METIS appoints Panos Theodossopoulos as new CEO
METIS Cyberspace Technology has appointed Panos Theodossopoulos as its new Chief Executive Officer, in a move designed to consolidate the company’s position as a leader in maritime digitalisation and extend market penetration.
An expert in driving business development through technological innovation, Theodossopoulos has considerable experience in leadership roles in the ICT and maritime sectors. In recent years, he has specialised in maritime digitalisation, co-founding a successful maritime tech start-up in 2015 and later serving as Chief Digital Officer at OceanKing, a leading marine technical and commercial group. Previous positions include Director of Public Sector Sales at Microsoft Hellas and General Manager Cloud Division at SingularLogic.
“In a relatively short time, METIS has established itself as a major player in the Hellenic shipping community and as a frontrunner in maritime digitalisation – both locally and internationally,” commented Theodossopoulos. “It is therefore an honour to be appointed CEO at this exciting stage in the company’s development – and I look forward to building on the success that has already been achieved.”
In welcoming the appointment, Eleni Polychronopoulou, METIS President, said: “Panos possesses extensive knowledge of digitalisation in and outside of shipping and the invaluable experience of founding and propelling the growth of a maritime technology company. He is well known and respected in the Greek shipping community while also maintaining strong international connections.”
Polychronopoulou, who will continue as President and remains fully engaged in the business, added: “As CEO, Panos brings exceptional insight and a truly collaborative approach to leading the next phase of development at METIS.”
Theodossopoulos holds an MSc in in Mechanical Engineering from Tufts University, Massachusetts, United States, and a PhD in the same subject from Imperial College London, United Kingdom.
Alpha Bank Cyprus Ltd: Mr. Miltos Michaelas as new CEO
Alpha Services and Holdings S.A. announces that the Board of Directors of its 100% Subsidiary Alpha Bank Cyprus Ltd, decided on the appointment of Mr. Miltos Michaelas to the position of CEO of Alpha Bank Cyprus Ltd.
The appointment of Mr. Michaelas, an executive who combines extensive international experience in the financial sector with excellent knowledge of the Cypriot economic and business reality, opens a new chapter in the presence of the Alpha Bank Group in the Cypriot market. It underlines the determination of the Shareholder and the Board of Directors of the Bank to rapidly implement the growth Business Plan of Alpha Bank Cyprus Ltd, aiming at providing modern products and services, developing corporate banking and supporting the progress of the Cypriot economy.
Alpha Bank Group CEO, Mr. Vassilios Psaltis, said: “We are hailing a new period of extroversion for Alpha Bank Cyprus and its emergence as a key banking partner of the progress of the Cypriot society and entrepreneurship. I am delighted that Miltos Michaelas has accepted our invitation to join Alpha Bank’s Management Team and to contribute to the implementation of our strategic plan for an efficient and profitable Bank. Miltos’ deep knowledge of the Cypriot economy, his proven effectiveness and strategic approach to the issues of transforming banking institutions are a guarantee for the growth of Alpha Bank Cyprus”.
Mr. Michaelas will assume his new duties, following the approval of his appointment by the European Central Bank, succeeding Mr. Konstantinos Koutentakis, who, over the past years, has been instrumental in the transformation of Alpha Bank Cyprus Ltd, having focused on improving productivity, rationalizing costs and remediating its portfolio. With his accumulated experience, Mr. Koutentakis will support the work of the new Management during the initial period and will, subsequently, contribute from a new position of responsibility to the implementation of the Group’s strategic growth plan.
The Chairman and the Board of Directors of Alpha Bank Cyprus Ltd welcome Mr. Michaelas to the Alpha Bank Group, wishing him every success in his new duties, while, at the same time, thank Mr. Koutentakis for his contribution to date.
Miltos Michaelas’ CV
He was born in 1967. He graduated from the American Academy in Larnaca and holds a degree in Management & Computer Science from Aston University, as well as an MBA with specialization in Financial Services from the University of Nottingham.
