Motive Partners Appoints Ulrich Körner as an Industry Partner

Former Credit Suisse CEO brings deep transformation and operational leadership experience to Motive’s global platform

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Motive Partners, a private investment firm focused on financial technology and tech-enabled business services, today announced that Dr. Ulrich Körner has joined the firm as an Industry Partner.

Dr. Körner joins Motive following a distinguished career spanning more than 30 years across global banking and asset management, where he has led complex organizations through periods of significant change, transformation, and growth. In his role as Industry Partner, he will work closely with Motive’s investment and portfolio company leadership teams, advising on strategic execution, operational performance, and large-scale transformation initiatives. His appointment further strengthens Motive’s ability to partner with management teams navigating increasingly dynamic market, regulatory, and organizational environments, particularly in situations requiring disciplined execution and enterprise-wide change.

“Ulrich has operated at the center of some of the most complex and high-stakes transformations in global banking,” said Rob Heyvaert, Founder and Managing Partner of Motive Partners. “He brings a rare combination of strategic clarity and executional depth, with experience that spans the full operating model of a financial institution. As we continue to support companies through periods of rapid change and modernization, his insight will be highly valuable across our portfolio.”

Körner most recently served as Group Chief Executive Officer of Credit Suisse, where he led the firm through a pivotal restructuring period and ultimately its combination with UBS. Prior to that, he held a number of senior leadership roles at UBS, including CEO of UBS Asset Management, CEO of UBS Europe, Middle East & Africa, and Group Chief Operating Officer, where he played a central role in executing the firm’s post financial crisis transformation and driving sustained business performance.

“I’ve spent much of my career working alongside organizations during periods of significant transition,” said Körner. “Motive brings together investment expertise and operational capability in a way that is highly relevant to where the industry is today. I look forward to working with the team and portfolio companies to help translate strategy into execution and drive meaningful, sustainable outcomes.”

Earlier in his career, Körner held leadership positions at Credit Suisse and worked at McKinsey & Company and Revisuisse Price Waterhouse, building a strong foundation in strategy, finance, and operational execution. In addition to his executive career, Körner has served on a wide range of boards and advisory bodies across financial services, education, and cultural institutions. He holds a PhD and a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland.

At Motive, Körner will contribute as part of the firm’s integrated model that brings together investors and operators to support portfolio companies through growth and transformation, with a particular focus on execution, scalability, and long-term value creation. Motive Partners’ Industry Partner network brings together senior executives and operators with deep domain expertise to work alongside its investment teams and portfolio companies. This collaborative approach is central to the firm’s strategy of building and scaling businesses at the intersection of financial services and technology.

About Motive Partners

Motive Partners is a private investment firm exclusively focused on financial technology and technology-enabled business services companies, investing from early-stage ventures to growth equity and buyout in North America and Europe. The firm invests across five subsectors: banking & payments, capital markets, data & analytics, insurance, and wealth and asset management. Motive Partners applies its proven investor, operator, innovator (IOI) model across its portfolio, combining deep financial technology expertise and proven operational rigor to accelerate growth and value creation. With offices in New York, London, and Berlin, the firm provides differentiated insight, connectivity, and capabilities to create long-term value in financial technology companies. More information on Motive Partners can be found at www.motivepartners.com.

Motive Capital Management LLC is a registered investment adviser. This press release is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy interests in any investment fund or vehicle managed by Motive Capital Management LLC. Nothing herein should be construed as investment, legal, tax, or accounting advice.

Media Contact:
Britt Zarling | Managing Director, Marketing & Communications
+1.414.526.3107 | Britt.Zarling@MotivePartners.com