Giuseppe Merlo appointed UniCredit CEO

Giuseppe Merlo will become interim CEO of UniCredit Romania, after the former CEO, Selcuk Saldirak, was appointed Banca Tiriac chairman last week. Merlo, 54, is now deputy chief executive of UniCredit Romania and member of the bank’s Board of Directors. Merlo joined the executive management of UniCredit Romania in 2002, when UniCredito Italiano became the main shareholder (99.84%). The total assets of the bank amounted to 10,257bn ROL (251.3 million euros) at the end of the first half, up 100% from the corresponding period of last year. Assets increased 44% compared with the beginning of the year. The number of clients has doubled between June 2003 – June 2004, with the consumer segment accounting for the most important growth, about 193%. The number of individual clients rose 101% compared with the beginning of the year. ZF