André Ruegg, 47, in temporary charge of Bellevue Group since April 2015 and the departure of Urs Baumann, has been awarded the mandate on a permanent basis, effective January 1^st, 2016, according to a company statement on Tuesday. He will retain his role as CEO of Bellevue Asset Management, which he assumed in 2012.

Starting in 2009, Rueegg initially was deputy CEO and head of sales and marketing at Bellevue Asset Management, before taking charge as chief executive in 2012.

Before joining Bellevue, Rueegg for 13 years worked in different managerial positions for Julius Baer. In the first half of the 1990s, he was company adviser at Arthur Andersen. He has a degree in economics after studies at University of Zurich and at Columbia, New York.

Ruegg's «dual role as Group CEO and CEO Asset Management allows greater use of synergies,» Thomas von Planta, chairman of Bellevue Group was cited as saying in the statement. «With André at the helm, we will efficiently move forward with our planned growth and diversification strategy.»