The head of BNP Paribas Asian private banking operation, Michel Longhini, is moving from his Singapore-based post to take up an international role at the French bank and will be based in Paris, WealthBriefing has learned.

Mr Longhini is moving to his new role in the next few weeks, according to a source familiar with the matter. The move comes after Mr Longhini has been in his current role for about three years. He originally arrived in Singapore in late 2003 as head of products of strategy and became head of BNP Paribas Private Bank in Singapore in June 2004. His current position of regional head was announced in April 2005.

It is understood that Mr Longhini will be replaced by Serge Forti. Mr Forti is head of International operations for Europe, Americas and Middle East. Exact timings of when the men will move to take up their appointments were unclear.

BNP Paribas' Paris office had no comment. The bank's offices in Singapore did not immediately return calls from WealthBriefing.

The shift back from Asia to the bank’s French headquarters comes at what has been a time of rapid expansion by many Western banks into the Asian wealth management arena.

Last year, Mr Longhini said the French bank was among a small number of global players with the capacity to take over smaller private banking businesses that did not have the critical size to flourish in a competitive market.