People Moves
Swiss Regulator Blesses Change At Top Of REYL Intesa Sanpaolo
Under the change, François Reyl, who has been CEO since 2008, will move to chair its strategic committee, and partner and executive committee figure, Pasha Bakhtiar, will take over the chief executive slot.
The
Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority, or FINMA has approved REYL Intesa
Sanpaolo’s new governance structure.
Under the new setup, François Reyl will become a member of
the Swiss bank’s board of directors and chairman of its strategic
committee.
Pasha Bakhtiar, partner and member of the executive committee,
will become the new CEO of REYL Intesa
Sanpaolo and executive committee chairman.
The changes take effect from 1 July, the lender said in a
statement yesterday.
Reyl joined the bank in 2002 after a 13-year career as an M&A
lawyer with Jones Day and an investment banker at Credit Suisse
First Boston. Initially head of development, he became CEO
in 2008. Reyl played a major role in launching RAM Active
Investments, subsequently sold to Mediobanca in 2018. He also
launched the bank’s corporate finance and asset services business
lines.
Reyl also co-led the incubation of Alpian, the Swiss digital
private bank and, in 2021, initiated the negotiations that
led to the firm’s strategic partnership with Fideuram - Intesa
Sanpaolo Private Banking.
Reyl is succeeding Ruth Metzler-Arnold on the board of
directors.
Bakhtiar has been a partner at the bank since 2018 and a member
of the executive committee since 2023. Prior to his appointment
as a partner, Bakhtiar co-founded and led the bank’s subsidiary
in the United Arab Emirates from 2014 to 2018. He also played a
key role in the launch of Alpian, of which he chairs the board of
directors.
“After 22 years in an executive role at Reyl & Cie, I am very
pleased to hand over to Pasha Bakhtiar the role of ensuring the
continuation of our operational activities and supporting the
development of the Group's strategy. I intend to remain involved
as a shareholder and board member, offering my support whenever
requested,” Reyl said.