Hugo Lasat has been with the group since 2011. His appointment as CEO is subject to the approval of the competent authorities. Degroof Petercam

The board of directors at Degroof Petercam has proposed the appointment of Hugo Lasat as CEO of the group, to succeed Bruno Colmant. The latter will be able to devote himself entirely to the Private Banking division.

The board of directors of Degroof Petercam proposed on Wednesday to appoint Lasat as CEO of the group, to succeed Bruno Colmant, who announced in June that he was stepping down from this position in order to focus solely on the management of the private banking division.

In addition to this segment, the Brussels-based group is active in institutional management, investment banking and asset services.

From Arthur Andersen to banks

Lasat has been CEO of Degroof Petercam Asset Management since 2016. He joined Petercam in 2011 as a partner and head of Petercam Institutional Asset Management. Prior to that, the native of the Brussels region had accumulated 30 years of experience in the financial sector and at Arthur Andersen & Co.

"I am very honoured by the confidence that the board of directors has shown in me by appointing me to this position within a group that is rooted in Belgium and active internationally," the manager, who will be 57 this year, stated in a press release.

Once the green light has been given by the competent authorities, the appointment of Lasat should lead to another internal move with the arrival of Peter De Coensel as the new CEO of DPAM. De Coensel is currently CIO fixed income and a member of DPAM's executive committee and board.

"Peter De Coensel [...] has demonstrated many of the qualities needed for this responsibility and will be a key person in this value-creating arrangement for the group," added Gilles Samyn, Degroof Petercam board of directors chairman.

"Hugo is a born entrepreneur and an experienced manager. Together with the team he has built up, he has successfully developed Degroof Petercam Asset Management and created substantial value over the past years."

Colmant will remain a member of the management committee and the board of directors of Degroof Petercam. This appointment should enable him to devote himself full time to the private banking business, which he has been supervising since March.

Degroof Petercam Luxembourg has been established in the country since 1987 and employs some 370 people in its three entities. The Degroof Petercam group has roots dating back to 1871. It employs 1,400 people and its total client assets amount to €75bn. Based in Brussels, the institution targets private and institutional investors, and is also active in France, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Hong Kong.