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A Pure-Play Private Bank

We specialise in one area of expertise: managing our clients’ wealth for the long term. 

Union Bancaire Privée (UBP) was founded in 1969 with a vision from the outset to offer investors an astute and innovative wealth management service. Today, we continue to channel our entrepreneurial spirit and apply our conviction-driven investment expertise to preserve and grow our clients’ assets for the long term.


Dedicated to Wealth and Asset Management

As a pure-play wealth and asset manager, UBP is dedicated solely to providing our clients with top-tier investment solutions and premium services. With strong client relationships at the heart of our process, our conviction-driven approach is designed to develop and tailor innovative solutions across traditional and alternative investments. Backed by award-winning franchises, we stay ahead of market trends to achieve your long-term goals. Our comprehensive services include direct access to our experts and trading floor, along with wealth planning, family offices and credit.

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UBP’s independence is not just financial; it’s also in the way we think – our ability to think differently.

Guy de Picciotto, Chief Executive Officer

A solid partner by your side

As well as being one of the most strongly-capitalised banks, UBP stands among Switzerland’s wealth management leaders and the world’s largest non-listed, family-owned private banks. Our size and structure allows us to take a robust institutional approach while preserving a human scale that cultivates agility and collaboration.

 

Data as of 30 June 2024

150.8

Assets under management (in CHF billions)

  • Balance sheet (in CHF billions)

    39.1
  • Net profit (in CHF millions)

    138.1
  • Tier 1 ratio

    27.2
  • Employees

    2,117
  • Liquidity coverage ratio

    267.8%
  • Moody’s long-term rating

    Aa2

A Family Affair

Having become one of the major family-owned banks in the world, UBP remains in the hands of the de Picciotto family, who have controlled it through CBI Holding SA since it was founded by Edgar de Picciotto. The second generation successfully took over full management in 2016, ensuring the founder’s legacy while steering the Banks continued expansion. The third generation is now rising through the ranks, poised to shape the future. 

The fact that the shareholders are one family is a differentiating factor in itself. It guarantees our solidity, our ability to make decisions quickly and the alignment of the shareholders’ interests with those of our clients: UBP is a bank built on long-term commitment. On top of this, as a family business UBP has always assumed its responsibilities – ultimately, it is the family’s name that is at stake, as well as its reputation.

Swiss excellence, global presence

UBP is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, but spans the globe. Spread over some twenty locations in the world’s key economic and financial hubs, the Bank’s workforce embodies multiple nationalities and cultures. While we are deeply rooted in our Swiss heritage, our international reach enables us to combine global expertise with local know-how in order to deliver solutions best adapted to our clients, wherever they are based.

UBP Geneva

Geneva is the seat from which Union Bancaire Privée (UBP) has been developing since 1969, to become one of the biggest family-owned private banks in the world. UBP’s headquarters, right in the centre of Geneva, are the largest of UBP’s sites worldwide. The head office is also one of the eleven booking centres the Group has spread across the world’s financial and economic hubs. Our experienced wealth management professionals working out of Geneva provide both private and institutional clients with high-quality, specialised services.

UBP Zurich

The Zurich branch of Union Bancaire Privée, UBP SA (UBP) is the second-largest office of the Group’s global network with CHF 22 billion in assets under management. At its prime Bahnhofstrasse 1 location, UBP Zurich employs over 230 staff (as at 31.12.2022) providing private banking and asset management services for private and institutional clients. UBP Zurich works closely with the Group’s fourteen investment offices across the globe.

UBP Luxembourg

UBP has been active in Luxembourg since 1971 through its subsidiary Union Bancaire Privée (Europe) S.A. Over the years, Union Bancaire Privée (Europe) S.A. has steadily built up its presence through major acquisitions and solid organic growth to become one of the Top 10 Luxembourg private banks (in total assets). As the Group’s European hub, UBP Luxembourg is fully licensed to carry out its activities in the European Union, which allows our experts to serve our clients in each of the 27 Member States from our headquarters in Luxembourg.

UBP London

UBP’s London branch opened in 1991 and provides both asset and wealth management services. Located in the central area of Marylebone, UBP London employs over 130 staff (as at 31 December 2022).

UBP Dubai

Union Bancaire Privée (UBP) is a family-owned and truly independent Swiss private bank, which caters to private and institutional clients. Deeply rooted in Switzerland, UBP’s heritage is one of excellence, stability, discretion and professionalism.

Today, UBP manages over CHF 140 billion in assets under management. With a highly specialised professional workforce of 2,094 people, the Bank is present in over 20 locations around the world, and offers its clients 11 different booking centres, including in Geneva, Monaco and Singapore.

UBP Singapore

UBP: A family-owned bank with a legacy of innovation and strong foothold in Asia

UBP Hong Kong

UBP: A family-owned bank with a legacy of innovation and strong foothold in Asia

The drive you demand

What drives us at UBP is serving you, our clients. Finding the solutions that will give you the freedom to pursue your goals.

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Our values

Dedication, conviction, agility and responsibility permeate our corporate culture and lie at the heart of our client relationships. These values drive us to develop and refine successful strategies and high-performance investment solutions precisely responding to your wealth and asset management needs. 

Our client-focused approach is the founding pillar of our activity. We work tirelessly to deliver on our promises. We remain open, earnest and readily available to uphold the level of service and performance that you expect. We respect your demanding nature, as it reflects our own.

We have always worked on the basis of a bold vision for the future and a firm belief in our business. Through our determination to stick to our convictions we deliver innovative and performance-driven investment solutions. Our conviction inspires trust among our clients and attracts the best talent in the industry.

