When John Thain became Merrill Lynch’s CEO in early 2008, he hired Michael S. Smith Design to revamp his office suite, spending approximately $1.22 million according to documents. By comparison, Smith is also Michelle Obama's interior designer for the White House, which is paying him only $100,000.
The following is what Thain paid for each item. Because Smith's company declined to provide images of the actual items, we've provided pictures of some penny-saving alternatives. So here are the next best things…
By Paul Toscano
Posted 22 Jan 2009