Gottfried Leibbrandt is to step down from his position as SWIFT CEO at the end of June 2019, after seven years in the role.
SWIFT said, under Leibbrandt’s leadership, it completed an ambitious transformation, taking advantage of the opportunities of the rapid technological change, which has given it a strong position in an increasingly competitive environment.
This includes the launch and take-up of the SWIFT gpi payments service and the laying of foundations for new services through the end-to-end identifier.
Leibbrandt also oversaw the expansion of SWIFT’s financial crime compliance portfolio and securities services and SWIFT’s move into real-time domestic payments.
All of this was supported by SWIFT’s adoption of new technologies including application programming interface and containerisation.
Alongside the implementation of the planned SWIFT2020 strategy, Leibbrandt led the company’s response to cyber-attacks on customers, which started in 2016. He also devised and implemented SWIFT’s bold Customer Security Programme (CSP).
Leibbrandt joined SWIFT in 2005 to focus on the development of the SWIFT2010 strategy. Upon completion of the strategy, he was appointed as head of standards.
In 2007, he was promoted to head of marketing, where he ran a global organisation responsible for the development and delivery of SWIFT’s strategic initiatives spanning products and services, standards, innovation, banking, corporate and securities market segments.
As head of marketing, Leibbrandt was a key architect behind the creation of the co-operative’s SWIFT2015 strategy. He was appointed CEO in July 2012.
Prior to joining SWIFT, Leibbrandt worked for McKinsey & Company for 18 years as a partner in the Amsterdam office and a co-leader of the European payments practice.
Commenting on his departure, Leibbrandt said: “It has been an intense but rewarding seven years. I am perhaps most proud of gpi, SWIFT and its community managed to radically innovate the very core of correspondent banking, in what has been the biggest innovation in SWIFT’s 40-year history. I am also particularly proud of how the company and our community stepped up and delivered CSP, dealing decisively with a serious threat to our entire industry.”
He added: “Today SWIFT has a clear mission, mandate and purpose and is on firm footing for the future. I want to thank my colleagues, the board and our community. My time at SWIFT has been great from start to finish, and I will miss it—but with the company in great shape and a solid management team in place, the seven-year mark feels the right point at which to hand over the reins to a new leader.”
Yawar Shah, chairman at SWIFT, said: “Gottfried Leibbrandt’s tenure has been remarkable. During his time as CEO, the industry has faced unprecedented change and challenges, but under his leadership, SWIFT has transformed itself to become a much stronger, more modern and agile organisation that is now driving change across the industry.”
He added: “Leibbrandt has shown true foresight and leadership. The board joins me in thanking Gottfried for his extraordinary dedication and service over the last seven years as CEO and all his time at SWIFT. We will be very sad to see him go, but wish him all the best in the future.”
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