BSI, the Lugano-based bank owned by Generali Group, has appointed Ilan Hayim as a member of its board of directors and will put him forward as vice-chairman of the board at its next meeting.

Hayim, whose appointment to the board took effect on 20 January, will be its second vice-chairman, once regulatory approval is secured, serving alongside Giovanni Perissinotto.

Hayim’s career has largely been spent in Geneva and BSI said that his appointment is a reflection of the growing importance of the city in its strategy.

Up to the end of last year Hayim was vice-chairman of the board of directors of HSBC Private Bank Suisse. Having begun his career at Paribas, he then served as senior vice-president for French-speaking Switzerland at BSI before going on to be chairman of Banque Unigestion, managing director of Union Bancaire Privée, and chief executive and chairman of the executive board of HSBC Guyerzeller.

At the start of this month BSI appointed Alfredo Gysi to its board, installing him as chairman earlier than the expected date of April 2012, following the sudden death of his predecessor, Giorgio Ghiringhelli.

Gysi joined BSI in 1975 and became chief executive in 1994. After 18 years, he stepped down from his operational role upon reaching retirement age at the end of 2011.

As already announced, Stefano Coduri took over as CEO of the bank.