ACRECOGNISING LEADERS ACCLAIMROSS THE GLOBAL WEALTH MANAGEMENT INDUSTRY THROUGH THE WEALTHBRIEFING AWARDS PROGRAMME
EXCLUSIVE WINNERS OF THE 2020 WEALTHBRIEFING SWISS AWARDS
February 2020 person or organisation failing to see or act upon the need for a sustainable growth strategy; see also: head in the sand.
Find out more at LombardOdier.com
LO_AcclaimCH_Ostrich_210x297.indd 1 16.01.20 15:11 ACCLAIM | WealthBriefing Recognises Leaders Across the Global Wealth Management Industry 3
CONTENTS WEALTHBRIEFING SWISS AWARDS JUDGING PANEL ...... 5
INTERVIEWS: AON ...... 8 Citi Private Bank ...... 9 SYZ Banque ...... 11 Capitalium Advisors ...... 13 Charles River ...... 14 DART Talent and Executive Search ...... 15 DECALIA ...... 17 EPAM ...... 19 Finantix ...... 21 Fundcount ...... 22 Geneva Management Group ...... 23 Id4 ...... 25 Indosuez Wealth Management ...... 27 FOREWORD Lombard Odier ...... 29 Tom Burroughes, Group Editor, WealthBriefing Rothschild & Co Bank AG ...... 31 Schellenberg Wittmer ...... 33 The WealthBriefing Swiss Awards honour the practitioners in the wealth management sector who have set high standards to push the sector forward Societe Generale ...... 35 in often challenging conditions. It is vital to celebrate the work that is done to Schroder & Co Bank ...... 36 serve clients well: such clients build companies and create jobs. Without a sol- TechRules ...... 37 id wealth sector to protect investors and their families, less economic growth, and all that this implies, comes through. That fact is not always appreciated. WEALTHBRIEFING SWISS AWARDS This news service also knows that hosting these awards opens a big insight WINNERS IN FULL ...... 39 into the trends and ideas shaping the sector. Industry figures can observe what it takes to be successful in future. Awards keep people on their toes – a WEALTHBRIEFING SWISS AWARDS bit of awards envy has its benefits. At the heart of the awards is the judging process. A panel of judges, drawn ATTENDEE LIST ...... 46 from senior figures in banking, law, technology, multi-family offices and trusts specialists, sift through a large number of applications to arrive at a shortlist and eventually, the winners. Judges bring their knowledge and experience to the task; it is important to remember that a large weighting is given to the cal- ibre of an applicant’s awards submission. Organisers will approach firms and people they think ought to put their names forward. A vital point is that judges are divided into groups so they don’t look at entrants from their own sectors: a private banker cannot judge another one. This process is designed to avoid bias, conflicts of interest and possible access to confidential data. The list of judges is published on this news service’s website. We review award catego- ries regularly, and welcome feedback about them. Wealth management is about its people and the brand reputation they help to build in themselves and their firms. We know these awards cement those achievements, and salute the hard work these involve. This is a “people business” and these awards shine a bright light on the great people who make this industry what it is.
OVERVIEW OF SWISS WEALTH MANAGEMENT SECTOR Switzerland’s prowess as a private banking of $8.2 trillion, according to Boston Con- preneurs who are disrupting sectors such as and wealth management hub is so well known sulting Group in 2018 – that figure is likely tech and health. that it’s easy to take it for granted. But industry to have got larger after the 2019 stock mar- And beyond the banking sector there’s a figures know complacency is dangerous, and ket rally. Many of these clients are served by busy asset management, insurance and fin- the country hasn’t held its status as the sin- the big players such as UBS, Credit Suisse tech sector in Switzerland. So many of the gle largest offshore centre, and important do- and Julius Baer, with other more “mid-sized” technology firms that are the “plumbing” of mestic onshore one, by accident. Bank secre- firms making a splash, such as Lombard modern finance are Swiss, such as EPAM and cy may be an international dead letter these Odier or Mirabaud. There’s been restructur- ERI Bancaire, to name just two. Switzerland days, but a reputation for political stability and ing and change: the total number of Switzer- has also seen action around the crypto-cur- good climate service counts for a lot in a world land-based banks has shrunk to about 250 rencies and distributed ledger blockchain with more than its fair share of geopolitical up- from more than 300 a decade ago. Rising technology. Whatever one thinks of these heavals. Security, reliability and attention to regulatory costs, changed client expecta- areas, they are busy. detail count for a great deal with clients from tions and some tough margin conditions Switzerland is an example of age-old ex- Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, Africa have produced industry consolidation. It is perience added to an ability to reinvent and and Asia, among others. worth also remembering that some Swiss change – the country’s watch industry is an The Alpine state was home to $2.3 trillion banks are also quite young, pitching for the example. Wealth management is also an in personal wealth out of a total offshore sum kind of New Economy, hard-charging entre- example of this. It continues to pack a punch. person or organisation with far-sighted vision committed to sustainable behaviours and growth strategies.
Find out more at LombardOdier.com
LO_AcclaimCH_Eagle_210x297.indd 1 16.01.20 15:04 ACCLAIM | WealthBriefing Recognises Leaders Across the Global Wealth Management Industry 5
JUDGING PANEL
The 2020 WealthBriefing Swiss Awards programme was focused around three main category groupings: experts (individuals and teams), products and services for wealth managers and clients, and institutions of all sizes and types in the Swiss market.
Independence, integrity and genuine insight are the watchwords of the judging process with the judging panels made up of some of the industry’s top trusted advisors and bankers.
NICK BLAYDES CECILE CIVIALE ARNAUD LECLERCQ Associate Partner VUILLIER Group Managing EY Head of Private Client Director TrustConsult Group Lombard Odier
URS BOLT ETIENNE D’ARENBERG JUSTINE MARKOVITZ Advisor Partner Chairperson bolt.now Mirabaud Withers
NIELS BOM-OLESEN JAMES DAY DANIEL MARTINEAU CEO Managing Director Executive Chairman HypoSwiss Banque Peritus Investment Summit Trust Privee Consultancy International
PHILIPPE BONGRAND LAURENT GAGNEBIN ANDREW McCALLUM Independent Advisor CEO Managing Director Rothschild & Co Rhone Trustees (Switzerland)
LUDOVIC BONNAMOUR DR ARIEL SERGIO ELMAR MEYER Managing Director GOEKMEN-DAVIDOFF Founder and CEO TCA Asset Management Senior Counsel Lexpert Partners
TOM BURROUGHES XAVIER ISAAC MARK MILES Group Editor Chief Executive Officer Partner, European Head ClearView Financial Accuro of Wealth Management Media, publisher of Aon WealthBriefing
ACCLAIM | WealthBriefing Recognises Leaders Across the Global Wealth Management Industry 7
A shortlist was identified from the hundreds of entries received for these awards and a discussion took place with the judges to agree the winner of each category. The judges were split into 3 groups, dependent on their industry; a panel of trusted advisors were responsible for judging the private banking categories; a panel of private bankers judges the trusted advisor categories; and new for this year we had a specialist group of tech experts judging the technology categories. This was to ensure that commercially sensitive information was kept confidential and conflicts of interest were avoided.
DUNCAN MUNRO MATTHEW SPENCER BRUCE WEATHERILL Senior Vice President Head of Business Chief Executive Banco Santander Development and Weatherill Consulting Marketing Close Brothers Asset Management
SHARMIL PATWA WENDY SPIRES MIKE WELTI Founder Head of Research Managing Director and Opus Una ClearView Financial Head Media REYL & Cie, Zurich
JEAN-CHRISTOPHE MIKE TOOLE DAVID WALLACE PERNOLLET Chief Operating Officer WILSON CRO Artorius Wealth Partner Edmond de Rothschild Schellenberg Wittmer Group
OSMOND PLUMMER DR MARCEL TSCHANZ Managing Director Partner, Wealthcoaching.ch PricewaterhouseCoopers Advisory Services PwC
JURGEN PULM GREGOIRE ULDRY Head of Private Banking Partner for CPB Services Charles Russell RBS Speechlys
RAY SOUDAH STEFANO VERI Founding Partner and Group Managing Chairman Director, Global Head of MilleniumAssociates Financial Intermediaries UBS Wealth Management 8 ACCLAIM | MARCH 2020
AON’S QUALITY DATA PUTS A DENT IN THE WEALTH MANAGEMENT UNIVERSE
Tom Burroughes of WealthBriefing’s talks to Tasha Vashisht, Global Head of Thought Leadership and Caroline Burkart, Associate Partner, of AON’s Client Insight practice.
Could you provide a brief overview of your Management with the Global Entrepreneur business in terms of what it does, size, Thought Leadership Report. location, recent news around it? “THE QUALITY OF THE What will you do to keep to the standard AON’s Client Insight practice (formerly known of an award-winner and push ahead in the DATA WE PRODUCE AND as Scorpio Partnership) is a market leading future? research and consultancy business focused OUR WILLINGNESS TO exclusively on the private banking and wealth Continue to demand and produce only the PRODUCE PIONEERING management sector. We work with our clients highest quality of data and insight with a laser to help them better understand and engage focus on the end U/HNW client, and continue RESEARCH FOR OUR with high net worth and ultra-HNW individu- to evolve our research methodologies. als in order to deliver a superior client expe- CLIENTS. WE PRIDE rience to their clients and ultimately help drive What have the challenges been in business growth. obtaining excellence? OURSELVES ON PRODUCING THE VERY We work globally, with teams based in London, Outstanding thought leadership in our sector New York and Singapore and have a 20-year requires a combination of creativity, commer- HIGHEST QUALITY track record in delivering impactful and action- cial thinking, expert industry understanding, able insights. In 2019 we launched and com- high-quality data, and robust risk mitigation DATA AND THIS IS THE pleted the first ever syndicated benchmark processes. It can be time-consuming, labour study for client experience for the UK wealth intensive and expensive to make such a com- BEDROCK OF HOW management industry. With 10 participat- mitment to continually push the boundaries. WE WORK.” ing firms in its first year, the benchmark is a landmark moment for the industry. The 2020 Whom do you look up to for inspiration initiative is underway. and examples to emulate and compare yourself against, either inside or outside What sets you apart from your peers this the wealth management industry? year? We draw influence from a wide sphere, be it The quality of the data we produce and our will- market leaders in our own industry, or firms ingness to produce pioneering research for our that really push the boundaries in industries clients. We pride ourselves on producing the unrelated to wealth. very highest quality data and this is the bedrock of how we work. This is evidenced in our work What do you hope will be the main with our clients, for example we are now in the consequence of achieving this accolade? sixth year of our Thought Leadership engage- ment with BNP Paribas Wealth Management. We hope this elevates our visibility to both our clients, prospective clients and competitor How have your colleagues contributed to firms, and in doing so cements our position as the success of your organisation? a leader in our field of client insight.
By having the courage to challenge the status How will you use the award to raise your quo and produce pioneering work that stands profile in the industry and among clients? out within the industry. For example, the UK Client Experience Benchmark for the wealth We’ll advertise it through our social media management industry and the continued channels, reference it in conversations with our work we do on behalf of BNP Paribas Wealth clients and in all email communications. ACCLAIM | WealthBriefing Recognises Leaders Across the Global Wealth Management Industry 9
REACHING EXCELLENCE BY INTERNATIONAL REACH, COLLABORATION AND CONTROL
Tom Burroughes Editor of WealthBriefing talks to Laurence Mandrile Aguirre, Managing Director, Citi Private Bank, about the firm’s successes in this year’s awards.