Starting at Laiki Bank in 1992, he began a long professional career in the financial industry. In October 1999 he left Laiki Bank and worked as Chief Financial Officer of the Petrolina Group until 2001. Subsequently, from 2001 to 2006, he served as General Manager at Laiki Bank in Sydney, Australia. From 2006 to 2013 he served in various roles leading to the position of General Manager of International & Financial Services at Laiki Bank. Between 2013-2016 he served as International Operations Advisor to the Bank of Cyprus, and in 2015 he also took over as Head of the newly established Real Estate Management Unit (REMU) of the Bank. In October 2016, he was appointed Managing Director at Bank of Sydney, a position he has held to date.
Pool Re announces new CEO
Pool Re announced the appointment of Tom Clementi as chief executive officer of Pool Re.
Clementi, who joins on 4 April, is currently a strategic advisor at Lane Clark & Peacock. He has many years of insurance industry experience, specifically where he was most recently CEO of MS Amlin Underwriting Ltd.
Angela Knight, chair of the Pool Re board, said:
“We are delighted that Tom will be joining us to lead Pool Re. His insurance and legal experience, particularly across strategic operations and various geographical areas and underwriting lines at MS Amlin, will be immensely valuable. He is a strong leader and communicator who will further deepen our relationships with the market and key stakeholders, including vital engagement with government and regulators.We would like to reiterate our thanks to Julian Enoizi who, after 8 years at the helm, leaves the organisation in excellent shape to meet the challenges of the evolving terrorism threat and we now look forward to the new chapter for Pool Re, headed by Tom.”
Clementi said:
“It is an honour to be appointed CEO of Pool Re, the world’s leading national resilience entity. Pool Re has an extremely talented team and plays a vital and dynamic role in supporting the commercial insurance market in pursuit of greater national resilience to terrorism.. I look forward to working with all our stakeholders to continue offering services that respond to the needs of UK business and to building ever stronger relationships with government as we move forward as an arm’s length Government body.”
Legal & General Retirement Institutional Division announces new CEO
Legal & General Assurance Society Limited (“Legal & General”) announced the appointment of Andrew Kail as the new CEO of Legal & General Retirement Institutional (“LGRI”), the Pension Risk Transfer (“PRT”) division of Legal & General. This was effective from 1 January 2022.
He succeeds Laura Mason, who has moved to become CEO of Legal & General Capital. Laura has successfully headed LGRI since January 2018, with the business recently announcing it had contributed 41% of Group profits in the first six months of 2021.
Andrew Kail joined Legal & General Retail Retirement (“LGRR”) in 2021, having previously spent 30 years at PricewaterhouseCoopers (“PwC”) in a wide variety of roles. As Head of Financial Services he led PwC’s 6,000 strong team in asset & wealth management, banking, insurance, and real estate, having previously worked in its audit, strategy, regulation and technology divisions.
Andrew Kail, CEO, Legal & General Retirement Institutional: “It is a great privilege to lead such a successful global team in the Pension Risk Transfer (PRT) markets. There are still significant opportunities for Legal & General to help pension schemes de-risk, in the UK and internationally, through collaboration, innovation and drawing on the strength of the Legal & General Group. We provide additional security and world class customer service to scheme members while investing their savings in their communities and their environment, levelling up local economies.”
Barclays announces new CEO of point-of-sale finance business
Antony Stephen will join Barclays as the CEO of the bank’s point-of-sale finance business, Barclays Partner Finance, on Monday 4 October
Antony has over 25 years of experience in payments and financial services, including his most recent role as Head of Amazon Payments Europe
As CEO, Antony will focus on scaling the point-of-sale finance business in the UK, and providing senior leadership to Barclays Cubed, Barclays’ next-generation commerce platform
Barclays has announced that Antony Stephen will be joining the Group on Monday 4 October 2021, as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the Barclays Partner Finance (BPF) business, and its legal entity, Clydesdale Financial Services Ltd (CFSL).
Antony joins from Amazon and brings over 25 years of experience in payments and financial services. Through his most recent role as Head of Amazon Payments Europe, he led a $50+ billion portfolio of payment products including credit cards, instalment loans and a financial services marketplace.
As CEO of Barclays Partner Finance, Antony will report to Ruchir Rodrigues, Head of Barclays Cubed & Consumer Bank Europe, with a focus on growing the point-of-sale finance business in the UK. Antony will also provide senior leadership to Barclays Cubed, Barclays’ next-generation commerce platform, designed to create value for consumers and merchants through the payments ecosystem.
