The firm has made a number of new appointments and changes to its teams in Southern California.

UBS has made a number of operational and structural changes to its Southern California wealth business.

According to an internal memo seen by this news service, Lauren Gorsche will serve as market head of the newly-integrated private wealth management and wealth management operations in the metro LA market. She will continue to oversee the Los Angeles private wealth management branch and satellites, with added responsibility for the West LA complex, headed by complex director Kreg Pearless in an expanded role leading the Century City and Beverly Hills wealth management offices.

Gorsche will report to both Todd Locicero and Jennifer Povlitz. There will be no change to the existing West Coast private wealth management market structure or management team, led by Locicero, the memo said. (Locicero is managing director – market head – head of West Coast Private Wealth Management at UBS. Povlitz is division director, UBS Wealth Management.)

Jim Kottoor will assume the role of market head for the newly-created greater LA market, including Sherman Oaks, Bakersfield, Santa Barbara and Westlake Village – all formerly part of the West LA market – as well as Downtown LA, Manhattan Beach and the new Pasadena complex. He will report to Povlitz, who is the west division director for UBS Wealth Management.

Leslie Chang has been named Pasadena complex director and will oversee Pasadena, Seal Beach, and Brea.

Justin Frame will serve as market head of the new Southern California market, which includes the former San Diego market division offices of San Diego, La Jolla, Carmel Valley, Rancho Bernardo, Riverside and Redlands, Indian Wells and Hawaii, as well as the Orange County offices of Newport Beach and Irvine.

As part of the changes, two long-time employees will step down from their roles at UBS. Jaron Singletary, who served as West LA market head, is leaving to live abroad with his family and pursue his MBA. He is due to return to UBS next year. Chris Marsh will pursue a career change at UBS after taking this summer off.

This news service has interviewed UBS about its Californian market strategy.