Vontobel AG is a major private banking and investment management group headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. Established in 1924, it has over 2000 employees across 30 offices in 22 countries. Vontobel group’s core businesses are wealth management, investment banking and asset management catering for wealthy private clients and institutional investors. Among the top tier Swiss banks, Vontobel’s comparable rivals are Credit Suisse, UBS, Pictet and Lombard Odier. As of 2019, Vontobel holds $300 billion of client assets and is among the most well-capitalised banks in Switzerland. The registered shares of Vontobel Holding AG are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange. The Vontobel families and the Vontobel Foundation hold the majority of shares. However as a large listed company, it is led by an independent board of directors and executive committees.
The Wealth Management business unit serves the needs of wealthy private clients. Its offering ranges from portfolio management and investment advisory to wealth planning. As an SEC-licensed investor advisor, Vontobel Swiss Wealth Advisors offers wealth management solutions for US clients.
Investment Banking
Investment Banking concentrates on the derivatives products business, securities and foreign exchange trading and institutional sales, as well as services for external asset managers, transaction banking and corporate finance. The business model pursued by Vontobel Investment Banking cannot be compared to traditional US or UK-style investment banking, since Vontobel is not active in the capital-intensive commercial side of the business. Its trading activities are limited to the hedging of risk positions arising from the issuing or sale of structured products and derivatives.
Asset Management
Asset Management focuses on the wholesale business and on serving institutional clients in the mandates business. It also develops services and complete solutions for private label products on behalf of third parties. As part of a cooperation agreement, Vontobel supplies Raiffeisen Switzerland with comprehensive investment services. Vontobel also holds a majority stake in Harcourt Investment Consulting AG, an international provider of fund-of-hedge-funds products that are targeted primarily at institutional investors. Harcourt has operations in Zurich, New York, Hong Kong and Grand Cayman.
