The Board of the Julius Baer Foundation has appointed Laura Hemrika as new CEO, effective from 1 September 2023.
Since the end of 2022, the foundation was led on an interim basis by Nathalie Jean-Baptiste, Deputy CEO of the Foundation, following the departure of former CEO Christoph Schmocker last year.
Hemrika brings more than 20 years of experience in philanthropy, sustainability, and impact investing solutions.
She joins the Zurich-based Julius Baer Foundation from Credit Suisse, where she most recently served as global head corporate citizenship & foundations and managing director of the Credit Suisse Foundation.
In this role, she led the strategy and implementation of the global philanthropic and engagement initiatives and set the strategy for the various Credit Suisse foundations.
Hemrika is also a founder of the SDG Impact Finance Initiative, a public-private partnership, and serves on several boards of international NGOs. She holds an MBA from London Business School and is a Fellow of the Aspen Institute.
Romeo Lacher, board president of the Julius Baer Foundation and Chairman of the Julius Baer Group, said: "I am delighted that we have been able to appoint Laura Hemrika, a proven expert, as the new CEO of the Julius Baer Foundation.
"With her excellent track record and strong commitment to philanthropic causes, we are confident that Laura has all the prerequisites to further develop the Foundation and expand its activities.
"At the same time, I would like to thank Nathalie Jean-Baptiste for her valuable contribution in leading the Julius Baer Foundation ad interim over the past months. I look forward to working with both, Laura and Nathalie, in the future."
The Julius Baer Foundation was established in 1965 with the aim of supporting all forms of art, culture, and science as well as charitable causes in Switzerland and abroad. In recent years, the Foundation's efforts have focused on addressing inequality in wealth and education, by supporting a wide range of projects worldwide.
