Two World Wars, the founding of the United Nations, the Moon Landing, the Global Financial Crisis in 2007, and the COVID-19 pandemic: just a handful of significant global events that have happened since the Bank moved its headquarters to the heart of the financial district in Zurich.
Few people have the same connection with the building as Raymond J. Baer. Having grown up in the family business and served as Head of Private Wealth Management/Deputy CEO and then as Chairman of the Board, he knows the maze of corridors and staircases of Bahnhofstrasse well. For him, the building is much more than bricks and mortar.
Stability in turbulent times
“In a world where everything is constantly changing, celebrating a one-hundred-year anniversary is an incredible sign of stability,” he explains. “The purchase of the building is an important pillar in the story of Julius Baer. Our origins are based in Zurich, but we also grew strongly throughout Switzerland.”
“Our heritage as a Swiss-rooted institution is a fundamental part of our DNA and is a feature that ought to be preserved. I’m a strong believer that if you don’t have strong roots, your tree cannot grow.”
The image of the building was incorporated into the Julius Baer logo back in 2019, as part of a rebranding initiative aiming to strengthen the Bank’s identity and reflect its long-standing tradition. Raymond continues: “People from around the world love to visit; the building has a lot of character. When they see it, they see where we come from and start to understand us better.”
He recalls a time when the Bahnhofstrasse building looked different to how it looks today: “There was no visible sign from the outside that the building belonged to Julius Baer and what used to be the main entrance was at the side of the building.”
The steps to this side entrance still exist; back then they led into a dimly lit teller room. “In this room were three or four tellers, who were some of the most important people at the Bank,” Raymond notes. “Clients came into this main meeting room to do business, but also to talk about their lives, in much the same way that people tell their stories to psychologists today. The tellers had strong relationships with the clients and the entire family, and knew them best.”
Technology through the ages
The heart of our business has – and always will be– trusted human connections. But over the years, one thing has changed the way we do business: technology.
“The whole family was invited to see the first computer that was installed near Bahnhofstrasse,” says Raymond. “I don’t remember how old I was, but I remember us all standing, wide-eyed, around a punch card computer [a form of data entry that pre-dates the advent of modern dating]. It was a huge machine with very little output possibilities.”
Years before, when the Bank was one of only five Swiss banks operating in the United States of America in the 1940s, limited financial resources meant that shared technology was necessary. Julius Baer co-hosted a Telex machine connection with Bear Stearns, leading to the memorable joint identifier ‘Twin Bears’.
From those shared Telex lines, the Bank moved steadily forward to Telefax machines. “We had incredibly big fax machines, one per floor. There was an excitement about receiving the transmitted documents, which is something we take for granted today,” says Raymond.
Being able to embrace technological advancements to enhance service to our clients continues to this day. This ongoing evolution underscores the importance of adapting to new innovations, particularly as technology accelerates at an unprecedented pace. He adds: “This generation has experienced a lot of technological leaps. I think the next generation will go through even more, with the advancements in AI.”
A legacy built to last
Aside from business activities, Raymond explains that being rooted somewhere means taking a deep interest in the cohesion of society. Throughout the years, the Baer family have been active as participants on numerous banking associations as well as cultural institutions. One of the unique features of our headquarters, uniting all Julius Baer locations around the world, underlines this interconnectedness: the presence of art on the walls.
The Julius Baer Art Committee was formally established in 1981 by Raymond’s father, Hans J. Baer. Its objective is to support artists and the visual arts in Switzerland. The intention has always been to be philanthropic, focusing on artists with potential at the beginning of their careers, to encourage the facilitation of their innovative artistic practices and creativity.
Earlier this year, it was announced that Julius Baer is partnering with M+ Museum Hong Kong, Asia’s most esteemed museum of contemporary visual culture, to support two new major artist commissions. One of them, digital media artist Refik Anadol—who was previously supported by the Bank’s NEXT initiative—donated his work ‘Glacier Dreams’ to Kunsthaus Zürich in January; it is now part of the museum’s permanent collection in the heart of the city.
“If you are lucky enough to do well, you should contribute to society. As a family, we wanted to give back culturally, to help young artists and musicians find their career. Additionally, the work undertaken by the Foundation to create equal opportunities and to address wealth inequality within society is extremely important.”
Celebrating 60 years of contributing to a more equitable world in 2025, the Julius Baer Foundation was founded by Raymond’s great-uncle, Walter, to share the success of the company with broader parts of society. It not only convenes leading actors and thinkers on the wealth inequality topic but also funds projects to make a direct impact on communities with the purpose of inspiring others to action.
“Even though the family is not taking an active part in the day-to-day running of the business, the younger generation of Baers are taking good care of our heritage and legacy.”
With his final words, Raymond adds: “I think that’s a wonderful thing, and I hope it lasts forever.”