Barclays Wealth has appointed Patrick Ramsey as managing director, head of Barclays Wealth Switzerland.

Ramsey joins from Merrill Lynch, where he has worked since 2002, latterly as chief executive and general manager for Switzerland, before which he had been head of the firm’s Latin America and Europe Private Bank and Family Wealth Solutions Group.  Prior to Merrill Lynch, Patrick spent nine years with The Darier Hentsch Group.

Ramsey has experience in wealth and asset management and knowledge of the Swiss banking environment, which the firm views as “crucially important” for its “holistic wealth management positioning” and its commitment to Switzerland.

Ramsey will be based in Geneva, responsible for all management, growth and direction of the Swiss business, which consists of around 400 people, and will report to Emmanuel Fievet, head of Barclays Wealth International Private Banking, EMEA.

Additionally, the firm has appointed Philippe Sednaoui, the current head in Switzerland, as global head of Latin American markets.

Barclays Wealth has offices in over 20 countries and total client assets of £153.5 billion (around $241 billion), as at 30 June 2010.