In the section Backstage, interesting personalities from the financial sector and beyond provide insights into their personal preferences every Wednesday.

What do you do first in the morning?

I prepare breakfast for the family. If my two little daughters (twins) do not allow this, they receive my full attention first.

What is the best part of your job?

The variety. No day is the same as another. Besides fixed appointments, I use my time for the strategic development of the business. It motivates me and is fun to be able to make a difference together with very talented people.

A moment that changed your life?

There are several. Certainly, meeting my wife changed my life significantly. Together with her, I was able to start a family with four children. Taking the step into entrepreneurship also shaped me sustainably. Always connected with many highs and lows.

What cars do you own? Which is your favorite?

For family reasons, we now rely on a van: we use the Mercedes V-Class. Our two dogs can occasionally ride along as well.

What advice would you give to your 20-year-old self?

Stay hungry for knowledge and follow your passion. That is a good foundation to drive forward what you enjoy doing with intrinsic motivation. This way, your profession does not become work, but rather a hobby and a passion.

What are you particularly proud of?

Certainly of my family and also of the development of finpension. Besides luck, many factors were necessary to make both possible. My wife contributes at least as much as I do and supports me whenever possible. This was crucial for the successful development and would otherwise not have been possible.

What do you do when you have doubts?

I go jogging and afterwards I am often very clear-headed. Although I do not think about specific topics, problems or doubts while running, I afterwards see many things from a bird’s-eye perspective. I can remove emotions and often recognize a new solution after a training session.

What is your favorite wine?

I still need to work on my wine knowledge. I usually leave the choice to others.

What projects are you currently working on?

We are working on many projects simultaneously. Important milestones will include the launch of a mortgage offering, the integration of financial planning tools and obtaining a banking licence. In my role, I work almost exclusively on strategic development.

What do you admire in other people?

Every person brings different talents and abilities. It is remarkable how much can be achieved when these talents and abilities are encouraged and responsibility is delegated. I admire people who develop quickly and impressively as a result. Especially in areas where my own knowledge is limited.

What would be the biggest surprise for someone who had to take over your job for a day?

There is no description for my job. Every day looks different. Perhaps surprising would be that the working day is not clearly regulated in terms of time. I work whenever it suits me best. This is not a burden, but fits my family situation and feels best for me.

What is your personal drive?

My personal drive has changed over time. Today, it is about working on the vision of modern banking. I want to design our offerings in a way that provides me personally with maximum benefit both in everyday life and over time. This can also be very radical. Working on this motivates and drives me every day.

What are you afraid of?

Perhaps fear is the wrong expression, but I am very aware of the importance of health, also for the whole family. We pay attention to that. Nevertheless, not everything is within your own control.

Your favorite watch brand?

I like elegant watches. Since I use my free lunch breaks for running training, I rely on smartwatches for practical reasons. My Garmin tracks my running kilometres and with the Samsung Galaxy Watch I listen to podcasts.

Is there an unfulfilled dream you would still like to realize?

If I find a little more time, I would like to run the six major marathon majors (Berlin, London, Tokyo, Boston, New York and Chicago). Probably no longer with an ambitious target time, but rather in a more relaxed way.

Your best investment?

Clearly the founding of finpension.

Beat Bühlmann is a CFA and CAIA charterholder as well as the founder of finpension. After studying business administration at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, he worked for more than ten years in the hedge fund and private banking sector. There, he experienced how innovation was often slowed down by outdated structures – and decided to build a transparent, modern solution with finpension. In 2017, he founded the company together with Ivo Blättler. Today, finpension manages more than 5 billion Swiss francs.