ZHAW Wealth Management Blog

A Blog of the ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences

Tag: strategy

PE Performance

Private Equity for Wealth Management Clients: Does the Case Still Hold?

PE has become a popular investment choice for wealthy clients seeking higher returns beyond public markets. A recent Harvard Business School publication, “Does the Case for Private Equity Still Hold?”, offers a cautiously positive outlook on PE, despite its challenges like market saturation and high fees.

As a former PE executive myself, I find that PE still offers unique opportunities for wealth management, particularly through exclusive investments. However, wealth management banks must carefully select PE offerings, focusing on diversified portfolios and transparent fee structures to ensure sustainable value for (U)HNWI clients.

Christoph Künzle
Kategorie: Investments, Strategy

From Financial Literacy To Financial Well-Being: Enhancing Wealth Management

For wealth management banks, the apparent correlation between financial literacy and financial well-being represents not just a corporate responsibility but a strategic business opportunity. By integrating financial literacy into their many services, wealth management banks may build more robust and intimate client relationships, develop more personalized products and services, and differentiate themselves from their peers in a competitive market.

Christoph Künzle
Kategorie: Investments, Strategy

ZHAW Wealth Management Podcast #1: Simon Wyss, Privatbank Von Graffenried AG

In diesem exklusiven Interview mit Simon Wyss, dem Vorsitzenden der Geschäftsleitung der Berner Privatbank Von Graffenried AG, beleuchten wir die herausragenden Leistungen der Bank, die sie an die Spitze unseres Schweizer Privatbanken-Rankings geführt haben.

Simon Wyss teilt Einblicke in die Erfolgsformeln der Bank in den Bereichen Profitabilität, Effizienz und Wachstum. Erfahren Sie, wie Von Graffenried die Herausforderungen der Digitalisierung in einer traditionellen Branche meistert und welche Rolle künstliche Intelligenz für die Zukunft des Bankwesens spielt. Zudem diskutieren wir die aktuellen globalen Unsicherheiten und deren Einfluss auf das Schweizer Private Banking sowie die grössten Herausforderungen der Branche und mögliche Lösungsansätze. Ein Muss für jeden, der an der Schnittstelle von Tradition und Innovation im Finanzsektor interessiert ist.

Christoph Künzle
Kategorie: ZHAW WM Podcast
Robo advisor for wealth management banks

AI In Portfolio Management – 3 Ways How Wealth Management Banks Benefit

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into portfolio management could bring a shift in how wealth management banks offer investment services to their clients. A recent paper titled “Enhancing Portfolio Management Using Artificial Intelligence: A Literature Review”, to which the Head of our Institute, Prof. Dr. Peter Schwendner, guided me, offers a comprehensive overview of this integration, illustrating the potential of AI to revolutionize asset allocation, client service, and operational efficiency.

With this blog post, I will try to showcase the article’s findings from a wealth management bank’s perspective and outlining strategies for harnessing AI in portfolio management, while navigating the challenges associated with transparency, fairness, and compliance.

Christoph Künzle
Kategorie: Strategy, Technology
BoD Members

Swiss Wealth Management Banks: Boards of Directors and Gender Diversity

Swiss wealth management banks show a preference for a lean board structure, as evidenced by our data . The number of board members varies, with a minimum of 3 members in some banks and a maximum of 13 in others. Notably, a significant portion of the banks analyzed have between 5 to 6 board members. This trend suggests a strategic choice for efficiency and perhaps more effective governance, enabling these banks to navigate the complexities of wealth management with agility.

Christoph Künzle
Kategorie: Strategy

Coming soon: ZHAW Swiss Wealth Management Study – Edition 2

Stay tuned! Our new study “Wealth Management in Switzerland – Edition 2”, to which Mr Jonas Hefti as Research Fellow has significantly contributed, will be released in the next couple of weeks. Published by the Department of Banking Finance Insurance at ZHAW School of Management and Law, it will again represent a seminal contribution to the scholarly and professional understanding of the Swiss wealth management industry. This study meticulously evaluates 67 licensed Swiss banks that derive a substantial portion of their revenue from wealth management activities, thereby offering a comprehensive overview of this sector’s dynamics.

Christoph Künzle
Kategorie: Strategy

Open Wealth – How Swiss Wealth Managers Are Silently Becoming Digital

As we know from Deloitte’s traditional Wealth Centre Ranking studies, Switzerland has traditionally been the world leader in cross-border wealth management, whereby the country’s significant number of External Asset Managers (EAMs) have contributed to this position. However, Swiss wealth managers have certainly faced challenges due to shifting demographics and client needs, technological advancements, regulations, or macroeconomic uncertainties.

Christoph Künzle
Kategorie: Strategy, Technology