IN BRIEF (Page 16)

Merrill exec to profit

Merrill Lynch & Co's head of strategy will likely leave the bank with as much as $25 million in compensation packages, while three other top executives are set to stay at the firm once it combines with Bank of America, according to media reports released yesterday.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that Merrill's global strategy head, former Goldman Sachs executive Peter Kraus, will not stay on. Instead, he will pick up a paycheck worth $10 million to $25 million, the newspaper said.