What explains how you managed to get to What obstacles and challenges did you this award-winning level? overcome and take on to reach this point? Clear segment focus: We have a clear strat- Use of resources: We had to make sure we egy in Citi Private Bank. In Switzerland we are a deployed the right resources to service the cli- mid-sized bank with presence in Geneva and ent segments. This includes taking strategic Zurich. We have defined our market segment decisions along the way. With the pace of tech- very clearly to focus on worldly and wealthy in- nology and digital capability advancing rapid- dividuals and family offices; and we have been ly, we also need to make sure that the budget very focused on executing this strategy accord- allocated towards technology investments are ing our vision. We are a global bank with foot- the right ones that could be integrated to our print in 130 countries and we want to deliver our workflow and network. globality to our clients. Another key differentiating factor is the fact that Who and what has inspired you to achieve Citi Private Bank is part of our institutional client this success and whom do you look to as a group. We have a strong collaborative approach role model? with our colleagues in the corporate and invest- We have a very solid and stable manage- ment banking, markets and transaction services ment team at the top. This brings stability and to deliver institutional solutions to [sometimes] a clear vision. When I think about our CEO for complex and international situations. the Private Bank (Peter Charrington) or the Portfolio risk analysis tools: Our Investment EMEA region (Luigi Pigorini), our leaders are Lab has been a key differentiator in helping us passionate about private banking. To them, and deepen our relationships with the clients. Our this trickles down to all of us, the client is at the proprietary analytical tool provides clients with center of what we do – we want to be the best information that supports their decision making. for our clients – and this is very inspiring. Our More recently, the Lab developed key tools us- aspiration is to become the best private bank ing fintech and AI technologies to manage our for our clients. data more efficiently and to deliver digital port- folio management solutions to the clients. Going forward, how will you continue to set We have innovated and invested in technol- award-winning standards? ogy: At Citi, innovation is part of our DNA. One We will not rest on our laurels. We will contin- of our most exciting initiatives that was rolled ue to monitor the competitive landscape, and out recently was delivering digital solutions to constantly adjust our solutions and capabilities clients like paperless on-boarding or real time to an environment that is constantly evolving. portfolio statements. We will need to be very attentive to our clients’ needs and what they expect from us and adjust Describe how your colleagues our value proposition and offering accordingly. contributed to the success of your We strive to be the client’s first call! organisation as shown by the award? I see three key attributes. One is our collabo- rative culture. There is a lot of emphasis on how we develop and deliver solutions to the clients as a team. We empower every single individual inside the organisation to come up with better ways to serve clients, suggests improvement points at all levels and in every department. The second is our coverage model. We have a minimum number of clients dedicated per bank- ers and counsellors which allow us to be relevant to our clients; and allow us to invest the time and resources to help our clients achieve their goals. To bring insight and expertise to the clients, we also have a team of specialist that work with the banker team to deliver solutions to the clients. And the third is the importance of our con- trol functions and be on top of regulations, adjusting our processes along the way. Our colleagues play a key role in our success in keeping us compliant every day. “ I am easily satisfied with the very best ”
WINSTON CHURCHILL
In results we trust
PRIVATE BANKING ASSET MANAGEMENT INDEPENDENT MANAGERS Discover more on syzbank.com PRIVATE MARKETS ACCLAIM | WealthBriefing Recognises Leaders Across the Global Wealth Management Industry 11
A PERSONAL TOUCH WINS AND KEEPS CLIENTS – HOW SYZ CAPITAL SUCCEEDS
Marc Syz, Chief Executive of SYZ Capital talks to Tom Burroughes from WealthBriefing what qualities have impressed peers and clients alike.
What sets you apart from your peers this conditions. The strategy attracted a Spanish inflationary pressures and accommodative year? private bank, which entrusted the team with an monetary conditions, the discretionary team As a genuine private bank, SYZ is by defi- institutional mandate targeting €150 million, has recommended keeping a cautious stance. nition client-centric. Personal relationships structured and managed as a UCITS alter- This means favouring uncorrelated assets are a priority and private bankers are always native fund and intended for its advisory and (protections, gold, Japanese yen) and quality available to clients. Unlike bigger institutions discretionary mandates. in equities, while maintaining some attractive that like to quantify relationships and establish SYZ is continually sharpening its differenti- risk/reward investments in the fixed income complicated metrics to cut costs, our team ated edge. It has forged partnerships on sus- space (short-term EM bonds). Accordingly, the prefers a more qualitative and personal ap- tainability, including initiatives with the World team has actively managed the portfolios by proach. Mutual trust is achieved by ongoing Bank, which connect investors to the UN’s purchasing additional protection and reducing contact and engagement. Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). It equity exposure. The bank is growing its pool of clients and has also launched an initiative to respond to scope across regions, with expansion in Africa increasing demand among institutional clients Whom do you look up to for inspiration and Asia. The team has also won discretionary for environmental, social and governmental and examples to emulate and compare mandates for trust accounts, business from selection criteria, which are already applied to yourself against, either inside or outside principals for both their corporate treasury as the choice of issuers in the SYZ fixed income the wealth management industry? well as their personal accounts range. We like to see ourselves as a mirror to our SYZ Capital sets the Group’s investment of- clients’ aspirations. Like many of them, we at fering apart by combining strategic focus with What will you do to keep to the standard SYZ are natural-born entrepreneurs who take an innovative edge. SYZ has always believed of an award-winner and push ahead in the inspiration from the pioneers and innovators in the value of alternative investment strategies future? that are shaping the world. as a tool for greater portfolio diversification The group is also tapping into the world and risk-adjusted returns. At heart, the Syz outside financial expertise. It recently created What do you hope will be the main family and SYZ Group are first and foremost a pioneering Scientific Advisory Board to en- consequence of achieving this accolade? entrepreneurs and investors. In this sense, hance the quality of its systematic investment We hope winning this award will help us en- they only offer clients access to investment strategies - leveraging insights from leading gage with more clients across the globe and be strategies where they would be happy to be academics. The research focuses on devel- an inspiration for others to follow our footsteps the lead investor. oping cutting-edge algorithms to develop new in innovation and pushing the boundaries. Indeed, SYZ Capital ensures alignment of in- systematic strategies and improve portfolio terests of all parties by being actively involved construction and rebalancing. How will you use the award to raise your and invested alongside clients in every trans- profile in the industry and among clients? action. As a global investment group whose What have the challenges been in We will leverage our editorial communica- priority since inception in 1996 has been the obtaining excellence? tions, marketing functions and social media generation of performance for clients, it rec- SYZ creates investment solutions specific to platforms to raise awareness around this ognises the potential, in terms of returns and each client’s investment requirements. Clients prestigious award. diversification, of private market strategies in want tailored advice, flexibility and balance be- a portfolio. tween performance and risk. They appreciate While private markets, such as private eq- SYZ’s risk budget approach that aligns portfo- uity, real estate and other illiquid assets have lio strategy with their requirements. The discre- traditionally been the preserve of institutional tionary investment team defines the dynamic investors or the largest ultra-high net worth risk budget with each client, accounting for individual, SYZ Capital’s mission is to democ- stock-level volatility and strategic asset class ratise access to these assets for most private outlook. clients. SYZ Capital is able to offer qualified This approach allows SYZ to tailor exposure private clients of all sizes access to private to each asset class at the stock level, using its equity, debt and real estate opportunities start- economic outlook to create value throughout ing from 100,000 Swiss francs. This can come the economic cycle. The result is an invest- in three forms: direct investments, thematic ment philosophy that defines a clear risk bud- funds or multimanager products. get with a minimum and maximum authorised Alternative investments have been a core volatility level. Client portfolios are managed business for SYZ since its foundation, repre- within these dynamic risk-bandwidths, helping senting approximately SFr1 billion in advisory them meet financial goals in accordance with and discretionary mandates. In 2018, SYZ saw their risk profile. an increased interest in the OYSTER Alterna- A key focus and challenge has been to pro- tive Uncorrelated fund. In May 2019, the strat- tect recent strong performance by adding lay- egy won the award “Fund of Hedge Funds – ers of downside protection. For example, in the specialist” at the HFM European Performance current economic context of slowing growth Awards 2019 for its ability to deliver signifi- momentum, deteriorating market sentiment cant risk-adjusted performance in all market linked to the trade war, as well as contained The next generation is coming. Here and now.
Driven by excellence. Powered by innovation. Focused on performance.
We are entering a whole new era. Complex, interconnected, fast-paced ––—- the world we live in is changing. The successes of the past no longer define the ways of the future. Knowledge, intuition and prediction become the key. Own your future today, with Capitalium. Leading the next chapter in Wealth Management.
www.capitalium.ch ACCLAIM | WealthBriefing Recognises Leaders Across the Global Wealth Management Industry 13
CAPITALIUM ADDS INVESTMENT VALUE AND KEEPS CLIENTS’ LIVES SIMPLE
Alain Zell, Chief Executive of Capitalium Advisors, talks to Tom Burroughes, WealthBriefing’s Group Editor about his firm’s award-winning qualities.
apitalium Advisors won the category of successful business model. Or, at least, the Asset Manager Serving Family Offic- testimony that you are doing something that Ces and Private Banks in the Wealth- is creating some value for your clients. Our vi- “THE PURSUIT OF Briefing Swiss 2020 Awards. The firm develops sion remains intact and we intend to continue solutions that are tailored for clients whether to invest every penny we earn to support our EXCELLENCE HAS they are families, entrepreneurs or Millennials. development and attract talented people who The firm tries to simplify the financial lives of share our values and vision. SOMEHOW TO clients as far as possible. The organization CONNECT WITH A is based in Geneva and is part of the CASA What have the challenges been in Group. The group advises Swiss and inter- obtaining excellence? HIGH DEGREE OF national clients on financial and non-financial The pursuit of excellence has somehow to aspects of asset management. connect with a high degree of enthusiasm. It ENTHUSIASM. IT requires a lot of efforts that must be balanced What sets you apart from your peers this with positive energy in order to be sustainable REQUIRES A LOT OF year? in time. Besides, we are working every day EFFORTS THAT MUST Company-wise, we stick to our objective to to secure that our clients support the devel- offer a value-adding platform for wealthy fami- opment strategy. Ultimately, excellence is a BE BALANCED WITH lies looking to set up a robust financial strategy. relative concept versus your peers, as well as As an independent structure, we benefit from an absolute criteria driving each decision we POSITIVE ENERGY an absolute freedom to shape tailor-made make. solutions. On the investment side, the differen- IN ORDER TO BE tiation states in our ability to develop solutions Whom do you look up to for inspiration SUSTAINABLE IN outside the crowded listed markets. Again, the and examples to emulate and compare decision we made to exclude “retrocessions” yourself against, either inside or outside TIME.” from our business model creates a pipeline of the wealth management industry? unique opportunities. Without any doubts, benchmarks and inspi- ration come from outside our industry. It is un- How have your colleagues contributed to likely changes will emerge from within our sec- the success of your organisation? tor. The vast majority of participants are facing We maintain a start-up-like environment profitability issues and fight for a status quo. through a culture of innovation. We work on As a consequence there is no chance to connecting each member of the team with our find any inspiration under these conditions. mission to transform the wealth management The wealth management sector has suffered industry and to offer to our clients a unique from a lack of governance and entrepreneur- financial experience. In order to achieve our ship that created inertia. The divergence be- goals, complementarity of skills and charac- tween outputs that would become commod- ters has proven crucial to develop the compa- itized and the one that will protect a high value ny. Diversity is a key factor. proposition is getting bigger. We are in the In recent years, Capitalium has taken mi- game for the second option! norities stakes in Schoeb Frote, a wealth Man- agement company based in Neuchatel and What do you hope will be the main more recently in Finanzlab, a firm focusing on consequence of achieving this accolade? advice and brokerage of structured products, The more people can get to know about based in Lausanne. Synergies between com- our business model and the new standards panies in our filed are common, this combina- Capitalium and its partners Schoeb Frote and tion allows us to offer our clients a more com- Finanzlab are raising, the better. petitive proposition with the most integrated value chain possible. How will you use the award to raise your profile in the industry and among clients? What will you do to keep to the standard The perception of the industry about what of an award-winner and push ahead in the we do is something we do not pay a lot of at- future? tention. Only the clients decide whether your To become an award-winner is not an ob- value proposition make any sense. In that re- jective, but rather the consequence of busi- spect, the award can act as a testimony that ness practices that have been turned into a we do deserve to have a close look at. 14 ACCLAIM | MARCH 2020
CHARLES RIVER’S GLOBAL PROWESS SHINES THROUGH
Tom Burroughes, Editor of WealthBriefing, talks to Gavin Lavelle, who is Managing Director for EMEA at Charles River, about why the firm has hit the heights in its sector.
