Urs Rohner
Urs Rohner | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1959 Switzerland |
| Occupation(s) | Attorney, executive, banking professional |
| Years active | 1980s–present |
| Known for | Former CEO of ProSiebenSat.1 Media; Chairman of Credit Suisse (2011–2021) |
Urs Rohner (born 1959) is a Swiss attorney, executive, and banking professional. He formerly held the position of CEO at ProSiebenSat.1 Media and was chairman of the Swiss financial institution Credit Suisse.<ref> Over his decade as chairman, Credit Suisse's share value declined by 75%, with the bank embroiled in several controversies, leading Rohner to express regret over his leadership during his concluding shareholder address.<ref> His tenure has made him one of the most heavily scrutinized leaders in Swiss banking.<ref>
Early life
Born in 1959,<ref> Rohner competed as a hurdler at the 1982 European Athletics Championships.<ref> He obtained a Master of Laws degree from the University of Zurich in 1983.<ref>
Career
Rohner’s professional journey started at the Zurich law firm Lenz & Staehelin, where he became a partner between 1992 and 1999. Subsequently, he practiced law at Sullivan & Cromwell in New York City.
From 2000 to 2004, Rohner was the CEO of ProSiebenSat.1 Media.
Credit Suisse, 2004–2021
In 2004, Rohner joined Credit Suisse as chief legal officer. He advanced to the board, serving as vice chairman from 2009 until 2011, before assuming the role of chairman from 2011 until his retirement in May 2021.
During his leadership spanning ten years, Credit Suisse’s stock price dropped by more than 70%. Investor dissatisfaction surfaced in 2017 due to underperformance. In 2020, Rohner secured re-election for a final term with just 77.5% shareholder approval—the lowest level during his chairmanship.
In his last year, Rohner appointed Lara Warner as Chief Risk Officer despite her limited background in risk management, aligning with diversity initiatives. This appointment came prior to substantial losses: nearly $3 billion linked to the failure of Greensill Capital and over $5.5 billion tied to the collapse of Archegos Capital Management, revealing inadequate risk oversight despite earlier commitments to reform.
Throughout his time at Credit Suisse, Rohner earned CHF 43.5 million (approximately $47 million) in total compensation.
Corporate boards
- Since 2021, member of the International Advisory Board at Investcorp
Non-profit organizations
Rohner holds board positions with the Lucerne Festival, the Zürich Opera House, and participates on the governance board of the International Institute for Management Development.
Personal life
Rohner is partnered with Nadja Schildknecht, managing director of the Zurich Film Festival, with whom he has one son. He also has three children from a previous marriage.
External links
- CV Credit Suisse
- munzinger.de (German)