The structure of our organisation and our teams is designed to enable fast and informed decision-making and nimble operations – characteristics that we believe are fundamental to our success. Our ability to recognise and seize opportunities keeps us ahead of the game.

We analyse the full implications of our decisions, and ensure that integrity prevails in all our actions, at every level. On a daily basis, we are committed both individually and as a team to applying the research, control, risk and compliance that our business demands.

With a long-term vision, our responsibility naturally extends to the future. As the world is changing, we believe it is our duty to integrate sustainability throughout our business in order to serve our clients’ best interests and contribute to channelling capital into the transition to a green and inclusive economy.

A story of growth

UBP's story starts not in a boardroom, but on the world stage. In the 17th century, a family lineage steeped in diplomacy and trade began its journey. Fast forward to 1954, and a descendant, Edgar de Picciotto, settles in Switzerland, honing his business skills. Inspired by his father-in-law's banking background, he joined a Geneva bank, igniting a passion for wealth management.

In 1969, that passion became UBP's foundation. Edgar knew the bank needed to grow quickly, and through a series of strategic acquisitions, UBP quadrupled in size with the takeover of American Express Bank in 1990 (the largest Swiss bank merger at the time!). With the second generation coming on board and taking senior roles, this growth by acquisition continued with key takeovers including DBTC (2002), ABN AMRO (2011), and Coutts International (2015), opening doors to Asia. Most recently, Millennium Banque Privée (2021) and Danske Bank International (2022) joined the UBP family.

In just 50 years, UBP has grown into a global leader in private banking, managing over CHF 150 billion and employing over 2,100 staff. With the third generation entering the leadership, this remarkable journey from a family heritage to a global force is a testament to UBP's vision and strategic growth.

Not only family owned but family run

Today, just as it always has, Union Bancaire Privée, UBP SA (UBP) belongs to the de Picciotto family, which controls the Bank through CBI Holding SA. Daniel de Picciotto, who has been a Board member since 2010, took over from his father in 2016 as the Chairman of the Bank’s Board of Directors. Anne Rotman de Picciotto, has held a seat on the Board since 2006. Continuity is also embodied in Guy de Picciotto, who has been serving as Chief Executive Officer, overseeing the Bank’s operational management, since 1998. The third generation is now also  in the Bank and rising through the ranks.

 

UBP’s governing bodies are made up of top financiers and leading political figures. 

 

Our Board Members

 

Our Executive Committee Members

Recognition

We are consistently recognised through industry awards across our expertise, services, and locations. These awards stand as a testament to the depth and quality of our offerings.

WealthBriefing Award logo

WealthBriefing

The WealthBriefing Awards are a global program that recognises achievements within the wealth management industry. For over 10 years we have been consistently recognised by WealthBriefing across markets and services. Including in most recent years:

  • Switzerland: Best Bank for UHNW Team (Swiss Domestic Clients) 2023 and Best Family Office Offering 2024
  • Europe: Three years in a row our Alternatives offering have won with our Investment Platform also gaining recognition.
  • MENA: Best Boutique Private Bank for 2023 with our Private Markets offering winning three times in since 2021
  • Asia: Since 2016 our private banking services have consistently been recognised in Hong Kong, Singapore and Greater China

PWM - Best Private Bank in Monaco Award logo

PWM / The Banker

The PWM / The Banker Global Private Banking Awards are a prestigious recognition program within the wealth management industry. UBP’s Monaco branch was award Best Private Bank three times in a row.


Asia Money Private Banking award logo

Euromoney Global Private Banking Awards

Euromoney Global Private Banking Awards wins include in Asia Best Pure Play Private Bank and Best Discretionary Portfolio Management.

Our publications

For more about us, have a look at our publications

2023 Annual Report

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2023 Financial report

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UBP in a Nutshell

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12.07.2024

Sustainability: an increasingly important consideration for wealth management

In early 2023, Nicolas Barben was appointed UBP’s Group Head of ESG Solutions within the Wealth Management division. We spoke to him about the role of regulation, the evolution of client interest in sustainability, and the performance of sustainable solutions, as well as his top priorities.

10.07.2024

Finnish ex-premier addresses UBP clients
Our annual flagship conference “UBP Looks at Geopolitics” at the prestigious Widder Hotel in Zurich recently brought together nearly 130 clients, prospects, and UBP employees for an evening of dynamic dialogue. The anticipation was palpable as Adrian Künzi introduced the high-profile keynote speaker, Sanna Marin.

09.07.2024

New White Paper covers shareholder voting on remuneration

Research confirms that companies that do not embed sustainability targets into executive remuneration strategies struggle to motivate executives to adopt sustainable practices, leading to misalignment with societal expectations and stakeholder interests.

05.07.2024

UBP lays the foundations of a pragmatic sustainability offering

UBP’s Head of Sustainability, Robert de Guigné, reflects on UBP’s progress in advancing the sustainability agenda since his arrival in August 2022, and outlines what’s next for the Bank as the sustainable finance agenda evolves rapidly in and beyond Switzerland.

26.06.2024

UBP releases 2023 Sustainability Report

UBP’s fourth annual Sustainability Report outlines our sustainability vision and strategy, while providing a transparent account of our progress and achievements along with next steps, covering both investments and operations.

14.06.2024

UBP's Strategic Vision of Pure-Play Private Banking in Southeast Asia

Hubbis met with Eric Morin recently to learn more about UBP’s current momentum in Southeast Asia, the bank’s key focus areas, his strategic priorities, and his vision for the future of private banking in the region.

11.06.2024

“Forget unrestricted market access to Europe”

The CEO of wealth management bank Union Bancaire Privée is focused on growth through acquisitions.

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