What sets you apart from your peers this Compliance: We incorporated new capabil- What have the challenges been in year? ities that help banks determine and document obtaining excellence? Growth: Charles River’s global talent pool investment product suitability that are aligned Finding and attracting talented technolo- grew rapidly, backed by significant investment with client risk preferences and enhanced KYC gists and other professionals in the current from parent firm State Street. Our Wealth Man- capabilities. tight labor market is difficult. Our uncompro- agement Solution represents the largest por- Connectivity: We continue to see growing mising standards aim to ensure that Charles tion of our new business and we are actively adoption of the Charles River Wealth Hub, River’s global talent pool reflects a diverse mix engaged with several large wealth managers enabling asset managers to automate and of industry knowledge, technological expertise in a sales or implementation capacity. streamline communication with platform spon- and commitment to client service. Longevity: Charles River recently celebrated sors. Managers access a single dashboard for its 10th anniversary as a wealth solution pro- all communications, where they can securely Whom do you look up to for inspiration vider; our clients include many of the largest distribute account and model updates to all and examples to emulate and compare wealth managers, private banks and sponsors applicable sponsors in a single click. yourself against, either inside or outside in Europe and North America. Since 2009, Choice: The launch of our third-party provid- the wealth management industry? Charles River’s Wealth Management Solution er ecosystem enables Charles River clients to Our global client base of top-tier firms in- has offered wealth managers streamlined extend the Charles River Wealth Management spire our product and engineering teams to capabilities that support discretionary and Solution by integrating their choice of external- provide the best technology and client expe- non-discretionary products, enhanced mobil- ly-developed applications, analytics, and data rience possible. Client feedback and collab- ity across asset classes, and has helped at- on the platform. oration enables Charles River to continuous- tract and retain financial advisors. Today, the ly incorporate new innovations in our wealth platform supports over 30 of the world’s most How have your colleagues contributed to management platform. prominent advisory firms, managed account the success of your organisation? program sponsors, and private banks. Charles River’s global engineering, prod- What do you hope will be the main Leadership: In 2019, we announced the for- uct, and client management teams are key to consequence of achieving this accolade? mation of a client advisory board focused on our success. Working collaboratively across Our hope is that it underscores how com- wealth management. Members of the board geographies and markets helps ensure that mitted Charles River is to working with wealth will serve to provide expert insight and advice we continue to provide technological lead- managers, private banks and sponsors glob- on the development and enhancement of the ership and innovation to the global wealth ally to address the significant and disruptive Charles River Wealth Management Solution. management community. changes impacting the industry. Mobility: Our commitment to providing cli- ents with a seamless digital experience was What will you do to keep to the standard How will you use the award to raise your underscored by the launch of Charles River of an award-winner and push ahead in the profile in the industry and among clients? Everywhere, our latest tool designed to ensure future? This award adds to our growing collection of anytime/anywhere access to portfolio and or- We continue to lead the industry in R&D WealthBriefing awards we’ve won over the past der management capabilities. In addition to budget, investing over $50 million annually three years and underscores the value that our supporting mobility for busy investment pro- across the Charles River product suite with clients place in our technology and commit- fessionals, Charles River Everywhere enables $10 million allocated to our wealth manage- ment to service. private wealth advisors to offer a more person- ment solution. Staying constantly engaged alised client experience and the opportunity to with our clients is also critical. Rapidly chang- offer private wealth clients targeted advice. ing incentives, business models and investor Overlay: We have enhanced our overlay preferences require agility from our product management capabilities to provide private and development team to help ensure our wealth client advisors with a 360-degree view technology aligns with our client’s needs, of client assets, a key requirement for banks from regulatory compliance and mobility to offering tax-aware, household-level solutions. scalability and performance.
“CHARLES RIVER’S GLOBAL ENGINEERING, PRODUCT, AND CLIENT MANAGEMENT TEAMS ARE KEY TO OUR SUCCESS. WORKING COLLABORATIVELY ACROSS GEOGRAPHIES AND MARKETS HELPS ENSURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE TECHNOLOGICAL LEADERSHIP AND INNOVATION TO THE GLOBAL WEALTH MANAGEMENT COMMUNITY.” ACCLAIM | WealthBriefing Recognises Leaders Across the Global Wealth Management Industry 15
ALIGNING VALUES WITH GREAT CONDUCT HITS THE MARK FOR DART
Sasha Savic, Partner and Chief Operating Officer at DART Talent and Executive Search, the executive search firm, talks to Tom Burroughes from WealthBriefing about the firm’s successes to date.
What sets you apart from your peers this recognition. We will stay humble and contin- clients in the wealth and asset management year? ue on our path. We are and will constantly industry and, equally important, as well in oth- Consequent focus on a selected and ex- reflect after every meeting or project, what we er fields where we are currently expanding, clusive client base whose values on how they co do better and continue to learn from our for example in the constantly evolving fintech conduct their business are aligned with what experiences. industry. we have set ourselves as guiding principles for DART and its culture. Only if we are as well fully What have the challenges been in How will you use the award to raise your convinced, we can represent our clients with obtaining excellence? profile in the industry and among clients? the required credibility in front of senior talents I would not talk about “challenge” in the When I have started my career 20 years in the markets. classical definition of the word. It is only a ago, one of my first superiors used a German Further to that, we value candidate expe- challenge if there is a lack of passion in what expression which I still like and use: It goes rience across the entire search process as you are doing. As suggested above, each and “tue Gutes und sprich darüber”. Something much as we value an impeccable client ex- everybody at DART has the passion to deliver like “do good and talk about it”. perience. We care about how well our clients excellence for our clients and candidates. Now, let’s be clear...it has nothing to do with do, we care about what type of institution we The appearing stumbling blocks or curve bragging! We stay humble, we are grateful and convince people to join, and what it will mean balls along the way are then easier to handle we continue on our path - while we will proudly for their careers and fulfilment. and to keep course. mention here and there that we are the best wealth management executive search firm in How have your colleagues contributed to Whom do you look up to for inspiration Switzerland. the success of your organisation? and examples to emulate and compare I could list many attributes such as hard yourself against, either inside or outside work, commitment to excellence, team-work the wealth management industry? and full dedication to our clients and candi- We are privileged to come across so many dates. But what I really would like to highlight inspiring leaders in the wealth management is how many time I could observe my col- industry and beyond that it would be impos- leagues when it gets crunchy and how they sible to pick one or two names. As mentioned outgrow themselves to deliver what they have above, we are looking up to leaders and com- promised. panies whose value are resonating with ours During times of seasonal rush or tight project and we are trying to learn from them. deadlines, they just keep going with the right Every project itself and every interaction we focus and high level of motivation. They ac- have with our clients and candidates is an op- knowledge that success will require hard work portunity to become better and come closer to and perhaps some sacrifices and yet they stay our role models in the business. committed. As important is that we celebrate the success as they come and, believe me, What do you hope will be the main they are very good at celebrating as well! Feel consequence of achieving this accolade? privileged to work with the DART team! Reassurance that our chosen path is the What will you do to keep to the standard right one for us and as well reassurance to our of an award-winner and push ahead in the esteemed clients that they have chosen the future? right partner in the search for talents their need We are honoured to receive such a pres- for developing their businesses. It will further tigious award and are very grateful for the strengthen our profile towards future potential
“CONSEQUENT FOCUS ON A SELECTED AND EXCLUSIVE CLIENT BASE WHOSE VALUES ON HOW THEY CONDUCT THEIR BUSINESS ARE ALIGNED WITH WHAT WE HAVE SET OURSELVES AS GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR DART AND ITS CULTURE.” Invest in DECALIA Circular economy fund
Responsible Consumption Clean Materials & Energy Sharing Economy Remote Work No More Plastic
Exploring new trends
www.decaliafunds.com Asset Management
The latest version of the fund’s prospectus, Key Investor Information Document, annual and semi-annual reports are available free of charge at the representative’s o ce. Paying agent in Switzerland: Banque Pictet & Cie SA, 60 route des Acacias, 1211 Genève, Suisse Representative in Switzerland: FundPartner Solutions (Suisse) S.A., Route des Acacias 60, 1211 Genève, Suisse
DECALIA-PUB-circular-A4.indd 1 27.02.20 09:07 ACCLAIM | WealthBriefing Recognises Leaders Across the Global Wealth Management Industry 17
FULL CIRCLE OF QUALITY: HOW INNOVATION PROVES WINNING APPROACH FOR DECALIA
Tom Burroughes from WealthBriefing talks to Clement Maclou, Lead Portfolio Manager for DECALIA Circular Economy.
ECALIA is active in wealth manage- consumer trends and market inefficiencies. The investment team is monitoring changes in ment, asset management and private We have very excited to have launched the consumer trends in order toidentify new trends Dmarkets, This business lines form a first global equity fund dedicated to the Circu- (digitalisation, climate change, demograph- coherent whole and allow us to have a differ- lar Economy. We invest in companies benefit- ics…) and transform them into unique invest- ent offer. We are always looking for new ways ing from the transition to Circular Economy: ment solutions such as the Decalia Circular to deliver performance in a constantly evolv- Responsible Consumption, Clean Materials economy fund. This strategy is an answer to ing investment environment. In a very stan- and Energy, Sharing Economy, No More Plas- our society and our clients welcome invest- dardised marketplace, DECALIA has built its tic. DECALIA Circular Economy aims for a long ment solutions with a positive impact on our franchise by following a few guidelines: term solution to key sustainability issues as planet. increasing population, environmental impact • Thematic investing: A pioneer in exploring and natural resources depletion. What do you hope will be the main new trends benefitting from strong secular consequence of achieving this accolade? tailwinds, we have launched several How have your colleagues contributed to We hope this accolade raises our visibili- unique thematic strategies, including a fund the success of your organisation? ty as we are a relatively young organisation. dedicated to Circular Economy. Commitment, innovation, teamwork are the This achievement is also an encouragement to • Adding value through innovation: Far from core values that define who we are, what we continue expanding in the same direction. the current trend towards cookie-cutter do and what we stand for. products and indexing, we constantly How will you use the award to raise your develops new strategies that offer better What will you do to keep to the standard profile in the industry and among clients? prospects. of an award-winner and push ahead in the We will include the logo of this award in our • Adaptation to the current environment: We future? investment presentations. have investment solutions adapted to the DECALIA is solution-oriented & focuses on current low-yield and high valuation generating risk-adjusted performance for its environment with a range focused on four clients. We naturally pays particular attention investment axes. to the quality of service as “behind a portfolio, • In-house expertise combined with strong there is always a person with a unique history”. partnerships: DECALIA has developed a Decalia aims to keep being a major innova- strong in-house investment team but has tor and disruptor while focusing on risk con- also forged strategic partnerships with trol in a fast moving environment. This will be outside expert boutiques when a specific ensured by a constant investment in the right know-how is required. people and the right solutions in accordance with a rigorous investment process. What sets you apart from your peers this year? What have the challenges been in Founded in 2014 & FINMA regulated, obtaining excellence? DECALIA is an investment management com- The challenges that Decalia have been pany, managing and advising private and facing are a fierce competition, a low rate institutional clients ‘assets. Our company is environment and a rising volatility. In order to owned 100 per cent by its management which understand and overcome those challeng- ensures a long-term vision and an alignment es Decalia is constantly monitoring its peers, of interest with its clients. market dynamics and consumer trends. Our Our DNA comes from institutional asset clear positioning as a boutique with a strong management built over the past 30 years. Our entrepreneurial mind-set is and will be a key investment philosophy is based on several differentiator. principles: rigorous risk management, capital preservation, active management & enlisting Whom do you look up to for inspiration the best talents. and examples to emulate and compare Our investment funds, including UCITS-com- yourself against, either inside or outside pliant strategies, are focused around four the wealth management industry? investment themes considered to be promis- Client first. Our first inspiration comes from ing on the long-term: disintermediation of the our clients themselves. Another source of inspi- European banking sector, the quest for yield, ration is the society itself and how it is evolving.
