The organisational structure of VP Bank Group

VP Bank Group comprises six organisational units: “Chief Executive Officer”, “Client Business”, “Investment Solutions”, “General Counsel & Chief Risk Officer”, “Chief Financial Officer” and “Chief Operating Officer”.

As from 1 February 2018, the Chief Operating Officer unit created a new Group Projects & Processes unit, which was initially managed by Thomas Bühlmann. 

Dr Felix Brill, the new member of Group Executive Management responsible for Investment Solutions, assumed his new duties as Chief Investment Officer as from 1 March 2018. Meanwhile, Dominique Christen also took over ­management responsibility for Group Human Resources as from 1 March 2018. 

Tanja Muster, the former Head of Group Communications & Marketing, departed VP Bank at end-April 2018 and was succeeded by Cécile Bachmann as from 1 January 2019. 

Dr Urs Monstein assumed his duties as Chief Operating Officer (COO) as from 1 May 2018. Following the departure of Thomas Bühlmann, the Group Projects & Processes unit has been managed on an interim basis by Dr Urs Monstein as from 1 July 2018.

Through its strategic positioning and planned growth in the lending business, VP Bank is looking to increase the efficiency and productivity of its Group Credit unit while combining know-how for credit products. Group Credit was therefore restructured as from 1 September 2018 under the management of Peter Siber and should thereby contribute to supporting VP Bank’s credit strategy.

The Investment Solutions unit was reorganised as from 1 September 2018 under the leadership of Dr Felix Brill, who now directs the investment committee in his capacity as Chief Investment Officer. The goal of the reorganisation was to raise the unit’s profile as a competency centre for investment matters while strengthening the investment and fund business. 

Since 1 October 2018, Dr Marcel Beutler, formerly the head of the Group Risk unit, focused on managing a department within the Group Risk unit. Michael Rey took over management of the unit, also as from 1 October 2018. 

Following the departure of Dr Graziella Marok-Wachter as Head of Group Legal, Compliance & Tax as from 31 October 2018, the General Counsel & Chief Risk Officer unit was restructured. This unit will no longer have a second tier management level in the traditional sense. The Compliance, Risk, Legal Service and Tax Center now reports directly to the General Counsel & Chief Risk Officer. With this new flatter structure, the unit can respond more quickly to on-going developments and make decisions more rapidly and efficiently.

In March 2018, VP Bank (Switzerland) Ltd decided to create a Chief Operating Officer function to reflect the growth of the activity at the site as well as growing complexity in the banking environment. Dr Oliver Möhl was appointed to manage this function. Stephan Wernli, formerly the Head of Banking Support, exited Group Executive Management as from 1 April 2018 in order to focus on managing the Legal, Compliance & Tax teams. Maximilian Barth took early retirement and left VP Bank (Switzerland) AG as from 31 December 2018. As a result, VP Bank (Switzerland) Ltd’s executive management now consists in Antony Lassanianos, Thomas Westh Olsen and Dr Oliver Möhl.

As from 1 September 2018, VP Bank conducts its Singapore banking activities through a branch instead of a wholly owned subsidiary in order to better satisfy the needs of its clients. Effective 1 September 2018, the ­Singapore banking license was expanded from that of a merchant bank to wholesale bank.

As part of its growth strategy, VP Bank (Luxembourg) SA created the new function of Head of Client Business based at the local headquarters. Claus Jørgensen assumed responsibility for this new function.

As part of its review of market development efforts in the Russian market, Group Executive Management decided to close its Moscow representative office as from end-­October 2018. VP Bank is consolidating its activities for Central and Eastern European markets primarily at its Zurich office.

The Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Alfred W. Moeckli decided not to continue their collabo­ration. Alfred W. Moeckli relinquished all functions at 31 January 2019 and left the Bank in order to pursue other activities. Dr Urs Monstein, the Chief Operating Officer, took over the management of VP Bank Group as interim CEO.

As part of its growth strategy, VP Bank Ltd Singapore Branch expanded its organisational and management structure by creating the new “Head of Client Business” function, which was headed up by Reto Marx as from end-January 2019. He reports directly to Bruno Morel, CEO of VP Bank Ltd Singapore Branch.