After only two years seasoned Asian wealth management specialist Grace Barki parted company with Geneva-based private bank Pictet. What will be her next move?
In February 2016, Pictet announced the recruitment of Grace Barki. At that time, she was appointed managing director covering Southeast Asia from Pictet's Singapore office as finews.asia reported.
But now the banker, who speaks English, Indonesian and Mandarin as well as Javanese and Sundanese, has left the bank. Pictet confirmed this at the request of finews.asia without commenting on the departure.
First Experience at Citigroup
Barki began her career with Citibank in Singapore and Jakarta in 1985, when she participated in the program for developing leaders. Subsequently it was on trading operations she focused and Barki took over in 1994 as head of corporate finance and local corporate group.
She was promoted to head of corporate banking in 1996 and in 1998 joined the regional risk division in Singapore. In 2002 she returned to Jakarta and took on the role of country manager Indonesia for Citigroup private bank. In 2004 she was appointed to the management acquisition team of the private bank in Indonesia.
Career at Swiss Banks
In 2004 Barki moved to the Swiss bank UBS in Singapore, where she was responsible for the country markets of Indonesia and the Philippines and led 200 employees. She moved to the then Bank Sarasin in December 2009 and took over the leadership of the Southeast Asia region.
In August 2012 she joined Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) Wealth Management as managing director and head of wealth management for Southeast Asia before departing to join Pictet.
Where Next?
Several global private banks announced a ramping-up of their onshore offerings this year. Credit Suisse has plans for the Philippines and Julius Baer is deepening coverage in Thailand.
Bank of Singapore is upping its family office business while boutique players like VP Bank want to double their headcount in Singapore. Will any of them tempt Barki?
