BNP Paribas’ Wealth Management business will be jointly managed by Vincent Lecomte and Sofia Merlo

The two Co-Heads will report hierarchically to Jacques d’Estais, Deputy Chief Operating Officer of BNP Paribas Group and Head of the Investment Solutions (IS) division, BNP Paribas Personal Finance and International Retail Banking, and functionally to François Villeroy de Galhau, Chief Operating Officer of BNP Paribas Group and Head of Domestic Markets.

Jacques d’Estais took this opportunity to comment that "Wealth Management is an important business, serving both our domestic and international clients. I have every confidence that Sofia and Vincent will continue to develop this strategic business, drawing on BNP Paribas Group’s broad range of advisory and management expertise."

A graduate of HEC, Sofia Merlo began her career at Paribas in September 1985 as an account manager in the large corporates division, before continuing her career in various sales positions and cross-business roles. She joined the Paris network in 1991 as an assistant branch manager, then a branch manager, working with clients from all sectors (corporates, associations, private banking).

In 1995, she took up an initial position in Human Resources as Head of Recruitment. In late 1996, she was appointed Director of the Bordeaux business centre, and was entrusted with developing the customer base and representing the bank in the Aquitaine region. She then rejoined the Group’s Human Resources department in late 2000, first as a career manager, than as Group Head of Career Management in mid-2004.

In January 2009, she became Sales Director for Wealth Management France, before being appointed Head of the French Private Bank in January 2010.

A graduate of ESCP Europe, Vincent Lecomte held several positions in the consulting field before joining Paribas’ Securities Services business (securities services for institutions) in France in 1992.

He then moved to Germany, where he spent three years as Head of the Securities business. In 1998, he joined the Investment Partners business, where he was appointed COO (Chief Operating Officer) and a member of the Executive Committee.

In late 2005, he became Deputy Head of the Personal Investors business line and Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Cortal Consors – two roles which he would go on to hold for five years. Since September 2010, Vincent Lecomte has been COO (Chief Operating Officer) at BNP Paribas Wealth Management.