Credit Suisse has launched its Asia Pacific Trading Solutions (ATS) to capitalize on the significant opportunities in the region and further build on the success of the firm's International Trading Solutions (ITS) business, Credit Suisse announced on April 11. Yves-Alain Sommerhalder has been appointed to lead the newly created ATS business with immediate effect, in addition to his existing role as the co-head of ITS. 

Credit Suisse created ITS in July 2017 to better leverage the bank’s global markets capabilities to provide quality solutions to its wealth management clients in its international wealth management and Swiss Universal Bank divisions. Since its establishment, this venture has been a strong performer, giving the bank a distinct competitive edge in the market.

The ITS business has executed a number of major transactions, helping clients better align their assets and liabilities, as well as provided quick-to-market solutions that enable clients to protect and grow their wealth.

As head of ATS, Sommerhalder will also oversee the Asia Pacific (APAC) Markets business, as well as the APAC Financing Group (AFG) activities. Sommerhalder will split his time between Zurich and Asia.

He will report to Helman Sitohang, CEO for Asia-Pacific, in this new role while also maintaining his reporting line to Brian Chin, CEO for Global Markets, in his role as co-head of ITS.

The bank’s AFG business provides differentiated financing products and solutions across the entire capital structure to clients, and continues to deliver solid profitability as an integral part of Credit Suisse’s positioning to ultra-high-net-worth-individual, corporate and entrepreneur clients.

Sommerhalder joined Credit Suisse in 2002 and has held a number of senior positions across the sales and trading businesses. He is one of the founding partners of Credit Suisse Solution Partners and was co-Head of Global Capital Markets Structuring from 2004 to 2013.

More recently, he has served as global co-head of ITS and global head of fixed income & wealth management products based in Zurich. He is a member of the Management Committee for both the Global Markets and International Wealth Management divisions. Sommerhalder will also join the APAC Operating Committee, following his ATS appointment.