ACCLAIM | WealthBriefing Recognises Leaders Across the Global Wealth Management Industry 19
EPAM UNLOCKS TRUE POTENTIAL OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY BY RELENTLESS FOCUS ON EXCELLENCE
Tom Burroughes, Editor of WealthBriefing, talks to Heiko Sundermann, Global Head of wealth and asset management at EPAM, about how the firm continues to stay on the front foot.
What explains how you managed to get to and the willingness to go the extra mile we lieve that with our entrepreneurial approach we this award-winning level? wouldn´t have been able to get to this result can offer very attractive innovation partnership What helped us a lot is our experience that in such a short period of time. We are further models to our clients and partners, which will we gained from working with top-tier wealth proud to announce that Deltix is now a part enable us to jointly add additional features and management organisations on large-scale of EPAM, adding new market-leading ca- solutions for the most pressing challenges that implementations, with the aim to industrialise pabilities to our franchise when it comes to the industry is facing. and digitalise investment management and real-time algorithmics, and quantitative anal- the advisory value chain. From this we have ysis. learned what works and what doesn’t. One of the things worth mentioning is that the digital- What obstacles and challenges did you isation and fintech hype that we saw over the overcome and take on to reach this point? last seven years. In the cold light of day it has The target to build an open API investment “EPAM IS brought to the surface many solutions that are management ecosystem brings the obvious not fit for purpose and don’t address real prob- challenge with it to agree on a common tax- CONTINUOUSLY lems banks and financial services firms face. onomy. Having a modern API architecture is When we embarked on this journey we had a not enough, the APIs need to talk the same INVESTING AND clear view on tackling these problems at the language to really enable our clients to realize ADDING CAPABILITIES source and finding solutions which go far be- cost, quality, and time advantages and mini- yond scratching the surface and delivering the mise the integration costs and risks. Coming THAT HELP OUR next fancy graphical user interface. to this common view was probably the biggest This is also true when it came to the se- challenge but the result is a truly market-lead- CLIENTS DIFFERENTIATE lection of our partners. We at EPAM have the ing entity model which in itself is a huge benefit unique ability to open the hood and really look for our clients. AND BE COMPETITIVE at the technological engine room of these THROUGH INNOVATIVE fintechs, and hence we have decided to only Who and what has inspired you to achieve partner with fIntechs that not only have a nice this success and whom do you look to as a USE OF TECHNOLOGY.” concept solution that can be demonstrated on role model? PowerPoint, but do have true differentiating Thanks has clearly to go to EPAMs top capabilities implemented in a technology that leadership team. First and foremost to Bala- adheres to our demanding architectural stan- zs Fejes who is heading out global financial dards. services practice that was willing to take the The other important factor that enabled us risk and provide the seed funding for the idea, to do this is the entrepreneurial spirit that is but moreover offered is continued support and deep in the DNA of EPAM. Which was again leadership throughout the entire program. demonstrated by the support that we received from top senior management for the idea. Last Going forward, how will you continue to set but not least, it comes down to the fantastic award-winning standards? team both at EPAM and our fintech partners EPAM is continuously investing and adding that were all fired up for the idea and were will- capabilities that help our clients differentiate ing to go the extra mile whenever necessary. and be competitive through innovative use of technology. We believe that with the acquisi- Describe how your colleagues contributed tion of Deltix we have added a very important to the success of your organisation as additional pillar of capabilities to our financial shown by the award? services practice. Deltix brings state-of-the- The idea of building a leading investment art engines skills and teams in the area of management eco-system for the industry is quantitative finance, algorithmics, quantitative not something that an individual or a handful analysis and real-time data processing. These of people can drive by themselves. Getting to can be leveraged for wide field of use-cases the stage where we are required a true team in wealth and asset management, capital mar- effort. This spans across multiple teams and kets and insurances. locations within EPAM but didn´t end there: Having set the foundations we are now ac- the spark fired up similar exceptional teams tively looking for partners in the banking, in- at our fintech partners at Swissquant, APIAX surance and asset and wealth management and Deltix. Without this strong collaboration domain to develop the platform further. We be- Imagine... a future where wealth managers, insurers and banks can realise every client’s aspiration of a differentiated, digital and dynamic experience.
RE-DEFINING PERFORMANCE
fi nantix.com ACCLAIM | WealthBriefing Recognises Leaders Across the Global Wealth Management Industry 21
FINANTIX GETS INSPIRED BY ITS CLIENTS TO BUILD A WORLD-CLASS BUSINESS
Christine Ciriani, Chief Commercial Officer, Finantix, talks to Tom Burroughes from WealthBriefing about the journey this firm has been on as it marks another award result.
What sets you apart from your peers this This includes Tier One banks, who contin- year? ue to evolve the products they offer across In a nutshell, accelerated delivery! We their client segments, to smaller niche play- have implemented global projects on-time, ers who are using digital to differentiate and on-budget in consistently challenging situa- attract NextGen customers through person- tions while continuing to evolve our product alised service and a focus on holistic wealth through ongoing and consistent investment management. in R & D to drive innovation We also gain inspiration from working with associations on machine learning and ESG, How have your colleagues contributed to as we look at how we can use AI to improve the success of your organisation? delivering ESG products to clients effec- • Client-first attitude tively, and through non-financial technology • True global teamwork firms on how they improve workplace auto- • Reliability and dependability mation and how we would apply that to RM efficiency. What will you do to keep to the standard of an award-winner and push ahead in the What do you hope will be the main future? consequence of achieving this accolade? Continue to work closely with our clients That our team continues to feel proud of and market analysts to evolve the Finantix the company they work for – an accolade like product offering, to stay ahead of the curve, this rewards their hard work and efforts. remain relevant, and acquire talent and prod- Second, that our clients and prospects feel uct know-how through organic and inorganic they are working with a firm recognised by growth without ever compromising our singu- such a prestigious group with a strong rep- lar focus on product quality and culture. utation in the industry segments we work in.
What have the challenges been in How will you use the award to raise your obtaining excellence? profile in the industry and among clients? Finantix enables all key actors from clients Share the good news! We will definitely use to front-office to mid-office and compliance our refreshed marketing to share the news of in supporting the delivery of insightful, com- the award win internally with our staff who will CHRISTINE CIRIANI pliant and digitalised sales and advice. Our all have contributed in some way to our award Chief Commercial Officer value proposition can be adopted with enter- win and making it possible; and externally, Finantix prise-ready integrated comprehensive solu- using a variety of communications channels tions or point-solutions. This message can be to reach our clients, prospects, alliance and a complex one to communicate! delivery partners and alumni! We are also growing and want to grow sus- tainably with a focus on our culture of quality, innovation, respect and reliability - so with grow come growing pains, as you might ex- “WE ARE ALSO GROW- pect! Our growth needs to be carefully and consistently managed so we retain our DNA, ING AND WANT TO and our focus on innovation and delivery excellence. GROW SUSTAINABLY
Whom do you look up to for inspiration WITH A FOCUS ON OUR and examples to emulate and compare CULTURE OF QUALITY, yourself against, either inside or outside the wealth management industry? INNOVATION, RESPECT There are many examples of inspiration around us. Following Finantix’s participation AND RELIABILITY - SO in Davos this year, which showed how trust and fintech go hand-in-hand, for us we find WITH GROW COME inspiration in our clients who are continuing GROWING PAINS, AS to pave the way in re-defining themselves and are electing to service their clients in a differ- YOU MIGHT EXPECT!” entiated manner. 22 ACCLAIM | MARCH 2020
TOP-NOTCH REPORTING KEEPS FUNDCOUNT AHEAD OF THE GAME
Tom Burroughes from WealthBriefing interviews Mike Slemmer, Chief Operating Officer-Americas, FundCount about the organisation’s recent award-winning achievement.
What sets you apart from your peers this their customers. FundCount now integrates year? with Power BI and Tableau, which brings inter- FundCount software is unique in several re- active visualization and business intelligence “FUNDCOUNT spects. One key differentiating factor is that un- to a new level. But clients still enjoy Excel’s like most of our competitors, FundCount offers flexibility, so in our latest release we’ve brought SOFTWARE IS a single, integrated platform for all accounting Excel-like data and formatting options into our activity. With no functional silos – and the head- report writer. UNIQUE IN SEVERAL aches of “system ping-pong” -- investment ac- Integration with various applications is an- RESPECTS. ONE KEY counting, partnership accounting, a real-time other area that is important to our clients be- general ledger, and reporting are all available cause it streamlines operations and facilitates DIFFERENTIATING within one system. When combined with Fund- business growth. To respond to this need, Count’s automated workflow, reconciliation and FundCount has introduced pre-built integra- FACTOR IS THAT compliance tools, this integrated approach tions with the most popular customer relation- maximizes efficiency for the family office. ship management (CRM) platforms and other UNLIKE MOST OF FundCount is also unique in the breadth of best-of-breed systems. OUR COMPETITORS, coverage. In addition to marketable securities and debt instruments, FundCount manag- What have the challenges been in FUNDCOUNT OFFERS A es the accounting, analysis and reporting for obtaining excellence? every alternative or private-type investment When you have a solution as comprehen- SINGLE, INTEGRATED imaginable; and with clients in 19 countries, it sive as FundCount and as wide-reaching – is fully multi-currency. FundCount is used by single and multi-fam- PLATFORM FOR ALL Reporting is another area where FundCount ily offices, fund administrators, private equity ACCOUNTING excels. The ease of creating and customizing firms and hedge funds around the world – reports is unparalleled. What takes hours or simplicity is important. We strive to make using ACTIVITY.” days with most systems can be done in min- FundCount extremely intuitive, so even though utes, on demand, with FundCount. Clients the accounting might be complex, using the need not ask nor pay us to build any report. system is straightforward. As a result, FundCount provides family of- For example, wealth management struc- fices and wealth managers with a holistic view tures can be incredibly intricate with various of investment activity for greater insight, wiser investments and layers of ownership, making investment decisions and reduced risk. it particularly difficult to track and aggregate data across the multiple entities and gener- How have your colleagues contributed to ations. FundCount was designed to be ex- the success of your organisation? tremely flexible to accommodate the unique In addition to the deep and broad function- structure of each family office. It contains a ality of our award-winning software, Fund- capability that provides complete transpar- Count owes its success to the dedicated team ency and granularity to track the component of account managers, developers and cus- parts of the overall “nested entity” family struc- tomer service professionals that work tireless- ture. Reports can be generated that instantly ly to ensure customer satisfaction. We’re all show the family entity relationships as well as aligned and committed to ensuring clients get inter-entity reconciliation, investment activity the maximum benefit from using FundCount. and disbursement through the various layers of entities. What will you do to keep to the standard of an award-winner and push ahead in the How will you use the award to raise your future? profile in the industry and among clients? We pride ourselves on having a client-cen- The WealthBriefing franchise is well respect- tric approach. We listen to clients and continu- ed in the industry. As a result, wealth managers ally enhance the software to meet their needs often look to the awards to discover vendors and changing market requirements. Report- to include in their software buying decision ing, for example, has come a long way in the process. Winning the award for Best Client last 10 years. Clients want to take their Ex- Accounting builds credibility and even greater cel-based spreadsheets and produce visually awareness of FundCount’s capabilities across engaging and informative reports to share with a wider audience. ACCLAIM | WealthBriefing Recognises Leaders Across the Global Wealth Management Industry 23
RELENTLESS FOCUS, FORWARD-LOOKING APPROACH WINS ADMIRERS FOR GENEVA MANAGEMENT GROUP
Tom Burroughes of WealthBriefing talks to Dave Elzas, Chief Executive and Co-founder of Geneva Management Group, about its success.
