Union Bancaire Privée is among the most active banks in the external asset manager buisness (EAM). Renowned for its deep expertise and long-term commitment to this strategic client segment, the bank's approach has translated into consistent asset growth and a strong international footprint. Of the total 171.7 billion Swiss francs in assets under management, 23 billion francs are attributed to EAMs and their clients, highlighting the strategic importance of this segment.

Entrepreneurial Mindset as a Success Driver 

The Geneva private bank operates EAM hubs in ten booking centers and works with more than 210 counterparties worldwide, supported by a team of 75 professionals. UBP has a historically strong presence in Europe and Latin America, with a long-standing client base, complemented by EAM partnership in the Middle East and Asia. «The key to success is that, as a family-owned bank, UBP truly understands entrepreneurial thinking and continuously provides processes and services that keep pace with market developments,» says Frédéric Toselli, Global Head of EAM.  

With the integration of Société Générale's Swiss private banking business last June, UBP further strengthened its position: around 20 new specialists joined, including 16 relationship managers, adding 4.2 billion francs in assets. The bank also established new EAM relationships in markets such as Quatar and Bahrain. Toselli emphasizes that the focus is not only on client acquisition but on integrating entire teams.

He speaks from experience. He joined UBP in 2014 following the acquisition of Lloyd's. «It’s during such an integration process that you truly see how good a bank is. I can say that UBP excels at acquiring, integrating, and retaining businesses.»

Expanded Service Offering 

At UBP, collaboration is a core principle. All departments operate under the motto «One Bank» to fully address the needs of EAMs, going beyond traditional custodian banking services.

The bank leveraged the integration of Société Générale's team to create two new units within its EAM division. The first, the «EM Market Solutions» team, serves as a hub for market transactions and investments, supporting the development of alternative assets, private market investments, and structured products. The second, a Switzerland-based but internationally oriented EAM team, focused on supporting key locations such as Dubai, Monaco, and Luxembourg.

Close cooperation between the EAM and Treasury & Trading departments ensure top-tier execution of transactions, the structuring of Actively Managed Certificates (AMCs) backed by UBP's strong balance sheet, and the delivery of tactical trading ideas aligned with current market trends. This pooling of expertise ultimately benefits all of the bank's EAM partners.

Staying One Step Ahead

UBP's partners also benefit regularly from the bank's in-depth expertise, which includes concise weekly market updates delivered via video, during which Investment Services experts share insights and recommendations across all asset classes. This enables EAMs to stay one step ahead in fast-changing market environments.

In addition, the bank has developed the ELUS platform. With its simple click-and-trade approach, it enables the creation of structured products offering customized yield optimization, which can be booked directly into client portfolios across various custodian banks. More recently, EAMs have also been able to use UBP's proprietary CREAM platform to launch, structure, and manage bespoke Actively Managed Certificates (AMCs).

Aligned with the core principles of the EAM team at the Geneva headquarters, collaboration with all desks is actively promoted, leveraging the specific market expertise of each local team. This shared foundation provides the basis for focused and efficient growth of UBP’s international EAM business..