Dr Vontobel joined the-then J Vontobel & Co in 1943, taking over as chairman of the board of directors in 1981. He had served as honorary chairman since 1991. He also has been chairman of the Zurich Stock Exchange, a member of the board of directors of the Swiss Bankers Association and the Neue Zürcher Zeitung, and chairman of the German-Swiss Chamber of Commerce.
 
A father of two daughters and a son, Dr Vontobel was also an author and public figure and philanthropist. Among his achievements was his creation of the Vontobel Foundation, the Kreatives Alter Foundation, and the Lyra Foundation, which supports gifted young musicians.

"Hans Vontobel was one of the most important bankers in our country, but beyond that he was a convinced humanist, who put people at the heart of everything he did. He will remain an example to us all, as a source of considered, far-sighted advice, and with his cosmopolitan outlook and thirst for knowledge. The board of directors, group executive management and the employees will carry on his work and his values with a due sense of responsibility, resolve and commitment. All the employees send their heartfelt condolences to the family,” Herbert Scheidt, chairman of the board of directors at Vontobel Holding, said.