"The strategy is not under discussion," Lehmann, whom the Swiss bank's board elevated to chairman at the weekend, said in a telephone interview.

He stressed that it was important to bring the group into calmer waters and that customer business remained excellent despite the latest upheaval at Switzerland's number two bank.

No big management changes were in the works, he added, saying Chief Executive Thomas Gottstein was "absolutely central" to the group.

(Reporting by Oliver Hirt, Writing by Michael Shields)