International financial services company Credit Suisse has appointed Simon Racle to lead the company's private banking expansion in northern England.

Mr Racle is currently at Barclays Wealth, having served as head of Manchester and Liverpool operations for the past two years. He is set to join the Swiss bank in January 2009.

He will be in charge of private banking in Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Yorkshire and the northeast.

Mr Racle will be based Credit Suisse's new Manchester office and will report to Richard Algar, head of the UK regional team for private banking business.

Mr Algar told City Wire that the appointment of Mr Racle "demonstrates our continued commitment to the north and our desire to build long-term relationships with our clients".

Credit Suisse is a leading global business services company that offers clients financial advice in various aspects of asset management and investment and private banking.