UBS aims to raise invested assets in its wealthiest client segment by at least 7 per cent to 8 per cent annually, in part by making the Swiss bank's more sophisticated investment banking services more readily available to its private clients, according to a report by Dow Jones.

A "one-bank" strategy, which involves close co-operation between the investment banking and private banking sides of the business to help tailor products for wealthy clients, is a key tenet of UBS private bank's ultra high net worth business. That business caters to the financial needs of individuals and families, with the potential to bring UBS more than $50 million in assets within two years, the news report said.

"If a [private] client in Asia asks for a $500 million line of credit, you are in investment banking territory. If you cannot move away from wealth management into investment banking territory and discuss that in investment banking lingo and apply investment banking standards, rules and risk management tools, then you are not qualified to enter a strategic dialogue," Josef Stadler, the bank's global head of ultra high net worth business, was quoted as saying.

UBS's private bank managed SFr963 billion ($844.74 billion) in assets as of 31 March.

As of September, roughly one-third of the unit's overall assets were from ultra wealthy clients, the bank told investors late last year.

Stadler said the bank's ultra-wealthy segment was steadier than others through the financial crisis.

"We have seen some examples where clients chose safety over quality of advice, so they went to a triple- or double-A rated bank that is much, much smaller in terms of their service model, and I think that over time, we have a fair chance to pitch for that part of the business to come back to us," Thomas Ineke, head of ultra high net worth consulting, which integrates the mid-office platform for the private bankers, was also quoted as saying.