Amundi appoints new CEO for MEA and Central Asia

French asset manager Amundi has appointed Jerome Perrier as chief executive officer for its Middle East, Africa and Central Asia operations, the firm said, with Perrier taking over from Ziad Sikias. Perrier will be based in Amundi’s Dubai office and succeeds Sikias, who had served as regional CEO since 2022 and will transition to the roles of Deputy CEO and Head of Institutional Sales for the region.

"Amundi currently manages more than €2.3 trillion in assets."

Background on the appointment

Perrier joins Amundi from Crédit Agricole CIB, where he has been CEO and Country Manager for Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain since 2020. His appointment places a senior executive with significant Gulf experience at the helm of Amundi’s regional activities and reflects the group’s emphasis on strengthening leadership in the Middle East and broader MEA and Central Asia markets.

• New regional CEO: Jerome Perrier (based in Dubai)
• Outgoing regional CEO: Ziad Sikias (now Deputy CEO and Head of Institutional Sales, region)
• Perrier’s immediate prior role: CEO and Country Manager, Crédit Agricole CIB (Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain) since 2020
• Previous employers: Société Générale; PwC Consulting (Paris and New York); Bank of America (Boston), where he was Managing Director within the Corporate Strategy and Development Group
• Group assets under management: more than €2.3 trillion

Context and career profile

Perrier’s career spans European and US banking and consulting. He worked at PwC Consulting in Paris and New York before moving into banking roles at Société Générale and Bank of America, where he served as a Managing Director in the Corporate Strategy and Development Group in Boston. At Crédit Agricole CIB he led country operations across multiple Gulf states during a period when regional capital markets and institutional demand were drawing increased interest from global asset managers.

Sikias, who had led the region since 2022, will remain on Amundi’s regional executive team in a client-facing, sales leadership capacity. The shift keeps continuity in institutional relationships while rebalancing day-to-day management to Perrier in Dubai.

Outlook

The appointment positions Amundi to continue expanding its footprint across the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia with a leader experienced in both international strategy and Gulf market operations. With over €2.3 trillion in assets under management as part of the Crédit Agricole Group, Amundi’s regional leadership changes suggest a focus on bolstering institutional distribution and country-level engagement across the region.

Perrier’s Dubai base will place him at a hub for regional asset management activity and closer to institutional clients across the Gulf. Sikias’s move to deputy CEO and head of institutional sales indicates the firm intends to leverage his client relationships while entrusting Perrier with broader operational and strategic responsibilities across MEA and Central Asia.