Barclays Partner Finance is one of the UK’s leading providers of point-of-sale finance and regulated BNPL lending, working with world-class retailers to enable consumers to purchase products and spread the cost in a responsible and transparent way.
Antony Stephen said: “This is an incredibly exciting time for point of sale finance – while the core business model has existed for a long time, it has surged in popularity and prominence in recent years, thanks to advancements in technology and changes in customer behaviour. With its unrivalled network of both consumers and major retailers, Barclays recognises the fantastic opportunity it has to lead the market, and I’m thrilled to be joining the bank at this pivotal moment.”
Welcoming Antony’s appointment, Ruchir Rodrigues, commented: “I am delighted that Antony is joining Barclays to lead our point-of-sale finance business, and that we’re able to attract talent of his calibre. Antony’s global experience with an industry-leading firm like Amazon and his passion for customer centricity will be invaluable in driving this business forward. His vision and leadership will add immense value to the team as we continue to create tangible value for the consumers and merchants that we serve”.
Banco do Brasil’s Insurance Unit BB Seguridade to Get New CEO: Report
Reuters – New management at Brazil’s state-controlled Banco do Brasil SA plans to replace the chief executive of insurance holding BB Seguridade Participacoes SA, Brazilian newspaper Valor Economico reported on Tuesday.
Current CEO Marcio Hamilton is expected to be replaced by Amauri Aguiar de Vasconcelos, a former pension fund executive, the paper said, citing people with knowledge of the matter. The Brazilian government is expected to decide on the matter soon.
Banco do Brasil’s new CEO, Fausto Ribeiro, is replacing the heads of the bank’s main units. Banco do Brasil and BB Seguridade did not immediately reply to requests for comment.
Later in the day, BB Seguridade said in a securities filing that it “did not receive … any communication from its controlling shareholder” regarding a possible management change.
(Reporting by Tatiana Bautzer; additional reporting and writing by Gram Slattery; editing by Steve Orlofsky and Cynthia Osterman)
Ageas appoints new CEO and Chairman
Today, Ageas announces that, subject to the necessary approvals, Hans De Cuyper will succeed Bart De Smet as CEO of Ageas with effect from 22 October 2020. At the same time, Bart De Smet will become the Chairman of the Group replacing Jozef De Mey who recently announced his decision to step down.
With Hans De Cuyper, the current CEO of Ageas’s Belgian subsidiary AG Insurance, Ageas appoints an experienced leader and people manager with extensive knowledge of the Group and the insurance sector. Through various senior management positions held in both Asia and Belgium Hans is extremely well equipped to bring the best of both cultures together and to successfully lead Ageas in the next phase of its development.
Hans joined the company in 2004 as Director Insurance Management Asia in Hong Kong. In 2007, he moved to Malaysia as Chief Financial Officer in Etiqa Insurance & Takaful, the joint venture between Maybank and Ageas. From 2011 until 2013, he was Chief Executive Officer for Etiqa and member of the Executive Committee of Maybank, the leading Malaysian bank. In September 2013, Hans returned to Belgium to take up the role of Chief Financial Officer of AG Insurance, Ageas’s Belgian subsidiary. Since 1 October, 2015, Hans held the position of Chief Executive Officer of AG Insurance and consequently CEO of the ‘Belgium’ segment within the Group.
Bart De Smet joined the company in 1998 as a member of the management committee of Fortis AG (now AG Insurance) with responsibility for Fortis Employee Benefits. In 2005, he took charge of the Non-Life business and Broker Channel at Fortis Insurance Belgium, assuming the position of CEO of Fortis Insurance Belgium in 2007. In June 2009 he became CEO of Fortis, which was renamed Ageas in 2010. Under his leadership, the legacies from the financial crisis were resolved and Ageas transformed into a strong and independent international insurance Group.
As newly appointed CEO, Hans will be proposed as member of the Ageas Board at the Shareholders’ Meeting of 22 October 2020. Following his appointment as CEO of Ageas, the selection process to appoint a new CEO for AG Insurance has been launched.
In the coming months, Bart and Hans will continue to work closely with their respective executive teams to support a smooth transition of responsibilities.
