Network reach

Marie Gala is ISFB's new Marketing Manager. Having joined the Institute at the beginning of October, she has already ensured the perfect management of the traditional Laureates' Ceremony, and is now focusing on the Institute's marketing strategy for the coming years. Interview.

Marie Gala, since October¹, 2023 you've been ISFB's new Marketing and Events Manager. Can you tell us about your job?

At the beginning of 2023, ISFB defined a new strategy aimed at revitalizing its range of services. Four key areas of activity have been identified, to support players in the ever-changing world of banking and finance.

Since its foundation in 1987, Continuing Education has always been the core business of the ISFB. With the launch of the SAQ standard in the banking sector ten years ago, followed by the introduction of the LSFin in 2020, the field of Certifications has grown in importance.

Today, the ISFB has added two strings to its bow by positioning itself as a true Skills and Career Center, offering 360° support to banking and finance experts.

Our Career Development program, our third area of activity, offers a range of services including assessment and personal coaching.

Finally, my part will consist in developing the fourth area of activity, Network Outreach. This involves creating opportunities for exchanges and informal encounters, enabling our participants to forge the links that are essential to the creation of a solid, long-lasting professional network.

Can you tell us about your career path?

My background is atypical, to say the least.

I studied Geography at the Universities of Geneva and Southampton. As soon as I obtained my Bachelor's degree in 1998, I joined WWF's Canon Photography department in Gland for a one-year project. My mission was to analyze, structure and feed a new software program with image banks supplied by leading photographers from all over the world, in order to illustrate journalists' articles on current events concerning fauna, flora, natural disasters and all subjects related to the environment. It was an incredible experience that combined my studies in Geography with my passion for Photography.

However, after this mission, I wanted to return to the world of events. In parallel with my university studies, I had already worked for 2 years with Daniel Perroud, organizer of the Supercross and Tour de Romandie. The dynamism of this environment particularly appealed to me, so much so that I took my first leap into freelancing in 1999. I launched Week & Go, my own event organization, and quickly landed some very fine clients, including Ernesto Bertarelli's Alinghi team, Elizabeth Arden, Deutsche Bank and Lukoil.

This freelance experience opened the door to the events and marketing world. I first moved into project coordination positions at T-System Multilink and then at Touring Club Suisse. Finally, in 2007, I joined the banking world, where I spent many years as Marketing and Communications Manager, notably at Credit Suisse, Hyposwiss and finally Mirabaud.

I'm an inveterate autodidact and this trait is my main driving force. I love learning and daring.

So in 2015, I dared a second leap into freelancing... as a Photographer. This passion has never left me since I was a teenager. Today, I specialize in portraits for communication media, whether to illustrate a press article, a website or a social network. Most of my clients come from the banking and financial sectors.

The opportunity to put my skills and network at the service of ISFB was therefore an obvious one when Mathias Baitan and I talked about it a few months ago. I joined his team in October on a part-time basis, with ambitious and motivating projects to implement.

What projects are you currently working on, and what are your marketing ambitions for next year?

As we talked about, I want to set up networking platforms for our participants, primarily, but also for our members and speakers. ISFB is a hub that can and must interconnect today's experts with tomorrow's talents.

The first step will be to outline the future ISFB Circle. This Circle will be the gateway from training, certification and career development to active network building.

At the same time, I'm working closely with the whole team to structure our service offering. It's an exciting exercise, since we're redesigning our marketing strategy not only for 2024, but also for the years to come.

Marie Gala

Marketing Manager
ISFB

Strategic Business Area 4

Network reach

As a professional association, the ISFB operates within an ecosystem made up of numerous stakeholders: on the one hand, member institutions, their employees and the general public interested in banking and finance; and on the other, public and private players, training centers and universities, involved in initial or continuing training, career development and advice. What they all have in common is that they are active in the management of banking and financial skills.

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