The change at the top brings a new position for François Reyl who has been CEO since the crisis-hit year of 2008. During his tenure, the firm grew with the partnership with Fideuram – Intesa Sanpaolo Private Banking.

REYL Intesa Sanpaolo has appointed François Reyl as chairman of its strategic committee and as a member of its board of directors.

Pasha Bakhtiar, a partner and executive committee member, will become the new CEO of the bank and chairman of the executive committee. 

Left to right: François Reyl, and Pasha Bakhtiar.

These changes, effective as of 1 July 2024, are subject to approval by FINMA, the Swiss regulator.

After a 13-year career as an M&A lawyer and investment banker, François Reyl joined the bank in 2002 as head of development and became CEO in 2008. 

Reyl's time at the helm saw REYL & Cie expand internationally, for example it launched the RAM fund range, built entrepreneur and family office services, and incubated Alpiann, the first Swiss digital private bank. He led talks in 2021 which led to a strategic partnership with Fideuram – Intesa Sanpaolo Private Banking, in which the Reyl family and the partners jointly sold a majority stake in the bank to the Italian banking giant. Reyl will retain the title of senior partner, on a non-executive basis.