After investment bank boss Andrea Orcel, another top UBS banker is set to meet a woman who accuses her former boss at the Swiss bank of rape. The move underscores UBS' efforts to contain the damage from the episode.
A woman who accuses her former boss at UBS of rape now commands the attention of the Swiss bank's top management under CEO Sergio Ermotti. She will meet with UBS' head of global investigations, according to banking industry publication «Financial News» (behind paywall).
The role is held by Ursula La Roche (pictured below), a Swiss banker who oversees internal investigation teams in Zurich, Singapore, Hong Kong, London and New York as well as a whistleblower notification post. La Roche previously supervised banks at Swiss regulator Finma, and was finance chief at stock exchange operator SIX Group.
(Image: Linkedin)
Top-Level Attention
La Roche wants to hear what lessons the Swiss bank can draw from the episode, which represents an issue of the utmost delicacy for the bank. The woman and La Roche will meet at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, the firm which British regulator the Financial Conduct Authority appointed to investigate independently at the Swiss bank and report back.
The regulator also wants to know why UBS didn't raise alarm earlier, when its former employee first made a complaint last year. UBS has said it has zero tolerance for misconduct and harassment, and will thoroughly investigate the claims.
FCA head Megan Butler (pictured below), who has promised the City's women that the supervisor will pay more attention to bullying and harassment in finance, is getting personally involved in the case, as finews.com reported on Tuesday.
