ISFB Certificate
Private Banking

Day courses :

• 9 non-consecutive days for Part A 
• 5 non-consecutive days for Part B
• In person at the ISFB premises
• Weekdays, from 08:30 to 17:00
• Language : French

Evening courses

• 18 non-consecutive evenings for Part A 
• 10 non-consecutive evenings for Part B
• In person at the ISFB premises
• Weekdays, 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
• Language : French

The certificate consists of 15 modules:

Part A

Module 1: Economics - banking and financial systems
(CWMA-ISFB-24-1166)

• Money: the role of money in an economy; demand and supply of money; price determination; influence of money on the economic system
• Banks: role in the economy; functions and its risks; types of banks; challenges in terms of business models
• Macroeconomic variables: growth; inflation; historical and current situation of major economies; impact of the business cycle on financial markets and assets
• Central banks: role and mandate of a central bank; tools of a central bank; analysis of the current environment; monetary policies (restrictive and expansive) in the international environment
• Financial crises: historical aspects; analysis of the current context; potential risk factors

Module 2: Currencies - introduction
(CWMA-ISFB-24-1167)

• Characteristics of the foreign exchange market
• Cross courses
• Spot operations
• Forward transactions
• Purchasing Power Parity
• Brief principles of technical analysis (concept, support/resistance, trends and turnarounds)
• Economic variables influencing exchange rates

Module 3: Bonds - Introduction
(CWMA-ISFB-24-1168)

• Definition
• Yield Estimation
• Calculation of accrued interest
• Risk factors and measures
• Typology of obligations and specific obligations
• Bonds and sustainable finance
• Bond strategies

Module 4: Stock market and shares - introduction
(CWMA-ISFB-24-1169)

• The main world markets and their indices.
• Primary market (IPO) and secondary market
• Stock market orders and price formation
• Operation of a stock exchange and dark pools
• The action: Technical data
• Classification of shares by size
• Classification of shares by type of investment (defensive, value, growth)
• Securities transactions and their impact on the share price (capital increase, merger, split, etc.).
• Technical vs. fundamental analysis
• Key figures in the evaluation of an action: the EP and the beta
• The link between stock behaviour and position in the economic cycle

Module 5: Investment funds - Introduction
(CWMA-ISFB-24-1170)

• The legal bases
• How it works
• Categories
• Types of management
• Swiss Taxation
• Advantages and disadvantages
• The analysis
• Exercises

Module 6: Investment strategy - Introduction
(CWMA-ISFB-24-1171)

• Fundamental financial laws (definition of risk, link between risk and return, correlation and diversification, market efficiency
• Investment process, sources of performance, alpha and beta
• Asset allocation vs. core satellite
• Passive management Active management and absolute return management
• Discretionary and advisory mandates
• Risk and performance measures

Module 7: Compliance - introduction
(CWMA-ISFB-24-2172)

• Banking secrecy in Switzerland (Swiss Constitution, Swiss Civil Code, Article 47 of the Federal Banking Act, Law on the Harmonisation of Direct Taxes, principles of international legal cooperation, OECD Model Convention, current developments)
• The fight against money laundering in Switzerland (Federal Banking Act, Swiss Criminal Code, Money Laundering Act and its FINMA Ordinance)

Module 8: Credits (Introduction)
(CWMA-ISFB-24-1173)

• Banks' financial intermediation function and credit securitisation
• Types of credit, including consumer credit, leasing, Lombard credit, commitment credit
• Nature of the covers and their purpose
• Financing of companies according to their stage of development
• Aims of the funding, criteria for granting and monitoring

Module 9: Sustainable finance - Introduction
(CWMA-ISFB-24-1174)

• Sources of sustainable finance (actors, initiatives etc)
• ESG criteria
• Impact measures
• Sustainable investment strategies
• Sustainable investment vehicles

Module 10: Digital & financial innovation
(CWMA-ISFB-24-1175)

• History of technology in finance
• Fintech Ecosystem
• The main technologies and applications
• Challenges, risks and opportunities

Part B

Module 1: Lending to private customers
(CWMA-ISFB-24-1176)

Lombard loans

• • Types of assets pledged
  • Concepts of liquidity, volatility, negotiability and concentration
  • Advance rate, margin of safety and collateral value of the portfolio
  • Credit set-up, credit monitoring and margin call

Mortgage Credits

• • Buildings according to the Civil Code
  • Individual or collective ownership
  • Types of financing and interest rate variants
  • Land Registry, Mortgage Schedule and Easement
  • Required documentation
  • Valuation of buildings
  • Credit demand analysis and effort rate
  • Setting up and monitoring credit

Module 2: Derivatives and structured products - Introduction
(CWMA-ISFB-24-1177)

• Forwards and Futures: distinctions, characteristics and use
• Features of the options
• Call & put options: the 4 basic positions via call & put options
• The principle of structured products
• The main categories of structured products: capital protection products, performance enhancement products, participation products, and non-knock-out and non-leveraged products

Module 3: Banking taxation - Introduction
(CWMA-ISFB-24-1178)

• - Federal/cantonal/municipal taxation (three levels)
  - Personal income and wealth tax
  - Stamp duties on issues and transactions
  - Withholding tax
  - OECD Model Convention for the Avoidance of Double Taxation
  - FATCA agreements and automatic exchange of information

Module 4: Alternative management - Introduction
(CWMA-ISFB-24-1179)

• Differences between alternative and traditional management
• Risks specific to alternative management
• Classification and nomenclature of strategies
• Investment vehicles (funds, funds of funds, listed funds, other)
• Difference between hedge funds and traditional funds
• Main strategies of hedge funds
• Analysis of fund documents

Module 5: Banking law - introduction
(CWMA-ISFB-24-2180)

• Banking regulation in Switzerland
• LFINMA
• LB
• DRAO
• Management Mandate
• Duties of the securities dealer

Price

CHF 5'950.00 (member price)

CHF 7'935.00 (non-member price)

The member prices apply to all ISFB member institutes and their employees.

This Certificate is eligible for funding of up to CHF 1,500 from the State of Geneva, via the Chèque Annuel de Formation (annual training voucher). To check your eligibility for this funding, go to Apply for an annual training voucher | ge.ch

Registrations

Please complete the online application form.

Your registration will then be considered as firm and definitive. 3 weeks before the beginning of the training, you will have access to our ISFB collaborative space, then a few days before the beginning of the training to the specific space reserved for the participants of this training.

The general conditions of the ISFB apply as soon as you validate our offer.

Opening of the next session

Examination information

The validation of the certificate is done through a written exam of the QCS type (simple choice questionnaire, one and only one correct answer) of 120 minutes. The emphasis is on understanding, application and the ability to analyze and solve concrete cases using the tools and methods seen in training. Candidates are allowed to consult course materials, appendices and personal notes (open-ended exam concept)

Day session 

Exam Part A - open-book - April 8, 2025
Exam Part B - open-book - June 24, 2025

Evening session

Exam Part A - open-book - May 27, 2025
Exam Part B - open-book - July 8 , 2025

Examination schedule