The chief executive for BNP Paribas Asset Management’s Australian business has departed the company after more than 20 years with the firm.
David Grybas joined the European firm in 2005 as co-head of institutional business development and was promoted to chief executive of Australia and New Zealand in 2012. He has also been chair of the BNP Paribas Superannuation Plan Policy Committee since 2014.
Prior to joining BNP Paribas, he worked at State Trustees and HSBC in Melbourne.
In the interim, chief executive of Asia Pacific Mike Nikou will take on the leadership role, Nikou has been at the business since September 2022. Prior to this, he spent over 20 years in various APAC roles at Fidelity.
In a statement, a spokesperson for BNP Paribas said he has left with immediate effect and a leadership transition will begin in due course.
“Mike Nikou, chief executive Asia Pacific, will oversee day-to-day of the client strategy and relationship oversight until we identify a replacement to lead Australia forward.
“We remain fully committed to our teams and clients as we continue to execute our long term strategic vision.”
BNP Paribas Asset Management has €1.6 trillion ($2.6 trillion) in assets under management, operating the most diversified investment platform at scale in Europe across both liquid and alternatives markets.
Last year, the wider BNP Paribas group appointed Nicolas Parrot as its chief executive for Australia and New Zealand. Parrot took from Karine Delvallée, who previously held the Australia and New Zealand CEO position from late 2019 until early this year.
In his new position, Parrot leads BNP Paribas’ delivery of global markets, global banking, securities services solutions, and asset management offerings to its corporate, institutional, and multinational clients in both Australian and New Zealand markets.