ZHAW Study: Switzerland's Best Private Bank in 2024
The financial industry is almost obsessed with measuring itself in rankings. These eye-catching lists attract significant attention. However, they are often based on highly subjective or even commercial considerations.
The ZHAW School of Management and Law, under the leadership of Christoph Künzle, a lecturer in Banking and Finance at ZHAW, aimed to avoid such criticisms with their study «Wealth Management in Switzerland 2024». To ensure objectivity, the study was conducted strictly according to scientific criteria, relying solely on figures available in the latest annual reports.
Total of 66 Private Banks Examined
ZHAW analyzed 66 financial institutions in Switzerland, comparing them across the categories of growth, prosperity, efficiency, and capitalization. This led to four category winners and one overall winner.
According to the results, which finews.ch has obtained exclusively, Zurich-based private bank Lienhardt & Partner performed best in the «Growth» category. The analysis focused on client assets and the growth of net new money relative to factors such as staff numbers.
Strongest Growing Swiss Private Bank 2024
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In the «Prosperity» category, based on the return figures of assets, client funds, and equity, Geneva’s Banque Thaler took first place.
Most Prosperous Swiss Private Bank 2024
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ZHAW assessed the efficiency of a private bank using the cost-to-income ratio, which measures the expenses incurred for every franc earned. Additional criteria included the ratio of client funds to the number of employees and personnel costs per employee. In this category, Basel-based private bank Scobag achieved the highest ranking.
Most Efficient Swiss Private Bank 2024
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To identify the best-capitalized private bank, ZHAW examined the CET1 ratio, the unweighted capital ratio (leverage ratio), and the liquidity coverage ratio. In this category, Geneva's Banque Audi achieved the highest score.
Best Capitalized Swiss Private Bank 2024
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Based on all these figures, ZHAW ultimately determined the top Swiss private bank overall, an announcement eagerly awaited at a presentation in Zurich on Wednesday evening. The winner was Geneva’s Compagnie Bancaire Helvétique, which didn’t place first in any single category but achieved the best overall comparative results.
Best Swiss Private Bank 2024
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Here are six key insights derived from the study, now in its third edition:
- Clientele
The top-performing banks focus on a select, high-quality clientele they know exceptionally well. This allows them to effectively manage compliance risks and avoid involvement in scandals.
- Cost Efficiency
Smaller private banks tend to be more economically successful than larger institutions, often operating with lower costs and maintaining leaner administrative and back-office functions.
- Values
Despite the often-cited pressures of globalization, successful private banks continue to emphasize well-known Swiss values such as reliability, service quality, and discretion. They also maintain a low media profile.
- NextGen
These banks recognize the importance of relentless digitalization and have not neglected it. For the emerging generation of clients (NextGen), they offer targeted services, including digital assets, tokenization, and alternative investments.
- Operations
Leading banks still handle most of their operational tasks in-house, in contrast to the prevalent trend of outsourcing in the banking sector. This approach helps them reduce costs significantly, increase efficiency, and stay closer to their operational processes.
- Corporate Culture
Lastly, they achieve growth not through aggressive revenue targets, such as by poaching high-cost teams from competitors, but rather through efficient processes and a consistent focus on client orientation and corporate culture.
- Download the study here.
