UBS brings home new alternatives leader

UBS is relocating a private markets specialist from Switzerland to lead its united global alternatives (UGA) business in Australia, effective 1 November 2026.

Richard Johnson will relocate to Melbourne from Zurich to take on the role of head of UGA specialists Australia, after serving as private markets specialist in Europe for close to three years.

Johnson will report to UGA regional head Asia Pacific Gunther Jost, with an additional reporting line to head UGA asset management alternative investment specialists ex-US Nicki-Marco Weber.

Richard has over 25 years of experience across Switzerland, Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia. Before joining UBS, he spent seven years at Credit Suisse in a similar capacity looking after the company's private equity portfolio.

He also held C-suite roles in the past, including chief investment officer at IFIT Advisory Group, and Infinity Capital between 2003 and 2011.

Earlier in his career, he worked across several established financial institutions, including ABN AMRO Asia, J.P. Morgan Chase, and Nomura Securities.

"Richard will help to drive UGA's distribution efforts working closely with Wayne Gordon, head of advisory and sales global wealth management Australia. With this move, I am confident that we will be better positioned to provide our local global wealth management and asset management clients with dedicated alternatives expertise and build stronger connections to UGA's global platform," UBS head of distribution ex-US Lukas Erard said.

"We look forward to the contribution he will make to our clients and excited at the potential to the growth of our Australian franchise."

UGA operates open architecture platforms across hedge funds, private equity, private credit, real estate, infrastructure and multi-alternative investment products, and brings together UBS' alternatives manager selection franchises from its asset management and global wealth management businesses, boasting a collective invested assets of approximately $524 billion (US$366bn) as at June 30.