Both appointments are subject to the approval of the National Bank of Belgium.
Commenting on the appointments Jozef De Mey says: “I would like to congratulate Hans on his appointment as the new CEO of Ageas. The Board is confident that Hans’s extensive experience both in Europe and Asia will ensure that the company is well prepared for the future and ready to embark on the next exciting stage in its evolution.
I take this opportunity to also congratulate Bart on being appointed as Chairman of the Board of Ageas. On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Bart for his exemplary performance as CEO for more than a decade. His leadership has been truly inspirational, and we know he will continue to add enormous value to the Group as Chairman.
It is testament to the breadth of management talent within the Group that both appointments have been filled internally following a full and independent review that assessed a range of internal and external candidates as part of our succession planning process.”
Hans De Cuyper: “I am honored to have been given this opportunity to lead the company through the next chapter in its history and I am grateful for the trust the Board has shown in me. Under Bart’s leadership, Ageas has transformed itself over the past decade into a successful independent international insurance group. I am looking forward to working together with the team that has written this amazing story over the last 10 years. I also want to thank the Executive Committee and all my colleagues at AG Insurance for all the great work! You never failed to deliver on your promise to the Group. I am eager to catch up with our developments in Asia since I left the region in 2013, and to guiding our businesses across Europe and Asia into a bright future. I’m excited about the many opportunities that lie ahead of us and to continuing the great work”
Bart De Smet: “As I look back on my tenure as CEO I do so with much pride. I had an incredible team of people behind me, and together we delivered on our promises. In accepting the role of Chairman of the Board of Ageas Group, I am pleased that I will continue to be a part of the Ageas growth story and to witness even more success in the coming years. I congratulate my successor and wish him well for the future. These are exciting times in our industry, and also challenging times for society, but I feel confident that under Hans’s leadership we will continue to deliver what our stakeholders expect from us.”
Nicolas Weng Kan the new CEO of Yolt
Former CEO of Google Compare and Confused.com Nicolas Weng Kan, is the new CEO of Yolt.
Nicolas, who has spent the last 15 years in a variety of roles in the UK, Taiwan, Japan and China, replaces founding CEO Jan Frank Risseeuw who moved to a new role within ING.
Starting on 15 July, Nicolas will be responsible for managing both Yolt, the award-winning smart money app, and Yolt Technology Services (YTS), the leading open banking provider in Europe.Described as a champion of product innovationand digital excellence, Nicolas has also led successful start-ups, having launched Quickquote, Motormate and most recently ONEZERO-ME, a digital credit and risk scoring start-up.
Bright and talented team
Nicolas said he was thrilled to join such a bright and talented team across both Yolt and YTS.“The world as we know it is changing and it’s the companies who can deliver innovation excellence who will thrive for the good of their customers.“Now, perhaps more than ever, is when open banking adoptionis likely to have a transformative impact, whether that’s delivered through innovative money apps like Yolt, or as a service tocompanies looking to bring new solutions to market quickly and efficiently,” he said.ING’s chief innovation officer, Benoît Legrand said ING’s Think Forward Strategy means we are committed to thinking beyond banking, making it clear, easy and available anytime, anywhere.“ING was recently voted as the ‘Most innovative bank in Western Europe’ and this is because we continue to deliver on our strategy to grow concepts into scale-ups like Yolt, who are already making great waves in disrupting the traditional banking model, with over 1.5 million registered users in just three years.”Both the Yolt app and YTS are ventures of ING, forming two of the many initiatives ING has launched out of its innovation lab.
Changes to the Executive Board of Credit Suisse – Thomas Gottstein appointed as new CEO
The Board of Directors of Credit Suisse Group has unanimously accepted the resignation of Tidjane Thiam and appointed Thomas Gottstein as the new CEO of Credit Suisse Group AG.
The Board of Directors, at its meeting of February 6, 2020, accepted Tidjane Thiam’s resignation as Group CEO, effective February 14, 2020. He will step down following the presentation of the fourth quarter and full-year results 2019. The Board appointed Thomas Gottstein as Group CEO.
