Stefan Studer, head of private and commercial clients since 2015, will succeed Daniel Salzmann on 1 January 2027. The bank signals continuity in strategy, leadership experience and board reshuffling ahead of its 2027 AGM.
Outgoing CEO Daniel Salzmann will step down at the end of 2026 and has been nominated to fill a board seat at the April 2027 AGM.
Studer helped implement branch redesigns, online banking modernisation and the LUKB30 strategy launched in 2026.
Board changes include Martha Scheiber leaving the board at the April 12, 2027 AGM and Marc Gläser becoming vice chair.
# What happened
# Who Stefan Studer is Studer has led LUKB's private and commercial client business since 2015. His career began at Unilever and moved into banking when he joined Credit Suisse in 2009. At Credit Suisse he rose to become head of the corporate client business for Central Switzerland in 2011.
At LUKB, Studer oversaw practical changes to how the bank interacts with customers: converting branches into meeting spaces and modernising online banking. He also contributed to developing LUKB30, the bank's strategy launched in 2026.
Studer stated a clear ambition for the bank: to combine the performance of a major bank with the accessibility of a cantonal bank and to take a leading role in the use of data and AI.
# Why the board chose him Markus Hongler, Chair of LUKB's Board of Directors, said the selection process showed that very few candidates had the extensive management experience and broad expertise required to run a full-service bank. The board judged Studer had the necessary combination of operational experience within LUKB and wider banking background.
# Outgoing CEO and performance under his tenure
# Board changes and governance Martha Scheiber, vice chair since 2019 and a director for 12 years, will leave the board at the 12 April 2027 AGM. The board nominated Salzmann to fill her seat. Scheiber's vice chair role will be taken over by Marc Gläser, CEO of Stöckli Swiss Sports AG, who joined the board in 2023.
The board has also started an internal process to appoint a successor to Studer's current role as head of private and commercial clients.
# What to watch next
# Bottom line LUKB has picked a senior internal leader with decade-long experience at the bank and prior corporate-banking experience to lead the bank into 2027. The move keeps continuity in strategy while prompting a modest reorganisation of the board and management team ahead of the 2027 AGM.
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