UBS has appointed Sonja Laud, formerly the chief investment officer at Legal & General, to co‑lead its direct investments unit alongside Barry Gill. The unit, which now manages $1.8 trillion of private‑equity, real‑estate, and infrastructure assets, will be the core of the bank’s expanded direct‑investment platform.
The move is part of UBS’s broader effort to integrate the assets and teams acquired from Credit Suisse and to strengthen its competitive position against other global banks that are expanding their private‑equity and real‑estate capabilities. By bringing in a senior executive with deep experience in alternative investments, UBS signals its intent to capture growth opportunities in the direct‑investment space, which is increasingly attractive to institutional investors seeking higher returns and diversification.
Aleksandar Ivanovic, UBS’s president of asset management, said that combining public and private markets under a single leadership structure will allow the bank to leverage its technology and expertise across the breadth of its direct‑investment capabilities. Ivanovic added that the integration will help UBS meet evolving client needs and capture significant growth opportunities in the alternative‑investment market.
The appointment also reflects UBS’s strategy to build a more integrated and scalable direct‑investment platform. With the unit’s $1.8 trillion AUM, the bank is positioned to drive fee growth and deepen client relationships in a market that is shifting toward alternative and direct investment strategies.
The hire is expected to accelerate UBS’s ability to deploy capital across a broader range of asset classes, improve operational efficiency through shared technology platforms, and enhance the bank’s competitive edge in the global asset‑management landscape.
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