The recent leadership changes and appointments in the global organisations within the BFSI sector reflect a strategic focus on expanding their operations across various regions, including APAC, EMEA, South Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. People Matters brings you all the leadership appointments across the global banking and financial institutions from the last week.

Deutsche Bank: Volker Steuer Appointed as Head of Human Resources

On October 4, 2023, Deutsche Bank, a global investment banking firm headquartered in Germany, appointed Volker Steuer as Head of Human Resources with immediate effect.

Volker, who began his career at Deutsche Bank as an apprentice in 1986, has held several leadership roles over the last 30 years. Prior to this appointment, he served as Head of HR for Germany and HRBP. In his new role, he will continue to report to Rebecca Short, a Member of the Management Board and Group COO.

Rebecca welcomed Volker to his new position, stating, “Our workforce needs to evolve in line with our transformation, and our HR function will play a central role in achieving this. In a field of outstanding internal and external candidates, Volker Steuer stood out for his extensive experience in HR and his deep understanding of Deutsche Bank and our home market. I have been impressed by his vision and energy and look forward to working with him to determine how HR can deliver the most value to our partners in the bank.”

Volker commented, “It is an honour and a privilege to become Head of HR for our iconic institution and lead this function and our people strategy through the next phase of the bank’s transformation. The workplace and our clients' expectations are changing, and we have a responsibility to support and enable our employees to perform at their best. We want Deutsche Bank to continue to be a destination and a home for exceptional and motivated people.”

Franklin Templeton: 4 Senior Leadership Appointments

On October 3, 2023, Franklin Templeton, a mutual investment company, strengthened its global leadership by appointing four senior leaders. Matt Harrison was named Head of Europe & the UK, Tariq Ahmad was appointed Head of APAC, Sandeep Singh became Head of CEEMEA & India Distribution, and Julian Ide assumed the role of Vice Chair of EMEA.

Harrison, previously Co-Head of APAC, will relocate to London. Under the leadership of Adam Spector, EVP and Head of Global Distribution, he will lead the distribution leaders to expand the company’s operations in Europe and the UK.

Tariq will become the Head of the APAC region and will also take on Harrison’s previous responsibilities, overseeing the company's APAC strategy under Spector's guidance.

Sandeep, based in Dubai, will lead CEEMEA and India as Head, reporting to Spector. He brings over 25 years of experience in asset management and has held several leadership roles within the company for India and Malaysia.

Julian will serve as Vice Chairperson for the EMEA region and be part of the decision-makers board for the company. He will report to Jenny Johnson, President and CEO at Franklin Templeton.

Spector extended his wishes to the newly appointed executives, saying, “Over the last several years, we have been purposefully transforming and strategically expanding our firm. In crucial markets including the UK, Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) and Asia-Pacific (APAC), we have made significant strides in growing our distribution channels. Building on this momentum, it is important for us to evolve our leadership talent as we focus on delivering long-term value to our clients. Harrison, Singh, and Ahmad are seasoned and proven leaders, and I am thrilled to work closely with them to further expand our distribution footprint at this exciting time. In addition, I would like to thank Julian for his efforts and dedication as Head of EMEA distribution and look forward to partnering with him in his new role as Vice Chair of EMEA.”

Goldman Sachs: Aaron Lamshed Appointed Head of ECM in Australia and New Zealand

On October 3, 2023, Goldman Sachs announced the appointment of Aaron Lamshed as Head of Equity Capital Markets (ECM) in ANZ. Aaron takes over the role previously held by Ian Taylor, who has been appointed Chief Strategy Officer at APM Human Services International.

Prior to his appointment, Aaron served as Managing Director at the investment banking company. He will now assume Taylor’s responsibilities while continuing to lead as the Head of the Australian Syndicate.

The ANZ co-heads of Investment Banking, Nick Sims and Zac Fletcher, commented, “Aaron has demonstrated exceptional market knowledge and execution expertise, having led numerous milestone ECM transactions across a broad range of sectors. In his new role, Aaron will assume responsibility for the strategic direction and success of our ECM franchise in Australia and New Zealand while maintaining his existing responsibilities as head of the syndicate.”

Taylor will transition to his new role early next year, and until then, he will work closely with Aaron to ensure a smooth handover of responsibilities.

Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA): Leeanne Turner as Interim CEO 

On October 4, 2023, ASFA announced the appointment of Leeanne Turner as Interim CEO following Martin Fahy's resignation from the position. Additionally, Gary Dransfield has been reappointed as Chair of the organization.

Announcing Turner’s appointment, Gary stated, “The Board commenced a recruitment process for a new CEO several months ago, and that search is well advanced. Having temporarily stepped into the interim CEO role, it has become clear that we need someone in the role in a dedicated capacity. Leeanne’s unifying presence and ability to bring people together to collaborate on the numerous, complicated challenges facing our industry will bring tremendous energy and focus to the sector. As we are now less than two months away from our next conference, the Board is pleased to welcome an industry veteran of such standing to lead the organization through this busy period.”

Julius Baer: 8 Leadership Appointments, 2 exits 

On October 9, 2023, the Zurich-based private banking firm Julius Baer named Sonia Goessi as the new head for Switzerland and EMEA regions, succeeding Yves Robert-Charrue, who stepped down. Indian banker Rahul Malhotra has been promoted to lead the bank’s operations in Emerging Markets and join the bank’s executive board.

Other leadership appointments include Thomas Frauenlob as the new Head of Intermediaries and Family offices effective from April 1, 2024, Carlos Recoder Miralles as Head of Americas and Iberia, Sandra Niethen to head the bank’s Client Strategy and Experience division, Guido Ruoss as the new Chief Human Resources Officer & Corporate Affairs, and Christoph Hiestand as the new Group General Counsel.

Yves will exit the bank in 2024, and Beatriz Sanchez is also stepping down from the executive board.

Philip Rickenbacher, CEO of the bank, announced the changes, stating, “Our organizational structure and freshly composed leadership team, with a blend of in-house and new talent, will create the momentum and continuity needed to achieve our targets.

Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co: Nisha Awasthi appointed as Managing Director to lead India expansion

KKR, a US-based investment banking company, has announced the appointment of Nisha Awasthi as the Managing Director and Head of the new office in Gurugram, India. She will be spearheading the bank's expansion strategy in India, and also hire 150 new employees by early 2024.

Awasthi brings over 20 years of core industry experience, and she held the leadership role at BlackRock as Head of Financial Markets Advisory.

Announcing the bank's expansion strategy, Ryan Stork, Chief Operating Officer of KKR said, "Having a team in Gurugram will strengthen our operating model across the globe by expanding our reach and enabling us to tap into a fantastic talent pool. Today’s milestone marks the beginning of a sizable investment in talent in India, as the new location is an important part of how we scale our global operations and service our clients. We are delighted to be part of the Gurugram business community."

Gaurav Trehan, KKR’s Head of APAC Private Equity and Head of India added, "We are thrilled to deepen our presence in and commitment to India and build a team of collaborative professionals who will be committed to KKR’s culture of excellence. We are also pleased to welcome Nisha to the team. She brings to KKR her extensive experience building and managing teams in Gurugram, and her perspectives and leadership will be invaluable as we look to deliver on our strategic priorities and develop talent through our new office."