he firm won the award for Best Innovative Who inspires you, either inside or outside Client Solution. Founded in the year 2000, the wealth management industry? TGeneva Management Group (GMG) has Our clients are our inspiration. They are ex- grown to a staff complement of 200 people and tremely hardworking and focused people who boasts 3 billion AUM across 9 countries. “We’re have achieved high levels of success. They a diversified and innovative financial solutions inspire us daily to work as hard as being ef- provider; we service both private as well as fective and relevant as they are in their own business-to-business clients.” businesses.
What sets you apart from your peers this What do you hope will be the main year? consequence of receiving this award? We have gained recognition this year by We are very proud to have received this being extremely dedicated and by thinking for- award and we believe in its prestige in our in- ward, anticipating clients’ needs. We’re an ex- dustry. It is an accolade which is an internal tremely innovation focused team. We work hard motivator for our teams, which also leverage and we listen to clients, understand what they increases our visibility within the financial want with the goal of anticipating their needs. industry. As a Swiss company that operates inter- How have your colleagues contributed to nationally, receiving this award boosts the the success of your organisation? image of Swiss quality GMG’s offering in par- GMG is a really entrepreneurial-based busi- ticular. This is a real complement to our own ness, with an institutional framework. We look ambitions. for young people who can think independently and challenge management. How will you use the award to raise your Having aggressively forward-thinking col- profile in the industry and among clients? leagues, bringing individuals and teams togeth- Having been recognised by a distinguished er really does get results. It’s about constant publication in this space will give us more feedback, about choosing the right people who exposure and visibility in the industry. are ambitious and who want to improve what It’s a feather in GMG’s hat that we celebrate we do as an industry. and appreciate.
“GENEVA MANAGEMENT GROUP (GMG) IS A DIVERSIFIED AND INNOVATIVE FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS PROVIDER; WE SERVICE BOTH PRIVATE AS WELL AS BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS CLIENTS.” id4 Digital Client Lifecycle Management
No-code, modular, ready-to-use solutions for small mid-sized financial institutions
CRM eKYC On-boarding Digital signature Regulatory reviews Screening, Cross-border API Robotic Process Automation
Photo by Erol Ahmed on Unsplash
Our ambition is to keep Know-Your-Customer simple for
Client Compliance
EAM Central File
RM Management Contact us
id4 AG ⏐ Lucerne ⏐ Switzerland ⏐ [email protected] ⏐ +41 44 586 37 48 ACCLAIM | WealthBriefing Recognises Leaders Across the Global Wealth Management Industry 25
MOVING FAST COUNTS FOR WEALTH MANAGERS WITH TECHNOLOGY FIRM ID4
Tom Burroughes from WealthBriefing talks to Emmanuel Nay, Chief Sales Officer and Co-Founder of id4 AG about how its technology-driven solutions give its clients a big advantage.
d4 AG proposes an out of shelf fully digital past six years: the accumulated knowhow and What do you hope will be the main solution for Client Lifecycle Management best practice is immediately recognised by consequence of achieving this accolade? I(Client On-boarding, KYC Reviews...) and our clients. Our clients’ feedback is very often id4 is new in the market, it is a young start- Client Data Management (CRM, Sales...) for about our energy, passion and professional- up that is financially secure thanks to a solid in- small and mid-sized financial institutions such ism in the front office and compliance sector. vestor. We offer many guarantees to our clients as Private Banks, Family Offices, External As- in terms of the future of the company. set Managers and Pension Funds. It includes What will you do to keep to the standard The award will increase id4’s visibility on modular screens & rules, fully dynamic form of an award-winner and push ahead in the the market and hopefully convince more cli- generation, intelligent QR scanning document future? ents. On the team side, this award is an ex- management, electronic signature and inte- We have many features in our product de- traordinary boost in our motivation to continue gration with a constantly increasing list of third velopment roadmap. We will involve more providing the best solutions. party services. market expert reviewers to validate our set of CLM4.bank - our product - is set up on rules, and imbed in our solution links to com- How will you use the award to raise your premises or on the cloud. The implementation pliance related third parties services adding profile in the industry and among clients? time is very short as it does not require any value to the client lifecycle management. We We are very proud to have won this award client specific development nor testing. Clients set the goal of our services to be a one stop early 2020 for Compliance in Wealth Manage- can use the solution as it is with all the com- integrated Client Lifecycle Management and ment. It demonstrates to our potential clients plete set of fields and rules we recommend, Client Lifecycle Management solution, provid- the professionalism and competence of our or customise them without changing the code ing integration to live and automated services team. of the solution. As such it is an excellent prod- such as external compliance experts and We will leverage on this prestigious uct for business process outsourcers or other screening tools and services. price to reach out to a larger community financial institutions software providers since amongst banks, wealth managers, business they can use the same solution across their What have the challenges been in process outsourcers and third-party service platform and quickly customize it for each of obtaining excellence? providers. their clients. Many regulatory rules are subject to inter- CLM4.bank is sold as a service providing pretation, very often they are describing a line regulatory compliant Client Data Management of conduct rather than a list of fields and for- and Client Lifecycle Management, constant- mulas for the rules. Getting the correct exper- ly enriched from private banks’ best-practice tise went through years of work with the best rules and third party compliance added-value compliance teams, tax and legal advisors in services. private banks. Most of the time they might not all agree together. Defining the best practice What sets you apart from your peers this has been and always will be the challenge. year? Peers announce their next-generation plat- Whom do you look up to for inspiration form is Low-code. We are already one step and examples to emulate and compare ahead with our No-code customizable ap- yourself against, either inside or outside proach. Our product, CLM4.bank, is unique the wealth management industry? in the sense that it proposes an off-the-shelf The wealth industry is at the beginning of solution that is fully configured with constant- drastic changes towards the digitalisation ly updated compliance best practices of the bringing along a new way of doing business. market. There is no development nor is there Some precursors show the way by starting to any testing involved for a client set-up. Clients outsource their core system to large IT play- can change business requirements directly ers; some use cloud solutions, some rely on with immediate effects without any IT devel- external optimised expertise and services, opment. Time to market is immediate. It does while keeping the security standards to the not require a development team and internal maximum. They open to an array of services resources to define the requirements. providing them with the best in class in each field at a reduced cost. How have your colleagues contributed to These precursors inspire us and help us de- the success of your organisation? fine the compliance solution of tomorrow. We The team has been involved in the largest strive to bring the best of the Client Lifecycle compliance related projects in Switzerland Management solutions and third parties in an and up to eight international locations for the efficient one stop system.
ACCLAIM | WealthBriefing Recognises Leaders Across the Global Wealth Management Industry 27
INDOSUEZ WEALTH MANAGEMENT’S CHIEF ECONOMIST LEADS BY CONSTANTLY SEEKING ANSWERS
Dr Marie Owens Thomsen, Global Chief Economist of Indosuez Wealth Management, talks to WealthBriefing’s Group Editor Tom Burroughes about her outstanding contribution to industry thought leadership.
What sets you apart from your peers this What have the challenges been in What do you hope will be the main year? obtaining excellence? consequence of achieving this accolade? Hard for me to say, but I can say what I seek Nobody can be a better economist than the Team pride! I hope all my colleagues and to do - I seek to empower my audience. This quality of the data they have. Rather astonish- clients can feel a bit more proud of our bank. is firstly about avoiding jargon and trying to ingly, in this information age, we still struggle Perhaps it can also help to attract talent and communicate clearly. Secondly, we need to to obtain the data we need. Otherwise, I tend new clients. Ideally, it may also draw young- put the events in the world around us in the to think that if you love what you do, you will er people and more women to the field of proper perspective. Thirdly, it is about trying to probably spend quite a lot of time doing it, and economics. spot trends and phenomena early. In this way, this tends to yield results. It sometimes takes I believe that we can make economics more some courage to defend your analysis in the How will you use the award to raise your accessible and pertinent to people and help face of opposition but this becomes easier profile in the industry and among clients? protect all consumers of financial services. if you have done the research to the best of Well, this is really a question for our com- your abilities. One can then be confident in the munications department, but I hope that we How have your colleagues contributed to results oneself and hence more convincing in will be able to share the good news as wide- the success of your organisation? public settings. ly as possible! I would like to add that I am I am very grateful to Indosuez for their sup- very honoured and grateful to be chosen for port and trust. Moreover, the bank’s emphasis Whom do you look up to for inspiration this award. I feel it validates the research style on providing “thought leadership” - beyond and examples to emulate and compare and strategy that we have been pursuing, the immediate investment concerns our cli- yourself against, either inside or outside and that is most gratifying. Vanity is a sin, but ents might have - is very positive. This is well the wealth management industry? compliments sure feel good! illustrated by our “Wealth & Beyond Summits” I consider John Kenneth Galbraith (1908- where we try to address the most pressing is- 2006), who served under four US Presidents, sues that not only private investors - but any to be the Shakespeare of Economics for his human - faces today. Moreover, my colleagues stellar writing and the phrases he coined – in- in all areas of the Bank are a phenomenal cluding “conventional wisdom” – a phenom- source of inspiration and support - together enon I do my best to combat! He also said we make a difference, I believe. that all economics can be put in plain English, which I believe is very important if we seek What will you do to keep the standard of to engage - not alienate - people in today’s an award-winner and push ahead in the society. future? My list of inspiring women starts with Anna Keeping the standard is about being curious Jacobson Schwartz (1915 - 2012). She wrote and having the energy to pursue the search “A Monetary History of the United States” with for answers. I think I am very curious. As for Milton Friedman (in 1963), but only he received the energy, I should probably do more sports! the Nobel Prize (no comment!). Janet Yellen, Keeping the standard is also about a certain the Fed’s first woman Chairperson, is definitely rigour: always fact check, and try to push the worthy of great respect in our times. boundaries of the discussion beyond what the Amongst my contemporaries I admire Kurt last person said. I promote open discussions Schiltknecht, Chief Economist at the Swiss where diverse opinions are welcome and intel- National Bank in the 1980s and Carlos Lenz, lectual curiosity can flourish. their current Chief Economist. I also have great Today’s environment is challenging in that respect for Valérie Lemaigre, Chief Economist respect. Pushing ahead in the future is largely at BCGE. I have to conclude with John May- about the younger generation and I hope that nard Keynes - who firmly placed people at the we can attract more young people to the field centre of economics - something I endeavour of economics. to do on in all my research.
