Christoph Ammann, chairman of Basel-based Bank Sarasin, has paid tribute to his vice-chairman Hubertus Heemskerk, who died on 22 March 2011 following a brief illness.

Heemskerk, born in Holland in 1943, was a former chief executive of the Dutch Rabobank group.

"The loss of our esteemed colleague comes as a terrible shock," said Ammann. "Our thoughts are with the family at this sad time. We will remember his exceptional personality as a banker whose astute vision always enabled him to grasp the wider picture."