As the business of external, or independent, asset management has developed in Switzerland – with new rules – so have their demands shifted. A private bank with a history dating back to 1815 is stepping up its work in the space.

Bonhôte, the private bank headquartered in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, has made two senior appointments in its independent asset management department: Nicholas Bader, and Olivier Christen.

Bader has worked in the banking sector for more than three decades, working for BCV, Cramer & Cie and, most recently, Credit Suisse. Christen worked at Credit Suisse for more than 20 years, and also worked at LGT Bank (Switzerland) and BPS.

Their appointments demonstrate the bank’s commitment to working with IAMs, aka external asset managers (EAMs), the firm said. The EAM industry has undergone significant change as a result of new costs and regulations enacted by Swiss regulator FINMA – Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority

“These new appointments mark a further step in the development of Bonhôte’s business,” according to IAM team head Claude Sauter. “Their presence in our Lausanne branch will enable us to offer a local service to IAMs in the cantons of Vaud, Geneva and Fribourg. These hires also demonstrate the importance that Bonhôte places on the business provided by external managers.”

Left to right: Olivier Christen, Claude Suter, and Nicholas Bader.

Besides its HQ, Bonhôte has offices in Bern, Geneva, Lausanne, Beil and Zurich. Founded in 1815, this family-run institution was sold to a financial and industrial holding firm in 1988, and in 1992 a group of partners bought it out and returned it to private hands. The executive team consists of Yves de Montmollin, CEO, Olivier Vollenweider and Julien Staehli.

The development of the Swiss EAM industry, and associated issues, has been reflected by this news service's awards programme for the sector. See here.