The Geneva-based private bank has signed up a new team in its billion-dollar private market investment business. This is a coup for Pictet partner Elif Aktuğ.

Five experienced investment specialists are joining the Pictet Alternative Advisors (PAA) division, the Geneva-based private banking group Pictet announced on Tuesday. They are Edmund BuckleyNikolaus HubmannSean HowardJan Dreesen, and Hugo Hickson. They will work in the area of direct investments in private equity in the future.

The team will be led by Buckley, who assumes the role of global co-head of private equity & head of direct private equity, working out of London. He joined Pictet in April from rival THI Investments to build the direct investments business.

DACH Region Focus

Hubmann will head up the German-speaking Europe (DACH) region at PAA, where he will be responsible for research, origination, due diligence, and monitoring investment opportunities. Howard, meanwhile, has been hired as investment manager, Dreesen as investment associate, and Hickson as value creation principal. The team will be further expanded over the year, according to the statement.

The commitment of Buckley's team can be seen as a coup for Elif Aktuğ, managing partner of the Pictet Group and CEO of PAA.

The independent business unit, in which Pictet manages direct and indirect investments in hedge funds, private equity, and real estate for private and institutional clients, employs almost 120 and, according to its figures, most recently manages $36.7 billion.