Peter Eckert has been nominated as the new chairman of the board of directors of Zurich-based private bank Clariden Leu, starting on 1 January, 2009. Walter Berchtold, the current chairman, will become vice-chairman.
 
Peter Eckert has been a member of the Swiss Federal Banking Commission since 1 July 2007, and vice-chairman of the board of directors of the Swiss Federal Financial Market Supervisory Authority since 1 February 2008.

He is currently a member of the board of directors of Bank Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie (Schweiz) but will step down from these roles on taking up his new function at Clariden Leu.

His previous positions included a period as vice-chairman of the board of directors of Deutsche Bank (Suisse) AG, while his professional career also involved a spell of 16 years as member of the executive board at Zurich Financial Services, ultimately as chief operating officer.

From 1997 to 2001 he headed up the European Insurance Association and up until 2006, he was a board member of economiesuisse and a member of the board of trustees of Avenir Suisse.

Mr Berchtold said: "We are very pleased to have gained in Peter Eckert an independent senior manager with a broad international track record. He will enhance the existing expertise of the board of directors, and drive forward the further strategic development of Clariden Leu. With the merger of Clariden Leu now successfully completed, the bank is ideally positioned for the future."