ACCLAIM | WealthBriefing Recognises Leaders Across the Global Wealth Management Industry 29
LOMBARD ODIER’S DEEP EXPERTISE & PERFORMANCE DELIVERY COMES THROUGH FOR CLIENTS Andreas Arni, Head of the Swiss domestic market and Philippe Gay, Head of the Swiss offering at the firm, talk to Tom Burroughes of WealthBriefing about its awards success.
What sets you apart from your peers this half of 2019 and continue to grow. I should also undertaking a detailed analysis of our environ- year? mention the great work done by all our teams ment and providing ongoing training for our I would like to start by saying that we have in structuring and offering solutions targeted at banking staff, so we demonstrate the relevance seen excellent growth rates for new Swiss do- Swiss entrepreneurs - solutions that reflect the of our approach on a daily basis. mestic clients. With numbers rising 6 per cent a particularities of their tax and wealth situations. year for the last three years, the new clients who Building up additional expertise remains an Whom do you look up to for inspiration and are choosing Lombard Odier are endorsing our essential feature of the quality of service qual- examples to emulate and compare yourself value proposition. All of our management strat- ity provided to domestic clients, both now and against, either inside or outside the wealth egies performed well over the past year. Sector going forward. management industry? comparison tools indicate that our strategies Our clients and prospective clients are often actually outperformed our rivals. Inflows into What will you do to keep to the standard an inspiration for us. They all have very different new funds are also outstanding, with growth of an award-winner and push ahead in the outlooks, but frequently they share a number of rates at twice the market average, according to future? common interests and concerns. They inspire indicators showing the total banking assets of We will continue to listen closely to our clients’ us by telling us how and why their businesses high-net worth clients in Switzerland. We have wishes and expectations, while also exploring succeed, for example, encouraging us to keep also undertaken a number of large-scale sus- sources of significant added value that they aiming higher. tainability projects over the past few months. For have not yet necessarily identified. In particular, example, we became the first global wealth and we are thinking here of areas such as unlisted What do you hope will be the main asset manager to obtain the prestigious B Corp assets and sustainable investments, where we consequence of achieving this accolade? certification. We are acknowledged sustainabil- have become an acknowledged expert. We will This prize rewards and acknowledges the ity experts within the sector and were selected also continue to stress to clients that all perfor- hard work put in by our teams and is an en- from a shortlist of a dozen candidates to ad- mance must be measured net of costs and tax- dorsement of our strategy. It encourages us to vise Credit Suisse on managing a sustainable es. In the interests of efficiency and transparen- continue to work hard on behalf of all our clients. investment fund. cy, our value proposition reflects that emphasis. We are determined that clients have a positive How will you use the award to raise your How have your colleagues contributed to experience in all their interactions with us, irre- profile in the industry and among clients? the success of your organisation spective of whether they speak to a person or It also effectively rewards the clients who The teams in all five Swiss offices had a sol- use our technology. We continue to invest to have chosen us as their partner. This is some- id year in 2019, boosting the overall results for ensure we meet the highest standards. Finally, thing worth sharing with existing and potential Switzerland. Wealth management has changed looking beyond financial considerations, wealth clients. It’s the sort of reward that drives our am- a great deal in recent years, especially in Swit- management needs to be viewed in the con- bition to be the best every year and pushes us zerland. Our bankers are constantly expanding text of longer-term changes, with greater em- to always strive for excellence. their global wealth management and advisory phasis on next-generation issues and national/ skills, with a particular emphasis on achieving international mobility. the best performance net of taxes. Our experts have also been developing their knowledge What have the challenges been in of debt investments, such as finance for real obtaining excellence? estate projects. As a pension expert, we are in- In our position, it is important not only to creasingly gaining recognition for our manage- deliver top-class wealth management solu- ment of vested benefit assets and non-compul- tions, but also to constantly question our ap- sory pension plan. Assets under management proach, to innovate and explore new options. broke through the SFr1 billion barrier in the first That involves listening carefully to our clients, Bespoke solutions with an independent, long-term perspective
We have been advising families with significant Image: Brass Balances wealth for over 200 years, transforming success These brass balances were used for precise weighing of the Rothschild and innovation into a legacy for future generations. branded gold bars produced at the Royal Mint Refinery in east London Our unique, long-term perspectives are rooted in from 1852, which was set up as part of the firm’s role in shipping the depth of our experience and our unrivalled newly discovered gold from Australia worldwide network of expertise in over 40 countries and America. around the globe. Courtesy of The Rothschild Archive. rothschildandco.com/insights ACCLAIM | WealthBriefing Recognises Leaders Across the Global Wealth Management Industry 31
GETTING THE CULTURE RIGHT AT ROTHSCHILD & CO
Tom Burroughes of WealthBriefing’s talks to Laurent Gagnebin, Chief Executive, Rothschild & Co Bank AG, about the successes achieved by his organisation.
What sets you apart from your peers this capabilities with the latter offering setting us What do you hope will be the main year? apart from most other banks. Of course, we consequence of achieving this accolade? It’s probably not one single point, but our also continue to invest into new digital solu- Our aim is always to offer the best service for ability to combine continuity, reliability and tions to enhance our clients’ access to our our clients’ needs. Winning such a renowned innovation in our overall approach to clients services, insights and investment materials. award is a great accolade for our teams and and investments. We focus on long-term in- will no doubt motivate them to continue to vestment strategies whilst delivering a very What have the challenges been in deliver exceptional service. personal journey to our clients, with only 24 cli- achieving excellence? ents per advisor. Of particular help to our inter- I think one of the most important aspects is How will you use the award to raise your national clients is our global network of more a cultural one. For us it is crucial to have the profile in the industry and among clients? than 3,500 professionals providing advice and right people for the delivery of an individual- We will use the award when communicating services across the financial services sector. ised and high-quality client journey. This is par- with our clients and partners, as we did with ticularly so given our independent investment previous WealthBriefing Awards. For us, it is How have your colleagues contributed to approach, which does not favour in-house a sign of quality and we are delighted to use the success of your organisation? products and supports a completely open the award when engaging with prospects and An award like this is, of course, the result investment architecture. Our client advisors clients. of strong teamwork. Besides our client advi- therefore need to be extremely well trained and sors, our investment team also did a great job have a deep understanding of our investment in 2019. The team delivered excellent perfor- universe. mance across multi-currency portfolios whilst In addition, like many banks, we face a chal- consistently outperforming investment peers. lenging regulatory environment and have met In addition, our global network of colleagues this challenge by investing in both the IT and was able to deliver cross-border investment manpower needed to meet regulatory require- advice to clients and provide them with a ments and improve our services to clients. global investment view. Whom do you look up to for inspiration What will you do to keep to the standard and examples to emulate and compare of an award-winner and push ahead in the yourself against, either inside or outside future? the wealth management industry? We keep our focus on just a few target mar- A very inspiring person for me is Claude kets where we have a deep understanding of Nobs, the founder of the famous Montreux all the relevant factors and a good local net- Jazz Festival. He created this outstanding work of experts. In addition, and despite the event and established it as one of the best- general pressure on margins, we continue to known music festivals in the world. In my view invest in very personal and long-term client re- he personifies hard work, perseverance and lationships. We’re also continuously expand- creativity. ing our open architecture product platform Crucially, he was able to reach out to peo- and in-house expertise in all asset classes. ple and develop strong personal relationships This is illustrated in our in-house private with artists, in order to build the festival in to a equity, private debt and co-investment world-class event.
“I THINK ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS IS A CULTURAL ONE. FOR US IT IS CRUCIAL TO HAVE THE RIGHT PEOPLE FOR THE DELIVERY OF AN INDIVIDUALISED AND HIGH-QUALITY CLIENT JOURNEY. THIS IS PARTICULARLY SO GIVEN OUR INDEPENDENT INVESTMENT APPROACH, WHICH DOES NOT FAVOUR IN-HOUSE PRODUCTS AND SUPPORTS A COMPLETELY OPEN INVESTMENT ARCHITECTURE.” Private Wealth A dynamic approach for durable solutions
Our Private Wealth Group covers the full range of private wealth legal issues. We advise individuals, families and closely-held family businesses as well as banks, family offices and trust companies in estate and wealth planning matters, and represent them in estate and trust litigations.
Smart. Your leading Swiss business Law Firm of the Year law firm with more Switzerland Effective. Citywealth 2019 RUNNER-UP than 150 lawyers in Zurich, Zurich / Geneva / Singapore Schellenberg Wittmer To the point. Geneva and Singapore www.swlegal.ch
SW_Anzeige_PG_Private_Wealth_A4.indd 1 28.01.2020 10:25:57 ACCLAIM | WealthBriefing Recognises Leaders Across the Global Wealth Management Industry 33
STAYING AHEAD OF RAPID CHANGE: HOW SCHELLENBERG WITTMER KEEPS DELIVERING HIGH-END SERVICE
Tom Burroughes from WealthBriefing talks to Bernard Vischer, Head of the Private Wealth Group in Geneva, Schellenberg Wittmer, about the effort required to keep it at the top flight in its sector.
What sets you apart from your peers this trusted relationship with public administrations year? and governmental bodies. This past year, Schellenberg Wittmer’s Private Wealth team has been involved in sev- What have the challenges been in eral complex and significant estate planning obtaining excellence? and estate liquidation cases, as well as liti- The biggest challenge has been and will be gations. More often than not, because of the indeed to cope with the pace of changes in the nature of the assets (real estate, art, operating regulatory environment and with their impact companies), those cases seamlessly involve on private wealth. We will endeavour to mas- other practice groups of the firm, in partic- ter the complexities and find simple, efficient ular the tax, real estate and banking teams. solutions for our clients. Moreover, as a result of the cross-border aspects, we have been working closely with Whom do you look up to for inspiration correspondents abroad. and examples to emulate and compare yourself? How have your colleagues contributed to Our assignments regularly lead us to col- the success of your organisation? laborate with competitors in Switzerland and Each colleague within the Private Wealth abroad. These collaborations are always great Group and other practice groups involved opportunities to learn, share and exchange has played his/her role in delivering precise, knowledge and overall they stimulate us to fur- practical and timely service, resulting in an ther improve our service. This is also the case effective teamwork. We regard it as essential when we work with our institutional clients such for our practice to share our knowledge and as banks and family offices with whom we strive to combine the expertise from the different to establish long term relationships as partners. team members that are necessary to serve the clients’ needs. What do you hope will be the main consequence of achieving this accolade? What will you do to keep to the standard We are very proud that our efforts to reach of an award-winner and push ahead in the excellence and our teamwork have been rec- future? ognized, as we are fully aware that we have We will, as a team, strive to keep abreast many competitors who could equally pretend of the latest legal developments in Switzerland to the accolade. It gives us confidence that we and abroad. In fact, we do not only inform our- do the right thing to best serve our clients. selves, but endeavor to shape the changes. We do so by being actively involved in profes- How will you use the award to raise your sional associations such as STEP, maintaining profile in the industry and among clients? a close contact to the academic world (one We will of course publicise it, but we do not counsel of our Private Wealth team is profes- need to do anything more, the award speaks sor at the Zurich University) and building a for itself.
