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Francesca McDonagh, group CEO – Universal Investment Group |
Former Credit Suisse chief operating officer (COO) Francesca McDonagh has joined European fund services platform Universal Investment Group as its new group CEO. She will begin her new role in January next year, taking over from David Blumer, who will continue as chairman.
Ms McDonagh was hired by Credit Suisse in September last year, originally as head of its Europe, Middle East and Africa businesses, before quickly being promoted to COO becoming a key figure in facilitating the bank’s integration into UBS as part of a take-over deal completed in June.
Prior to joining Credit Suisse, she served as Bank of Ireland’s first female CEO for five years, where she was credited with realigning the bank’s culture and developing its digital banking services. In addition, she spent two decades at HSBC, culminating in a stint as head of its European retail and wealth management business.
Universal Investment Group is a Frankfurt-headquartered management company focused on providing investment solutions, including fund management, structuring and administration services, for institutional investors and asset managers. As of September, it held €979bn in assets under administration.
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Harshika Patel, CEO of the Asia private bank – JPMorgan |
JPMorgan has named Harshika Patel as the new CEO of its Asia private banking business. She will report to Martin Marron, CEO of its international private bank, as well as Asia-Pacific CEO Filippo Gori. She joins from JPMorgan’s corporate and investment banking business in Asia and will continue in her role as CEO of JPMorgan Hong Kong.
Ms Patel first joined the bank in 2013 and has more than three decades of experience gained across financial centres such as Singapore, London and Hong Kong. She was most recently head of strategy for Asia, in addition to her role as Hong Kong CEO. She succeeds Kam Shing Kwang, who will become the US banking group’s North Asia chair.
JPMorgan’s Asia private bank is a key region for its private banking business, which oversees more than $2.2tn in client assets globally.
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Johanna Chua, head of emerging markets economic research – Citi |
Citi has appointed Johanna Chua as its new head of emerging markets economic research. She joined the US banking group in 2000 and has been head of its economics team across the pan-Asia region since 2009.
Ms Chua will continue to work in Hong Kong, which marks the first time that a global emerging market head has been based in the region. She succeeds London-based David Lubin who will continue as an advisor to Citi, as well as take on a new role as an associate fellow at UK think tank Chatham House.
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Maria Ivanova, Citi country officer for the UAE – Citi |
Citi has appointed Maria Ivanova as Citi country officer for its businesses in the UAE. She will also assume the role of the senior executive officer for Citibank’s businesses in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Ms Ivanova joined Citi in 1996 as a corporate banking relationship manager. Throughout her career, she has held various leadership roles including in trade finance and within Citi’s global subsidiaries group. She most recently served as Citi country officer and chief operating officer for Citi Russia.
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Francesca Carlesi, UK CEO – Revolut |
British fintech and banking challenger Revolut has appointed Francesca Carlesi, the former CEO of digital mortgage lender Molo, as its new UK CEO. She will succeed James Radford, who left the company in March after serving for three years as its CEO of banking.
Ms Carlesi brings more than 15 years of experience in banking and fintech. Before founding Molo, she served as a managing director, chief of staff and global head of regulatory affairs at Deutsche Bank.
Her appointment comes at a critical time for the company, after the filing of its full-year financial results were delayed for the second year running in September. It continues to pursue the approval of a UK banking licence, which it first applied for in January 2021.
