The Board of BlueOrchard has appointed Michael Wehrle, Head of Investment Solutions & Private Equity at BlueOrchard and member of the Executive Management Team, as Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Philipp Mueller, subject to regulatory approval. BlueOrchard’s Chief Impact and Blended Finance Officer, Maria Teresa Zappia, has been nominated to join the Board of Directors at the upcoming General Assembly, subject to pre-approval of the regulator.
Michael joined the business in 2021. He is currently responsible for overseeing the portfolio management and asset allocation of the firm’s funds and mandates, as well as the development of product solutions. Additionally, he chairs several Investment Committees. Michael has over 20 years of comprehensive knowledge and substantial experience in the management of investments across public and private markets. Prior to joining BlueOrchard, Michael held various management roles at Partners Group in Switzerland and the UK. He is a CFA Charterholder and holds a Master’s degree in Banking & Finance from the University of Zurich.
Michael Wehrle, newly appointed CEO of BlueOrchard, said:
“BlueOrchard has supported hundreds of millions of people in emerging and frontier markets. It is an honour to lead the firm into the next chapter. I thank the Board for its trust and look forward to strengthening BlueOrchard’s position as a market leader in impact investing.”
Peter Fanconi, Chairman of BlueOrchard, said:
“With Michael we are delighted to promote a strong and proven internal successor as our new CEO. Michael’s mandate will be to position us for future growth, advancing towards our strategic goal to deliver impact investment solutions that meet our clients’ needs. Together with our highly talented staff, he will continue to serve our clients and write the next chapter in our 25-year history.
On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to thank Philipp for his exceptional contribution to BlueOrchard over the past years. Under Philipp’s leadership, BlueOrchard further enhanced its impact investment offering and increased its AuM to USD 5 billion, achieving a major milestone. We wish him the very best for his future endeavours.
We are very pleased to welcome Maria Teresa to the Board. Maria Teresa has been with BlueOrchard since 2008 in various positions. Her elevation to the Board will ensure continuity and, as one of the most influential voices in the impact investing space, Maria Teresa’s expertise will significantly contribute to the Board. I congratulate Maria Teresa on her expanded role.”
Georg Wunderlin, CEO of Schroders Capital, commented:
“BlueOrchard is a global leader in impact investment, delivering both impact and financial returns at scale through private and public credit and private equity strategies. We aim to build on this strong foundation and further expand BlueOrchard’s leadership in the impact industry. With Michael as CEO and Maria Teresa Zappia as a new Board member, we are taking the next step in our long-term succession plan, ensuring we have a proven and experienced team to drive our growth strategy. We wish Michael and Maria Teresa every success in their new roles.”
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