Swiss Raiffeisen boss to resign July 31 after court complaints

Basler Kantonalbank

15/07/2021 22:41

ZURICH, July 15 (Reuters) - Raiffeisen Schweiz Chairman Guy
Lachappelle will resign at the end of July, the third largest
Swiss bank said in a statement on Thursday, marking the exit of
a figure named in 2018 to the post to bring stability to the
group's leadership.
    Pascal Gantenbein, Raiffeisen's vice chairman, will take on
the role of interim chairman of the Swiss credit union until the
next general meeting, it said. 
    Lachappelle, a lawyer and turnaround expert who previously
headed Basler Kantonalbank  BSKP.S , announced his departure
following 2-1/2 years in the job at an emotional press
conference in Basel. 
    Swiss media including Neue Zuercher Zeitung, Tages-Anzeiger
and state broadcaster SRF reported that a woman with whom he had
once had a relationship had filed complaints in a Swiss court,
precipitating his resignation.
    "This is no easy move for me, and certainly not for my
family that has stood completely behind me the entire time,"
Lachappelle said at the press conference, broadcast by SRF. 
    Lachappelle could not immediately be reached for comment,
and Raiffeisen did not immediately confirm specific reasons for
his departure to Reuters. "The board wishes him all the best for
his future," the bank said in a statement. 
    Lachappelle was named chairman along with other new
directors in September 2018 as Raiffeisen sought to exit months
of tumult linked to former CEO Pierin Vincenz, who is awaiting
trial in Switzerland in early 2022.
    Prosecutors have been investigating Vincenz for alleged
improprieties linked to payments business Aduno and private
equity firm Investnet. Swiss markets watchdog FINMA in 2018 had
found "serious shortcomings", including interest conflicts and
inadequate supervision, in its own probe of Raiffeisen linked to
the fraud allegations against Vincenz.

 (Reporting by John Miller; editing by Richard Pullin)
 ((J.Miller@thomsonreuters.com; +41 58 306 7734; Reuters
Messaging: j.miller.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))