RBC Wealth Management has confirmed the appointment of Jean-François Courville - formerly president and chief executive of Manulife Asset Management - as executive vice president of global wealth services and chief operating officer, with effect from 4 February.

RBC told WealthBriefing the hire is in line with the merger of its two global support groups, Global Wealth Services and Operations and Technology. The former was previously led by Stuart Rutledge, who is now based in Jersey and serves as head of global trust and UK.

Based in Toronto, Courville will run the combined global support groups, assisting businesses with investment advisory and fee-based solutions, credit and cash management, brand and marketing, as well as operations and technology. He will report to George Lewis, group head of RBC Wealth Management & Insurance.

In its final quarter earnings release for 2012, RBC said net income at its wealth management business rose from C$156 million (about $157.1 million) in the third quarter to C$207 million at end-October - up 16 per cent year-on-year and 33 per cent on the prior quarter.