Prioritizing Long-Term Leadership Approaches, Egon Zehnder Announces New Global Financial Services Co-Leaders

March 12, 2025 at 09:04 AM EDT

Egon Zehnder, the world’s premier leadership advisory firm, has appointed Roopa Foley and Loula Lefkaritis as Global Co-Leaders of its Financial Services Practice. Following a strategic internal process, they succeed Gabi Carvalho and Edmund Siah, who will continue to hold strategic roles at the Firm. The new co-leaders will build on their predecessors’ foundation to drive Egon Zehnder’s global work across banking, insurance, asset management, and fintech.

“Now more than ever, leadership is the differentiator between those who navigate disruption and those who are defined by it,” said Egon Zehnder’s CEO, Francesco Buquicchio. “Building on the momentum of Gabi and Ed’s leadership, Roopa and Loula will help organizations balance immediate pressures with the need to develop leaders who shape the future. They bring the clarity, courage, and deep commitment required to drive lasting impact.”

Roopa Foley emphasized the need for financial services firms to think beyond short-term gains. “With rapid industry disruption, and the undercurrents of consolidation reshaping our landscape, balancing short-term pressures with long-term leadership investment is critical to creating lasting shareholder value,” she said. “We care about the big picture—about the communities and people this industry serves. To drive sustainable success, organizations should focus on investing in, and therefore building, the right leadership for the future.”

Highlighting the need for fresh thinking in what at times can be a highly prescriptive industry, Loula Lefkaritis stated, “Regulatory pressure, market dynamics, industry realignment, and near-term demands make long-term thinking incredibly challenging, but those who embrace it will be the industry’s biggest winners. Our role as advisors is to push leaders beyond the obvious, help them make bold decisions, and drive lasting impact in their organizations.”

“Co-leading this practice has been a privilege, and we are incredibly proud of the impact our Practice Group has made. Roopa and Loula bring deep expertise, and unparalleled commitment to our clients, pushing boundaries and shaping its future,” said outgoing leaders Gabi Carvalho and Edmund Siah.

About the New Global Co-Leaders

Roopa Foley, who splits her time between Dallas and New York, has been with Egon Zehnder for a decade and brings deep expertise across financial services and technology. A trusted board advisor, she specializes in board advisory, evaluations, effectiveness, board search and succession, and CEO succession—both immediate and long-term. Roopa partners closely with her clients to jointly create bespoke solutions spanning assessment and search. Roopa spends most of her time with a range of clients including global financial institutions, regional banks, credit unions, and fintech companies.

Loula Lefkaritis, based in London, is a sought-after advisor, guiding clients on the full spectrum of leadership needs—from executive search to leadership development and board advisory. Known for her honest and inclusive approach, Loula challenges leaders to think beyond the obvious, make daring decisions, and drive lasting impact in their organizations. Her tenure at the firm has spanned geographies, serving leading financial institutions worldwide. A passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, she founded and leads Egon Zehnder’s global Neurodiversity efforts.

About Egon Zehnder

Egon Zehnder is the world’s preeminent leadership advisory firm, inspiring leaders to navigate complex questions with human answers. We help organizations get to the heart of their leadership challenges and offer honest feedback and insights to help leaders realize their true being and purpose.

We are built on a foundation that supports partnership in the truest sense of the word and aligns our interests with the interests of our clients. Our 600 consultants across 67 offices and 36 countries are former industry and functional leaders who collaborate seamlessly to deliver the full power of the Firm to every client, every time. We believe that together we can transform people, organizations and the world through leadership.