REYL Intesa Sanpaolo has received FINMA approval for the implementation of its new governance structure. François Reyl becomes Member of the Bank’s Board of Directors and Chairman of its Strategic Committee. Pasha Bakhtiar, currently a Partner and Member of the Executive Committee, becomes the new CEO of the Bank and Chairman of the Executive Committee. The change will take effect on July 1st, 2024.

After a 13-year career as M&A lawyer with Jones Day and investment banker at CSFB, François Reyl joined the Bank in 2002 as Head of Development and became CEO in 2008. Under his leadership, REYL & Cie has expanded from an authorised securities dealer with 15 staff in Switzerland to a fully licensed Bank with 400 employees, an international presence and a diversified business scope.  François Reyl was instrumental in the launch of RAM Active Investments, sold to Mediobanca in 2018, and launched the Bank’s Corporate Finance and Asset Services business lines.  He co-led the incubation of Alpian, Switzerland’s first digital private bank and, in 2021, initiated the negotiations that resulted in the Bank’s strategic partnership with Fideuram - Intesa Sanpaolo Private Banking. François Reyl succeeds Mrs Ruth Metzler-Arnold at the Board of Directors and will continue to oversee the development of the Group's strategic activities from a non-executive standpoint.

Pasha Bakhtiar has been a Partner at the Bank since 2018 and a Member of the Executive Committee since 2023. As CEO effective July 1, 2024, he will chair the Bank’s Executive Committee and have overarching responsibility for business development and operational matters. Prior to his appointment as a Partner, Pasha co-founded and led the Bank’s subsidiary in the United Arab Emirates from 2014 to 2018. He has also played a key role in the launch of Alpian, of which he currently chairs the Board of Directors. Pasha Bakhtiar brings to the CEO role 25 years of experience in wealth management, asset management, and digital banking strategies.

François Reyl, Partner and Chief Executive Officer, comments: “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. Pasha Bakhtiar is an extremely talented professional with particularly relevant and deep experience in the areas of Wealth Management, Asset Management and Digital Banking.  He has my full confidence as well as that from the Bank’s Board, Executive Committee and controlling shareholder. This transition is the logical and planned evolution of REYL & Cie since its integration into the Intesa Sanpaolo Group in 2021.”

Pasha Bakhtiar, Partner, adds: "I am very honoured to pursue François Reyl’s entrepreneurial success as Chief Executive Officer of the Group and to bring my full commitment to the pursuit of our high value-added activities for all our clients, working closely with and for the benefit of all shareholders and our employees."