By Patrick Stauber, CEO of Marcuard Heritage
Switzerland's independent wealth management industry is facing a structural shift that is largely playing out away from the headlines. Succession at independent Swiss wealth managers has become the defining question for the industry's future.
Looking at the market today, there is an urgent, often unresolved succession problem rooted in an unavoidable reality: demographics.
A Demographic Bottleneck and the Founder's Trap
A significant share of today's independent wealth managers emerged from the historic merger of Bankverein and SBG. The bankers who struck out on their own in their forties and fifties at the time are now reaching retirement age. Many of these firms are operationally sound, profitable, and have built loyal client bases.
