Santander announced last year that it would appoint Orcel, at the time UBS's investment banking chief, as CEO but this month said the appointment would no longer happen because of a complication over Orcel's deferred pay.

"It is not a realistic option for all the stakeholders involved," Ermotti said in an interview at the World Economic Forum when asked if Orcel would return to UBS.

(Reporting by Alessandra Galloni, writing by Silvia Aloisi; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)