South Africa’s Standard Bank has appointed Russell Harte to the newly-created dual role of head of Jersey and chief executive of Standard Bank Jersey.

Harte succeeds Ian Gibson, who has relinquished his role as chief executive of Standard Bank Jersey in order to return to London to run the banking group’s private client business, which includes operations in South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and Argentina.

Harte has relocated from Johannesburg to take up his new role; he had latterly been financial director at Liberty Holdings, the South African wealth management firm in which Standard Bank holds a majority stake. His prior career includes positions within Commonwealth Bank of Australia, National Australia Bank, Deloitte & Touche and Arthur Andersen.

“This new dual role has been created to meet the changing requirements of the Jersey business due to the expansion over the past few years of the wealth and, more specifically, the group’s private client business. We are confident that Russell’s leadership capabilities and experience will be invaluable to take forward the Jersey operation,” said Peter Wharton-Hood, Standard Bank’s deputy group chief executive.