UBS has appointed Ben Crystal to a new role as Head of Fintech for Europe, Middle East and Africa, to help coordinate the Swiss bank’s coverage of the growing industry for financial technology, reported Reuters.
Fintech has emerged as a large and growing sector in Europe, and given its complexity and diversity UBS had created a new role to oversee it, the bank said in a memo to staff. UBS said Crystal has already been covering a number of fintech sub-sectors for several years, such as technology-enabled lenders, noted Reuters. In his new role Crystal will coordinate the bank’s efforts across EMEA business services; technology, media and telecoms; and financial firms, the memo said, and will work with Steve Pierson, global head of fintech and services and US head of FIG; Vik Hebatpuria, US head of fintech and services; and Alex Dunev, specialty finance and marketplace lending.
According to Crystal’s LinkedIn profile, he has been with UBS for nearly 16 years, over 14 years as a Director.