Alexandre, what do you think defines a successful partnership between a private bank and financial intermediaries?

A successful partnership is above all based on a shared philosophy. It is born of a shared vision: putting the focus on the client, guided by core values such as independence, performance, and long-term trust – without compromise.

Success also depends on the ability to embrace complexity rather than imposing standardised models. This is what I would call pragmatic flexibility. A tailor-made service is essential. It’s not just a question of asset custody, but also a matter of ongoing support, delivered by proactive relationship managers, personalised reporting, and integrated digital tools that enhance financial intermediaries’ capabilities in real terms.

This is how relationships evolve from a simple service relationship to a true partnership: an ongoing dialogue in which feedback feeds innovation and enables us to build lasting success together.

How well prepared are local financial intermediaries today when it comes to coping with regulatory pressures and margin constraints?

The level of preparation varies greatly from one player to another. The most advanced financial intermediaries are actively investing in compliance and technologies to anticipate growing regulatory requirements. Smaller organisations, on the other hand, are struggling to absorb the rising costs associated with licences, frequent audits, and complex standards, which is putting their business model under strain.

Faced with these challenges, developing robust solutions in-house is becoming increasingly expensive. Many therefore use stable financial institutions or specialist service providers for critical functions such as cross-border structuring, regulatory support, or client onboarding.

In this competitive environment, where margins are squeezed, only those who can provide real added value, particularly through strategic advice, personalised support, and distinctive expertise, will survive.

In your opinion, what innovation or transformation in service provision has had the greatest impact on relations with financial intermediaries in recent years?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is now an integral part of the equation. The banks and financial intermediaries that integrate it quickly and intelligently will have a clear competitive advantage. I’m already seeing its effect in a number of areas, such as onboarding (KYC, compliance), understanding client needs (analysis of client needs, targeted investment proposals), and large-scale personalisation (the ability to provide a truly personalised service, without increasing operational costs). 

Another aspect of the transformation is the importance of connectivity, which has become an operational standard. Integrated digital interfaces now facilitate transparency, process efficiency, and automated reporting. 

Finally, access to providers of sophisticated financial solutions (e.g. private markets or alternative solutions) is becoming crucial: in addition to traditional asset allocation, the ability of financial intermediaries to offer innovative and ‘niche’ solutions provides real differentiation for their clients. 

We are at the very beginning of a major transformation of the sector, driven by AI and technology: financial intermediaries that anticipate this turning point by surrounding themselves with the right partners will be able to make the most of it.

Compared with other regions, what distinctive features characterise the landscape of financial intermediaries in French-speaking Switzerland?

The Geneva region stands as a global nexus for private wealth, home to a concentrated community of entrepreneurial asset managers and financial intermediaries who serve sophisticated, internationally diverse, and often multi-generational client families. These advisors act as trusted stewards, cultivating long-standing relationships with clients across Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, and key financial centres in Asia and the Gulf region, including the United Arab Emirates.

Positioned at the intersection of tradition and transformation, they connect global capital flows to Swiss stability, demanding equally nuanced support from their banking partners. To meet these exacting standards, the bank must combine deep local understanding with broad international reach, delivering not only innovative investment opportunities but also seamless, transparent, and consistently reliable execution. In such a discerning environment, every partnership decision reflects a commitment to quality, trust, and sustained excellence.