As head of investments at Pictet, Pio Benetti was in charge of a major client segment at the private bank. Now he joined an Italian company run by Zurich-based rival Julius Baer.

For the past three-and-a-half years, Pio Benetti was chief investment officer (CIO) for private wealth management in Europe at Pictet. Now he joined Kairos, the Milan-based unit of Julius Baer, a company active in asset management and private banking.

Benetti, 51, will take charge of a team of wealth managers at Kairos, according to a statement released by the Italian firm today.

Julius Baer in May 2013 bought 20 percent of Kairos and increased its stake to 80 percent in the following years. The unit has assets under management worth about 10 billion euros.