Wedbush Securities today announced that Michael Bower and George Nikitiadis have joined Wedbush as Managing Directors.

Bower, a highly respected healthcare equity trader with nearly 20 years of front-line trading experience, joins from Wells Fargo Securities, where he most recently served as Head of US Healthcare Trading. Known for his exceptional client engagement, strategic risk management, and cross-desk collaboration, Bower has also held senior roles at RBC Capital Markets, BTIG and Banc of America Securities.

“Wedbush’s long-standing reputation as a leader in healthcare makes this an exciting opportunity,” Bower said. “I look forward to working with the team, helping to expand the firm’s healthcare trading operations.”

Nikitiadis brings over two decades of deep expertise in global program trading, market structure and equity strategy. As former Head of U.S. & International Program Trading at CIBC World Markets, he successfully launched groundbreaking platforms including CIBC’s first Guaranteed VWAP and ETF create/redeem strategies. With leadership experience at Mizuho Securities, Chardan Capital, and Lehman Brothers, Nikitiadis has built trading desks from the ground up, driven exponential revenue growth and expanded global market reach.

“Joining Wedbush was the right move at the right time—a unique opportunity to combine the strength of an established platform with the flexibility to innovate and unlock new potential in program trading,” added Nikitiadis.

“These appointments reflect Wedbush’s continued investment in top-tier talent to strengthen our institutional trading business,” said Burke Dempsey, EVP, Head of Investment Banking & Capital Markets. “Bringing on Michael and George reinforces our strategic commitment to growth, diversification, and delivering differentiated value to our clients in today’s evolving markets.”