The Swiss firm, which operates in markets in a number of jurisdictions, disclosed a rise in AuM for its first-quarter.

Swiss wealth management house Vontobel has achieved a record AuM of SFr189.4 billion ($195.6 billion) at the end of March, rising from SFr186.6 billion at the end of 2017), and up 18 per cent year on year, it said in a report from its annual shareholders’ meeting.

The Zurich-listed firm said its dividend pay-out rose to a total of SFr2.10 per share. Shareholders approved the board of directors’ proposal to increase the ordinary dividend per share by a total of 11 per cent or SFr0.20 to SFr2.10. This corresponds to a pay-out ratio of 58 per cent. 

“We achieved a strong quarterly result. We will continue on our growth path in 2018 and further expand our market share in key markets. Our performance in the first few days of the second quarter has also inspired us with confidence about the future,” chief executive Zeno Staub said in a statement. (For full-year results, see the story here.)

Stefan Loacker was newly elected to the board, Vontobel said in a statement. 

The members of the board of directors standing for re-election - Bruno Basler, Dr Maja Baumann, Dr Elisabeth Bourqui, David Cole, Dr Frank Schnewlin, Clara C Streit and Björn Wettergren - were each confirmed in office for a further term by a large majority. 

Herbert J Scheidt was re-elected as chairman and a member of the board for another year, also by a large majority. The members of the nomination and compensation committee - Bruno Basler, David Cole, Clara C Streit and Björn Wettergren - were also re-elected.

After serving on the board of directors for five years, Nicolas Oltramare decided not to stand for re-election.