Urs Rohner, Chairman of the Board of Directors, stated: “Under Tidjane’s leadership, Credit Suisse simultaneously repurposed our strategy, restored our capital, reduced our costs, de-risked our business, promoted diversity and engendered an exceptional level of co-operation between various divisions. Credit Suisse is in good health and we have a deep bench of talent which can build on his achievements.”“Tidjane has made an enormous contribution to Credit Suisse since he joined us in 2015. It is to his credit that Credit Suisse is standing on a very solid foundation and has returned successfully to profit. The Board of Directors and I wish Tidjane all the best for his future endeavors.”
Tidjane Thiam, outgoing Group CEO of Credit Suisse, said: “I have agreed with the Board that I will step down from my role as CEO. I am proud of what the team has achieved during my tenure. We have turned Credit Suisse around. In particular, we have grown our leading Wealth Management franchise, reenergised our Global Markets business and pursued a bespoke regional approach to client coverage.”“I will be an enthusiastic supporter of my colleagues, as they continue to build momentum in the business. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to all at Credit Suisse for their support in my work. I will be forever grateful.”
“I had no knowledge of the observation of two former colleagues. It undoubtedly disturbed Credit Suisse and caused anxiety and hurt. I regret that this happened and it should never have taken place.”
Severin Schwan, Lead Independent Director, stated: “Urs Rohner has led the Board of Directors commendably during this turbulent time. After careful deliberations, the Board has been unanimous in its actions, as well as in reaffirming its full support for the Chairman to complete his term until April 2021.”
Thomas Gottstein, the newly appointed Group CEO, has more than 30 years of experience in the banking industry, including more than 20 years with Credit Suisse. His track record is based on management roles in Investment Banking (for which he spent 13 years in London) as well as in Private Banking. In his role as CEO of Credit Suisse (Switzerland) Ltd. and member of the Executive Board, he has been responsible for our home market since 2015. During his tenure, the Swiss business increased its contribution to the Group income before taxes from CHF 1.6 billion to CHF 2.1 billion.
Commenting on the change in leadership of Credit Suisse, Chairman Urs Rohner said: “Based on his deep and comprehensive experience in our business and in view of his impressive performance as head of our Swiss bank and his respect amongst our clients and employees, Thomas Gottstein is excellently positioned to lead Credit Suisse into the future. We are happy to announce him as a strong internal successor to our current leadership. I am grateful to him for taking on this responsibility and look forward to working with him in his new role.”
Thomas Gottstein said: “I am grateful to the Board of Directors for the trust they have placed in me. I am looking forward to devoting my full energy to this treasured bank, its clients and shareholders. I am most proud of our 50’000 employees, who do tremendous work every day. Additionally, I want to say thank you to Tidjane Thiam for his support and partnership.”
André Helfenstein will succeed Thomas Gottstein as the CEO of Credit Suisse (Switzerland) Ltd., effective February 14, 2020 and become a member of the Executive Board of Credit Suisse Group AG. André Helfenstein is currently responsible for our institutional clients business in Switzerland, and is a member of the Executive Board of Credit Suisse (Switzerland) Ltd. and the Swiss Universal Bank Management Committee.
LV= completes GI sale to Allianz and appoints new chief executive
LV= has completed the planned sale of its remaining 51% stake of its general insurance business (LV= GI) to Allianz Group.
Total consideration received by LV= for 100% of LV=GI is up to £1.078bn. This follows the announcement of the transaction by LV= on 31 May 2019.
Newly appointed chief executive Mark Hartigan, who is on an initial 12 month contract, was part of the senior leadership team at Zurich Insurance Group between 2009 and 2019. He held a variety of roles and was most recently head of operations for Zurich EMEA.
Before life at Zurich he was deputy chief executive officer of Nexus Group, the largest insurer in the Middle East. He started his career in the British Army and holds a masters degree from King’s University College of London.
LV= chairman Alan Cook said: “Mark Hartigan is the ideal candidate to lead LV= as we begin life as a standalone life and pensions business. He brings a wealth of knowledge of the life insurance market and has a strong track record of delivering financial success and business transformation in challenging and fast changing market conditions.”
Hartigan added: “LV= is a business I have long admired. As the company completes the sale of its general insurance business and starts 2020 as a focused life and pensions business it’s an exciting time to join. I look forward to working with all my new colleagues to build on LV=’s heritage and to serve our members, customers and partners.”