Credit Suisse promotes Christine Graeff to global head of HR

Christine Graeff has been promoted to global head of human resources at investment bank Credit Suisse.

Graeff, who joined the bank as global head of communications and deputy global head of human resources at the beginning of the year, will succeed Antoinette Poschung, who is retiring at the end of January 2022.

She will start her new role and join the executive board from 1 February 2022 “at the latest” to ensure a smooth handover, and will report directly to Thomas Gottstein, group chief executive officer.

According to Credit Suisse, Graeff, who has a track record of leading transformations, has reshaped the communications function since arriving at the organisation. The company added that her leadership and people skills, together with her communications expertise, will be key in leading the HR function.

Prior to joining Credit Suisse, Graeff was the director general of communications at the European Central Bank and before that a managing partner in strategic communications firm Brunswick, where she set up and developed the group’s German business, with a particular focus on the financial sector.

Graeff started her career as an investment banker at Kleinwort Benson after graduating from the European Partnership of Business Schools, where she studied European Business Administration. She was awarded an honorary doctorate from Middlesex University in 2015.

In a joint statement, Credit Suisse chairman Antonio Horta-Osorio and group CEO Thomas Gottstein congratulated Graeff on her new role. They praised her for delivering “excellent results” in her previous post and for displaying a “strong” management track record in leadership positions. They said that she added to the bank’s diversity of backgrounds and experience and will contribute to “shaping and implementing” the bank’s strategy going forward.