The Geneva-based private bank is making several management changes in its Russian and Eastern European business, according to information provided to finews.com.
Christopher Mouravieff-Apostol (pictured below) is giving up his post as head of Pictet's wealth management for the Russia, CIS, and Eastern Europe, as finews.com has learned.
To ensure contuinuity, he will be responsible for the region as chairman while remaining an equity partner and reporting to Marc Pictet. A spokesperson for the Geneva bank confirmed the information.
Pictet named Jean-Claude Erne (pictured below) as Mouravieff-Apostol's successor from April. Erne has been at Pictet for more than 25 years, almost ten of which as CEO of Pictet wealth management in Asia and five years as CEO of family office services before he took up his current position as head of western Switzerland and chairman of the due diligence committee.
Strengthened Resources
He will continue to manage the western Switzerland region alongside his new responsibilities although he will give up his committee chairmanship. The due diligence committee will be chaired by Marc Briol, who is taking up the task beside his current function as CEO of Pictet's asset services.
In addition, two new employees will be hired to strengthen the Russia, CIS, and Eastern European region's business. From July 2022, Natalia Solodovnikova will join as the new Russia, CIS and Eastern European team head, joining from LGT Bank, where she led the Middle and Eastern European teams.
New Russia Head in Zurich
Previous to LGT, Solodovnikova was at HSBC in Zurich as head of the Russia and CIS region. She was also active in Moscow where she built up the bank's private banking department before leading it. She has also worked at Deutsche Bank and holds a Master of Science degree in International Economy from the Finance Academy in Moscow.
Besides the above, Philippe Martin-Achard, currently deputy CEO Pictet's wealth management in Asia, will take over the Zurich-based Russia, CIS, and Eastern European team. Martin-Achard joined Pictet in 2000 and was a relationship manager until 2007, as well as being a compliance officer and head of the client register in the Bahamas.
Rapid growth
After that, he assumed a number of management positions, leading him to his current function as deputy CEO of the Bank in Singapore, where he was also a senior relationship manager for international and local clients. The London-based Russia, CIS, and Eastern European team will continue to be headed by Elena Lileeva, who will report to Erne in the future.
Pictet's Russia desk has been in place since 2002. Since 2015, assets under management have risen by 50 percent despite the difficult volatile environment, according to information provided.
