Operations directors rarely make headlines. It is their role to remain in the back room, overseeing transaction processing and client accounting while the front-office stars grab all the limelight. But there are a few notable exceptions, and Markus Ruetimann is one of them.

His decision to leave the UBS group after 25 years was something of a shock to the market this summer. As global head of technology and portfolio services for UBS Global Asset Management, Ruetimann had become an important player, known for his influential opinions as well as his contribution to successful infrastructure projects like Crest, the UK settlement system.