The CEO is taking the role at a digital assets bank at a time when this area remains a busy one in Asia and other regions.

The former chief executive of VP Bank, Reto Marx (main picture), who has worked for 25 years in major Swiss and European banks, has joined Sygnum Bank, the global digital asset banking group, as CEO of its Singapore business.

Gerald Goh, Sygnum co-founder and current Asia-Pacific CEO, will transition to the role of executive chairman of Sygnum APAC, leading groupwide capital markets and fundraising efforts, investor relations, and strategic initiatives of the firm, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.

“The appointments reinforce Sygnum's commitment to Singapore as its APAC hub and the gateway through which the group serves high net worth investors, family offices, and institutional partners across the region,” Sygnum said in a statement this week. 

At VP Bank, Marx, a Swiss national, recently served as CEO, co-head for Singapore and chief risk officer, Asia of VP Bank Singapore. He also held senior positions at UBS, Credit Suisse and Bank Sarasin. 

Marx will work with Sygnum group CEO Mathias Imbach and the board of directors to lead capital markets and fundraising activities, oversee investor relations and be responsible for stakeholder relationships and driving strategic initiatives.

Sygnum holds a banking licence in Switzerland, an EU MiCAR licence in Liechtenstein and a CMS and Major Payment Institution Licences in Singapore. The group is also regulated in Abu Dhabi and Luxembourg. 

Founded in 2019, Sygnum describes itself as a global digital asset banking group, built for professional and institutional investors. Services include credit and lending, trading and settlement, and regulated custody. 

Marx’s erstwhile firm, Liechtenstein-headquartered VP Bank, is also active in the digital assets space. For example, it announced in 2023 that it was partnering with Metaco, which provides technology infrastructure.