Mr Froidevaux, you are the Program Director for the ISFB Private Banking Certificate. Could you tell us about this program and who it is aimed at?

The ISFB Private Banking Certificate takes a cross-disciplinary approach to the key issues of wealth management, from the perspective of the asset manager, the customer relationship manager, or even from an interdisciplinary point of view (e.g. with a review of applicable concepts in law, taxation or compliance). Courses are taught by seasoned professionals, with high-level introductory courses as well as more complex modules to acquire the necessary "hard skills".

The Certificate is aimed at people who are active - or wish to be active - in private banking and wealth management functions, including taking on greater responsibility and role, even if their previous skills and experience lie in other areas.

In your opinion, what makes this program so rich and high quality?

The ISFB Private Banking Certificate offers several unique advantages for candidates:
- A mix of traditional content ("long-term shelf value") and new trends
- Training by highly experienced speakers in the relevant fields
- A high level of interaction between participants, thanks to an appropriate class size and the sharing of experience and best practices within the group.
Over and above the content provided, it is above all the search for the right questions (and also the right answers) that prevails.

What do you see as the key issues in skills development in private banking today?

Today, there is an extreme asymmetry (an oxymoron?) between the multiplication of regulatory requirements designed to protect the individual (the basic investor in this case) and technological developments such as open AI or blockchain (which give the same investor unparalleled investment tools and freedom).

What's more, traditional risk-return approaches and other matches between the characteristics of financial instruments and those of investors are now being supplemented by a growing number of additional criteria - including ESG - which will add further complexity and mismatch risk. The institutions and individuals capable of extracting the original essence of a customer-oriented financial service will be the future leaders of the sector.

What is your role as Program Director?

In my view, the role of the Program Director comprises two main tasks:

- Ensure consistency and updating of course content and the curriculum in general
- Validate the selection of teaching staff with ISFB management and ensure smooth implementation of the curriculum

Through my professional activity, I am fortunate to have daily exposure to the complex world of wealth management, with the advantage of over 30 years' experience in the profession.

Continuing to give courses - including the ISFB Private Banking Certificate - allows me not only to pass on content, but also to continue acquiring skills in a rapidly changing world.

Julien Froidevaux

Program Director and Head of Independent Asset Managers (Piguet Galland & Cie SA)