. Forbes “Top Next Generation Wealth Advisors” ranking. SHOOK considered advisors born in 1983 or later with a minimum 4 years as an advisor. Advisors have: built their own practices and lead their teams; joined teams and are viewed as future leadership; or a combination of both. Ranking algorithm is based on qualitative measures: telephone and in-person
interviews to measure best practices, client retention, industry experience, credentials, review of compliance records, firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, such as: assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion because client objectives and risk tolerances vary, and advisors rarely have audited performance reports. Rankings are based on
the opinions of Forbes and not representative nor indicative of any one client’s experience, future performance, or investment outcome and should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor. SHOOK’s research and rankings provide opinions intended to help investors choose the right financial advisor and are not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client’s experience. Past performance is not an indication of future results. Neither Forbes nor SHOOK Research receive compensation in exchange for placement on the ranking. For more information, please see www.SHOOKresearch.com. SHOOK is a registered trademark of SHOOK Research, LLC.

*Source: The Forbes “Best-in-State Next-Generation Wealth Advisors” list, published on August 8, 2023. Rankings based on data as of March 31, 2023.

*2023 Forbes “Top Next-Generation Wealth Advisors Best-in-State” list. Opinions provided by SHOOK® Research, LLC considered advisors
born in 1984 or later with a minimum 4 years as an advisor. Advisors have built their practices, lead their own teams, joined teams, are
considered future leaders, or combinations thereof. Ranking is based on in-person and telephone due-diligence meetings that measure best
practices, client retention, industry experience, compliance records, firm nominations, assets under management and firm-generated revenue
(investment performance is not a criterion). SHOOKS’s rankings do not reflect all client experiences, endorse any advisor, indicate future
performance and are available for client evaluation only. Compensation was not received from any Advisors for the study. Past performance is
no guarantee of future results. Details available at www.SHOOKresearch.com. SHOOK is a registered trademark of SHOOK Research, LLC.