The board of Banco de Costa Rica has named Douglas Soto Leitón as the company's interim general manager, effective Feb. 26.
Soto is currently the general manager of BCR Corredora de Seguros SA. He has been with the BCR group for 34 years, holding various positions, La Nación reported.
In addition, the board has appointed Álvaro Camacho de la O, current manager of BCR Sociedad Administradora de Fondos de Inversion SA, as interim deputy manager of wholesale banking, effective March 5. Meanwhile, Corporate Credit Manager Renán Murillo Pizarro will become interim deputy manager for retail banking, effective Feb. 26.
The appointments will remain temporary and be extended until precautionary measures imposed by the public prosecutor's office on the officials who previously held the positions are lifted. The bank suspended CEO Mario Barrenechea Coto in July 2017 amid a legislative probe on loans allegedly granted by the bank. Barrenechea was later arrested along with other Banco de Costa Rica executives, including Víquez Lizano and Corrales Barboza, the deputy managers of wholesale and retail banking, respectively, at the time.
Soto will replace Eduardo Ramírez Castro, who was named interim general manager after the arrest of Barrenechea.