Ros L’Esperance, executive vice chair of UBS’s Investment Bank, will leave the Swiss bank at the end of the month. According to an internal memo seen by Reuters, L’Esperance is departing to pursue outside opportunities. Marco Valla, co-president of UBS’s Investment Bank and head of global banking, announced the departure. UBS is a global financial services company providing wealth management, investment banking, and asset management services.
Valla, who succeeded L’Esperance in the top banking role in 2023 after joining UBS from Barclays, praised L’Esperance. He noted she played a major role in developing the global banking franchise. Before focusing on strategy and building a new advisory group for the firm’s senior client-facing bankers, L’Esperance stepped back from her role as co-head of global banking when Valla arrived.
L’Esperance initially joined UBS in 2014. Previously, she served as head of global corporate finance at Lehman Brothers. She then moved to Barclays following its acquisition of Lehman’s North American investment banking and capital markets businesses during the 2008 financial crisis.
During her tenure at UBS, L’Esperance earned recognition as one of the “100 Most Influential Women in U.S. Finance” by Barron’s. Valla’s memo highlighted her mentorship of colleagues throughout her career. UBS declined to comment on the departure, and L’Esperance could not immediately be reached for comment.
