Julius Baer Group will hand its people agenda to Francis Hoefman, appointing her Chief Human Resources Officer and a member of its Global Wealth Management Committee effective 11 January 2027, the Zurich-based bank announced. She succeeds Guido Ruoss, who will leave the group after 18 years, the last 11 of them leading its HR function, to pursue another opportunity outside Julius Baer following a seamless transition.
The appointment matters for a wealth management industry where competition for relationship managers and specialist talent is intensifying, and where a firm's ability to recruit and retain high performers is increasingly treated as a driver of business results rather than a back-office concern. Hoefman arrives with more than 20 years of experience at the intersection of people, business strategy and organisational transformation, joining from Reckitt, a global consumer company with about 36,000 employees across more than 80 countries.
Most recently she was responsible for Reckitt's global talent, leadership development, category capability and research and development people agenda, leading a global HR organisation of approximately 500 professionals. The company said she played a pivotal role in shaping its leadership, talent and culture agenda, strengthening organisational capabilities and enabling sustainable business performance. During her tenure she also led the global HR organisation for Reckitt's Hygiene and Health business divisions and held several senior HR leadership roles across international markets. Before Reckitt, she held senior HR positions with H.J. Heinz and Mars Inc., having started her career as Director of VHPP, the association representing senior Philips employees. She holds a Master of Laws in Company Law and Labour from Maastricht University and completed a post-master specialisation in Labour Law at Grotius Academy.
Stefan Bollinger, Chief Executive Officer of Julius Baer, said the group set out to find the very best CHRO regardless of sector or geography because its people are its most valuable asset. He described Hoefman as bringing significant experience as a global HR leader at a company renowned for developing high-performing teams, a growth mindset in a highly competitive sector and an entrepreneurial ownership culture that drives business results. Bollinger said she will be a valuable addition to the senior management team, driving the people agenda, unlocking the potential of employees across the group and ensuring Julius Baer is an employer of choice and the prime spot for prime talent. He also thanked Ruoss for his lasting contributions across a range of initiatives and programmes, citing his dedication and care for people as a significant factor in making Julius Baer a great place to work.
The leadership change comes as Julius Baer positions itself as the leading Swiss wealth management group and a premium brand in the global sector, focused on advising sophisticated private clients. At the end of June 2026 its assets under management amounted to CHF 547 billion. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd., whose origins date back to 1890, is the principal operating company of Julius Baer Group Ltd., listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and included in the Swiss Leader Index. The group operates in around 25 countries and 60 locations, with offices in financial centres including Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Hong Kong, London, Singapore and Tokyo, and details of its business are available at www.juliusbaer.com. The announcement was issued through NEWMEDIAWIRE, and the original release can be viewed at www.newmediawire.com.
For clients and investors, the appointment signals continuity in a function that shapes how the bank attracts, develops and retains the advisers who manage client relationships, while the transition period under Ruoss is intended to avoid disruption before Hoefman takes up the role in January 2027.