“EACH COLLEAGUE WITHIN THE PRIVATE WEALTH GROUP AND OTHER PRACTICE GROUPS INVOLVED HAS PLAYED HIS/HER ROLE IN DELIVERING PRECISE, PRACTICAL AND TIMELY SERVICE, RESULTING IN AN EFFECTIVE TEAMWORK. WE REGARD IT AS ESSENTIAL FOR OUR PRACTICE TO SHARE OUR KNOWLEDGE AND TO COMBINE THE EXPERTISE FROM THE DIFFERENT TEAM MEMBERS THAT ARE NECESSARY TO SERVE THE CLIENTS’ NEEDS.” SOCIETE GENERALE IN SWITZERLAND A COMMITMENT FOR MORE THAN 120 YEARS
From Geneva and Zurich, our private bankers offer bespoke wealth management and financing solutions. We thank our clients for their trust.
privatebanking.societegenerale.ch
This document has been communicated in Switzerland by Société Générale Private Banking (Suisse) SA (« SGPBS ») whose head of ce is located rue du Rhône 8, CP 5022, CH-1211 Geneva 11. SGPBS is a bank authorized by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA. Further details are available on request or can be found at www.privatebanking.societegenerale.ch. – Copyright © Aurélien Chauvaud
721382A_238516 Annonce SGPB Masque A4_UK.indd 1 29/01/2020 14:36 ACCLAIM | WealthBriefing Recognises Leaders Across the Global Wealth Management Industry 35
BIG BUT ALSO NIMBLE: SOCIETE GENERALE DELIVERS A COMPELLING SWISS OFFERING
WealthBriefing’s Tom Burroughes talks to Societe Generale’s Private Banking arm about the qualities that won it plaudits.
What sets you apart from your peers this long-term security and succession planning This investment is key to continue to pro- year? goals. In addition, our UHNW team gathers vide our clients with the best services and tailor Societe Generale is a leading European fi- highly skilled and talented professionals, both made solutions. nancial services group, with a diversified and client relationship managers and Investment integrated banking model. Private banking and managers. Their past experiences comprise How will you use the award to raise your wealth management are strategic and core of corporate banking, asset management, profile in the industry and among clients? businesses for Societe Generale. We offer: international private banking and tax plan- Yes. This award is for us, as an institution, - A complete range of private banking ser- ning. Our common goal is to accompany cli- and also for all our staff a significant recognition vices: wealth management, credit, wealth plan- ents to protect and create long term value for of Societe Generale Private Banking’s commit- ning, alternative investments, diversification their family wealth, via a large toolbox in asset ment to Switzerland. We of course thank our solutions, etc. management and credit solutions client for their trust. - Direct access to the group’s full range of corporate and investment banking solutions: What will you do to keep to the standard markets, derivatives and structured products, of an award-winner and push ahead in the securities services, Lyxor (Asset Manage- future? ment), ALD Automotive (Fleet management & Being a European bank with a global foot- Leasing), equipment finance, trade finance. print, Societe Generale has been committed to Societe Generale places client satisfaction at Switzerland for over 120 years - and we con- the heart of its activity. We are an innovative and tinue to do so as we have an important role to responsible company, with strong and long- play. More than ever, Societe Generale places term commitment in terms of social, corporate client satisfaction at the heart of its activity: We and environmental responsibility. Regarding are an innovative and responsible company, more specifically the Swiss private banking with strong and long-term commitment in terms market, we deliver complementary capabilities of social, corporate and environmental respon- to local players and “fill a niche”. We also lever- sibility. For the future, SGPBS has a strong am- age our global footprint and competitive edge bition to improve the level of satisfaction of all its in the eurozone and put our strong balance employees and invests heavily in skills develop- sheet to work. ment. More specifically, for the last 18 months, the bank has created a training and develop- How have your colleagues contributed to ment program tailored to its talents, with a dual the success of your organisation? objective: Being part of a global banking group with - For employees: to make them grow, by 149.000 employees not only provides signifi- proposing unique and original development cant financial strength, but also comprehensive actions. A career booster for three years for capabilities. We put these capabilities and ex- three communities: junior / intermediate / senior pertise at the heart of our client services. For talents. example, regarding international clients and/or - For the bank: to identify, develop and retain ultra-high net worth individual. our future leaders. We’re a truly client focused team of British, French & Swiss nationals partnering with cli- ents, their advisers and our extensive networks to deliver tailored solutions. We consistently col- laborate across markets and group entities to support new business and client development. A recent case best illustrates our team spirit, agility and expertise: A multi-banked client re- located to the UK at short notice. We immedi- ately mobilised a team of experts to review the situation, goals and agree the tight timeline. In conjunction with the client’s tax advisors, our French and UK wealth planners helped plan the client’s exit from France and arrival in the UK. Leveraging the expertise of our Luxembourg team, we sourced the most suitable whole of market insurance solutions. We introduced the best specialist advisors to ensure that the policy was established to achieve the family’s 36 ACCLAIM | MARCH 2020
SCHRODER & CO BANK SETS THE PACE BY MAKING CLIENTS COMFORTABLE
Tom Burroughes of WealthBriefing’s talks to Roger Althaus, Head of UK, Zurich, Schroder & Co Bank AG, about how this firm scaled the heights to award-winning level.
What sets you apart from your peers this Equally, we need to keep up with the chang- year? es in the regulatory and tax environment. Hav- ing access to a network of savvy UK-based “WE BELIEVE THAT THIS We put the client at the centre of everything professionals is crucial but also time consum- we do. We position ourselves as a partner of ing as you have to balance your time between AWARD DEMONSTRATES choice, giving our clients peace of mind. As a intelligence gathering and servicing your first step, we identify our clients’ needs, which clients. THAT SCHRODERS then allows us to define tailored solutions that WEALTH MANAGEMENT the clients understand and feel comfortable Whom do you look up to for inspiration with. and examples to emulate and compare IS THE RIGHT PARTNER yourself against, either inside or outside Being perceived by our clients as a trust- the wealth management industry? FOR UK RESIDENT ed partner upon whom they can rely is key to us. This requires a bespoke and pro-active I do not have a real idol but rather strive to HIGH-NET-WORTH approach, reflecting the principles Schroders improve how to fulfil my role to the best of my CLIENTS, SERVING AS Wealth Management stands for. abilities. This also includes learning from oth- ers, sharing experiences and understanding A TESTAMENT TO OUR How have your colleagues contributed to what our clients really want. the success of your organisation? COMMITMENT TO PUT This is what drives me, supported by both Servicing wealth management clients can positive and negative feedback from clients CLIENTS FIRST AND TO only be successful if a team works as one, is and colleagues. DELIVER A FIRST-RATE as a whole informed about the clients’ needs and circumstances. What do you hope will be the main PERFORMANCE IN consequence of achieving this accolade? We put a lot of emphasis on making the ALL ASPECTS OF THE client comfortable with the organisation by Confirmation that we are on the right path. introducing deputies, assistants and invest- Also, gaining further motivation to excel and, RELATIONSHIP.” ment specialists. It is important that the client hopefully, collecting more awards! notices that integrated approach. How will you use the award to raise your What will you do to keep to the standard profile in the industry and among clients? of an award-winner and push ahead in the future? We believe that this award demonstrates that Schroders Wealth Management is the right The award is a big motivation to continue on partner for UK resident high-net-worth clients, the path we are on and to further enhance the serving as a testament to our commitment to client experience. put clients first and to deliver a first-rate perfor- mance in all aspects of the relationship. What have the challenges been in achieving excellence?
We need to be continuously aware of the changing circumstances in the UK market, the concerns and challenges that clients experi- ence or are confronted with. ACCLAIM | WealthBriefing Recognises Leaders Across the Global Wealth Management Industry 37
STAYING ON TOP OF FAST DIGITAL TRENDS: HOW TECHRULES EXCELS
Tom Burroughes of WealthBriefing’s talks to Jaime Bolivar, Managing Director at TechRules, about how its digital transformation work has won it plaudits.
echRules is a leader in digital transforma- part of the sector in products, services, technol- have pointed new ways in user experience and tion for Wealth and Asset Management, a ogies, assets… Taking this point into account, full functionality on mobile devices. Tleading consultancy service and a Wealth we consider that we are ready for the immedi- Management Software provider for financial ate 5 trends to focus: What do you hope will be the main entities. We develop modular, scalable and - Regulation and customer protection, as consequence of achieving this accolade? APIfied technology to solve specific customer’s they are more complex and harder to comply. This kind of achievements are like fresh air, needs. We provide WealthTech expertise for - Full digital experience, in order to be more because, somehow, they report that you are business automation in financial entities based user-friendly, accessible and easy to under- doing something right and your customers will on AI and according to regulatory requirements. stand. also perceive that their bet for us was right, In our website (www.techrules.com), you can - Aggregated financial planning to apply AI too. It has been more that 20 years to reach find a full outlook of our work in AI, gamification, and obtain more scalable results. this point and we can proudly say that we have sentiment analysis and other fintech fields. - Real-time communications to differ from performed powerfully this time. Additionally, this competitors, as you provide a specific personal award is second to none, as WealthBriefing has What sets you apart from your peers this attention to final customers. a very relevant position in the market. year? - Easy adoption of solutions per entity: com- Our main advantage compared to our com- bining standardization to optimize implementa- How will you use the award to raise your petitors is our ability to adapt quickly to any kind tions and processes with tailored solutions to profile in the industry and among clients? of developments. We have consolidated a po- provide a personal imagen and strengthen the We will explain our clients that this acco- sition as very specialised provider in modular, company brand. lade is the result of a continuous commitment white label and scalable solutions. This is part Listening is a word that everybody uses, but with the projects in which we work for them. It of our success, because our modules and APIs only seldom applies. We apply it always, be- will help us strengthen our brand marketing, are easy to integrate in any platforms with a cause listening helps us not only bringing the as the award supports that we are innovative, wide range of compatibility and very low degree best solutions, but also detect future trends. trustworthy and competent to develop the best of errors. That is the best way to adapt continuously in solutions for financial companies and profes- Last year, we focused our work in powerful this competitive changing market. sionals. It will also help to broaden our cus- financial planning modules linked to AI and ma- Additionally, we invest a lot in R&D on a year- tomer portfolio, as we will be able to report that chine learning. We also applied blockchain for ly basis. We have recently invested in SaaS, we were awarded by one of the most relevant financial entities, as a first step of a technology PaaS and APIfied all our solutions in a very short prizes in the sector. that has a long future in this sector. term, actually, less than a year. Finally, we profit from our long experience, because in these 25 years we have developed What have the challenges been in solutions to cover all kind of tasks, products and obtaining excellence? services. Our platform Tower has been updated The main challenge is staying always at the to integrated new APIs. We have applied cut- top of the industry and growing further. That is ting-edge technologies for robo-advisors and only possible with a historical background of tools for self directed investors. Additionally, we success and a competitive well-trained staff. have consolidated our services to create mod- Fintech companies asks for very professional el portfolios and fund factsheets automatically. profiles ready to develop tailored state-of-art That means, a financial company can cover all solutions. It is not easy to begin in this sector. their demands with us. That is why we are proud of delivering knowl- edge for our clients, because that is the key to How have your colleagues contributed to solve any challenge. the success of your organisation? Specifically, we will keep on working on our TechRules is impossible to understand with- high-standard API Financial Management Mar- out my colleagues and the full company staff. ketplace and improve the full set of solutions: TechRules is human knowledge applied to fi- Advice APIs, Generic APIs, Portfolio Analytics, nances and new technological developments in Model Portfolio and Investment Tools. this field. The whole team is committed with the company goals and the clients, they are com- Whom do you look up to for inspiration petent, trustworthy and always ready to learn and examples to emulate and compare and improve. They are key for our success. yourself against, either inside or outside the wealth management industry? What will you do to keep to the standard It is incredible how the industry changes with of an award-winner and push ahead in the the democratization of investments through the future? robo advisors solutions and other very similar. We cannot say that we expect changes Just to mention some of the more interesting in the sector. When you say fintech, the word because of their developments or their busi- “change” is included in the meaning. Change is ness model: Revolut, Monzo and Nutmeg. They Thanks to its lifelong independence, Mirabaud can support you in your ambitions and ventures. For 200 years, we have been thinking about the present. www.mirabaud.com
WEALTH MANAGEMENT - ASSET MANAGEMENT - SECURITIES ACCLAIM | WealthBriefing Recognises Leaders Across the Global Wealth Management Industry 39
THE WEALTHBRIEFING SWISS AWARDS WINNERS 2020
WINNERS: INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT CATEGORIES
BEST EXTERNAL ASSET MANAGER BEST ALTERNATIVE FUND MANAGER
WealthBriefing SWISS WealthBriefing SWISS AWARDS 2020 AWARDS 2020
BEST EXTERNAL ASSET MANAGEMENT PLATFORM BEST PRIVATE INVESTMENT OFFICE/ AND OFFERING MULTI-FAMILY OFFICE ab WealthBriefing SWISS WealthBriefing SWISS AWARDS 2020 AWARDS 2020
BEST ASSET MANAGEMENT FIRM SERVING FAMILY BEST ETF PROVIDER OFFICES AND PRIVATE BANKS
WealthBriefing SWISS WealthBriefing SWISS AWARDS 2020 AWARDS 2020
BEST FUND MANAGER
WealthBriefing SWISS AWARDS 2020
WINNERS: PRIVATE CLIENT CATEGORIES
BEST LEGAL TEAM BEST ESTATE PLANNING
WealthBriefing SWISS WealthBriefing SWISS AWARDS 2020 AWARDS 2020
BEST INDEPENDENT TRUST OR FIDUCIARY COMPANY
WealthBriefing SWISS AWARDS 2020
ACCLAIM | WealthBriefing Recognises Leaders Across the Global Wealth Management Industry 41
WINNERS: WEALTH MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY CATEGORIES (technology vendors only)
BEST FRONT OFFICE SOLUTION BEST DATA PROVIDER
WealthBriefing SWISS WealthBriefing SWISS AWARDS 2020 AWARDS 2020
BEST TRANSACTION PROCESSING SOLUTION BEST CLIENT ACCOUNTING
WealthBriefing SWISS WealthBriefing SWISS AWARDS 2020 AWARDS 2020
BEST PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT BEST RISK PROFILING SOLUTION
WealthBriefing SWISS WealthBriefing SWISS AWARDS 2020 AWARDS 2020
BEST CLIENT COMMUNICATIONS BEST RISK MANAGEMENT
WealthBriefing SWISS WealthBriefing SWISS AWARDS 2020 AWARDS 2020
BEST CLIENT REPORTING BEST ON-BOARDING
WealthBriefing SWISS WealthBriefing SWISS AWARDS 2020 AWARDS 2020
BEST COMPLIANCE BEST CHANGE MANAGEMENT PROCESS/ IMPLEMENTATION OF A TECHNOLOGY SOLUTION
WealthBriefing SWISS WealthBriefing SWISS AWARDS 2020 AWARDS 2020
BEST CRM SYSTEM BEST INNOVATIVE FINTECH SOLUTION
WealthBriefing SWISS WealthBriefing SWISS AWARDS 2020 AWARDS 2020
BEST OUTSOURCING SOLUTION BEST NEWCOMER – TECHNOLOGY
WealthBriefing SWISS WealthBriefing SWISS AWARDS 2020 AWARDS 2020
ACCLAIM | WealthBriefing Recognises Leaders Across the Global Wealth Management Industry 43
WINNERS: PRIVATE BANKING CATEGORIES
BEST PRIVATE BANK – CUSTOMER FACING DIGITAL BEST FAMILY OFFICE OFFERING CAPABILITIES
WealthBriefing SWISS WealthBriefing SWISS AWARDS 2020 AWARDS 2020
BEST PRIVATE BANK – CREDIT PROVIDER BEST UHNW TEAM (INTERNATIONAL CLIENTS)
WealthBriefing SWISS WealthBriefing SWISS AWARDS 2020 AWARDS 2020
BEST PRIVATE BANK – TALENT MANAGEMENT BEST UHNW TEAM (SWISS DOMESTIC CLIENTS)
WealthBriefing SWISS WealthBriefing SWISS AWARDS 2020 AWARDS 2020
BEST PRIVATE BANK – INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT BEST HNW TEAM (INTERNATIONAL CLIENTS) PLATFORM
WealthBriefing SWISS WealthBriefing SWISS AWARDS 2020 AWARDS 2020
BEST PRIVATE BANK – CLIENT SERVICE BEST HNW TEAM (SWISS DOMESTIC CLIENTS)
WealthBriefing SWISS WealthBriefing SWISS AWARDS 2020 AWARDS 2020
BEST CLIENT INITIATIVE BEST FOREIGN PRIVATE BANK
WealthBriefing SWISS WealthBriefing SWISS AWARDS 2020 AWARDS 2020
BEST SPECIALIST INTERNATIONAL TEAM BEST DOMESTIC PRIVATE BANK
WealthBriefing SWISS WealthBriefing SWISS AWARDS 2020 AWARDS 2020 WealthBriefing and its regional sister sites are the leading subscription-based business intelligence services for the wealth management community, with the latest news, analysis and in-depth features from around the globe. Delivered straight to subscribers’ inboxes every day, these services provide need-to-know business intelligence in a convenient and easy-to-read format.
www.wealthbriefing.com
WealthBriefingAsia launched in 2009, is the only wealth management news site focusing exclusively on the Asia-Pacific region.
www.wealthbriefingasia.com
Family Wealth Report - the content as with our other sites comes from both our own dedicated editorial team as well as leading industry professionals, helping subscribers stay on top of all the important developments relating to wealth management, family offices, and the HNW/UHNW sectors in North America.
www.fwreport.com
Compliance Matters is the key source of international news and analysis on the latest regulatory initiatives within the private banking and wealth management industry. Compliance Matters provides readers with exclusive access to expert analysis and advice on how best to operate a business within the legal bounds.
www.comp-matters.com
Offshore Red is the key monthly source of news and analysis relating to international tax, trust and regulatory developments, with unique access to a highly-qualified group of experts specialising in tax planning, legal and financial services.
www.os-red.com
WEALTH MANAGEMENT & PRIVATE CLIENT EVENTS & AWARDS SERIES
An unrivalled thought-leadership platform, WealthBriefing’s events foster intellectual debate on the challenges and opportunities facing the industry and are designed to be an optimal use of wealth managers’ precious time; they represent an excellent networking opportunity and attendees also accrue valuable CPD hours. WealthBriefing has added to its offering for the global private banking and wealth management communities by running six annual awards programmes for the private investment and private client communities. The awards programmes are focused around three main category groupings: experts (individuals and teams); products and services for wealth managers and clients, and institutions of all sizes and types.
BESPOKE RESEARCH SERVICES
WealthBriefing has unrivalled access to the most senior wealth management professionals across the globe, meaning that our research reports represent guides to future best practice as much as being barometers of current industry trends.
© 2020 ClearView Financial Media Ltd. 52 Grosvenor Gardens, London, SW1W 0AU, United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0) 207 148 0188 / [email protected] / www.clearviewpublishing.com / VAT Reg No: 843 3686 09 ACCLAIM | WealthBriefing Recognises Leaders Across the Global Wealth Management Industry 45
WINNER: WEALTH MANAGEMENT WINNER: TECHNOLOGY CATEGORIES MARKETING/PR CATEGORIES (in-house solutions only)
BEST INNOVATIVE CLIENT SOLUTION BEST MARKETING OR PR CAMPAIGN
WealthBriefing SWISS WealthBriefing SWISS AWARDS 2020 AWARDS 2020
WINNERS: OTHER WEALTH MANAGEMENT CATEGORIES
BEST CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY/ BEST WEALTH PLANNING TEAM DIVERSITY
WealthBriefing SWISS WealthBriefing SWISS AWARDS 2020 AWARDS 2020
BEST WEALTH MANAGEMENT EXECUTIVE SEARCH FIRM (SWITZERLAND)
WealthBriefing SWISS AWARDS 2020
WINNERS: LEADERSHIP CATEGORIES
BEST OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO WEALTH BEST WOMEN IN WEALTH MANAGEMENT MANAGEMENT THOUGHT LEADERSHIP (COMPANY) (INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTION)
NATACHA ONAWELHO-LOREN
WealthBriefing SWISS WealthBriefing SWISS AWARDS 2020 AWARDS 2020
BEST OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO WEALTH MANAGEMENT THOUGHT LEADERSHIP (INDIVIDUAL)
MARIE OWENS THOMSEN
WealthBriefing SWISS AWARDS 2020 46 ACCLAIM | MARCH 2020
ATTENDEE LIST The WealthBriefing Swiss Awards 2020
A E L S Accuro EPAM LALIVE Schellenberg Wittmer Aon ERI Bancaire Lemania Pension Hub Schroder & Co Bank APIAX Expersoft Systems Lombard Odier Sionic Global Advisors Appway Skenderbeg Investment F M Management B FCM Finanz Service MilleniumAssociates smartKYC Banco Santander International Finantix Mirabaud Societe Generale Private Banking Banque Cantonale de Geneve Finazlab SS&C Advent (BCGE) FundCount N State Secretary Banque Internationale a Norman Alex Stonehage Fleming Luxembourg (Suisse) G STR Conseils Banque Paris Bertrand Geneva Management Group O Summit Trust Group Banque Privee Edmond de ONE PM Summit Trust International Rothschild H Swisscom Banque SYZ HSBC P swisspartners Marcuard Heritage Belmont Consulting Hyposwiss Private Bank Peritus Investment Consultancy Swissquant Bolt Execution Partners Prometeia BRP Tax I T id4 AG R TINDECO C Independent Advisor Refinitiv TrustConsult Group Capitalium Advisors Indosuez Wealth Management REYL & Cie Charles River Development Intertrust Rhone Trustees U Charles Russell Speechlys Rothschild & Co Wealth UBS Citibank (Switzerland) J Management Union Bancaire Privee JTC Rothschild & Co Wealth D Julius Baer Management W DART Talent & Executive Search Walder Wyss Decalia Asset Management Wealthcoaching.ch Deutsche Bank Withers AI Enabled KYC Screening for the Whole Client Lifecycle
PROUD SPONSORS OF THE WEALTHBRIEFING SWISS AWARDS 2020
Target Pro ling Robotic Enhanced Due Periodic Refresh High Frequency Onboarding Diligence Monitoring
Media Archives Watchlists
Asset Speci c Company Data Information
HARMONISE YOUR KYC SOURCES Search ID Engines Veri cation
Legal Databases Wealth Corroboration
Social Media Independence, GLOBAL AWARDS integrity and genuine insight Showcasing the best in the industry are the watchwords of the judging process
2020 WealthBriefing SWISS WealthBriefingAsia SCHEDULE AWARDS 2020 AWARDS 2020
FEBRUARY 2020 WealthBriefing Swiss Awards WealthBriefing EUROPEAN WealthBriefingAsia GREATER CHINA MARCH 2020 AWARDS 2020 AWARDS 2020 Family Wealth Report Awards APRIL 2020 WealthBriefing European Awards NEW YORK SAN FRANCISCO MAY 2020 AWARDS 2020 AWARDS 2020 WealthBriefingAsia Awards JUNE 2020 WealthBriefingAsia Greater China Awards NOVEMBER 2020 WealthBriefing MENA Awards NOVEMBER 2020 For more information: + 44 (0) 20 7148 0188 (UK office) Family Wealth Report San Francisco Awards www.wealthbriefing.com / www.wealthbriefingasia.com / www.fwreport.com