Training 360° wealth experts: testimonial from Philippe Nicod, ISFB Family Officer certificate graduate

September 1, 2025

A property management professional for over twenty years, Philippe Nicod chose to take the ISFB Family Officer certificate in order to broaden his skills and offer his clients comprehensive wealth management support. Here, he looks back at what he has learned from the course and the added value it brings to his professional practice.

Philippe Nicod, you recently completed the training course leading to the ISFB Family Officer certificate. What motivated your choice?

A family officer is an independent professional who assists a wealthy family in the comprehensive and sustainable management of its assets, often over several generations.

Much more than a banker or fund manager, he acts as a conductor, coordinating lawyers, notaries, tax specialists, bankers and other experts.

Its role covers all aspects of wealth and personal assets: legal and tax structuring, financial and property management, family governance, inheritance, as well as extra-financial services such as private concierge services.

Since 1994, my experience in two major real estate management companies, in Lausanne and nationally, has provided me with a high level of training, culminating in the award of my "brevet fédéral de régisseur" in 2000. However, I realized that there was a gap in my knowledge: traditional property management had little to say about mortgage finance, complex financial arrangements or the taxation of real estate.

That's why, in 2003, I set up a real estate asset management company, with a more open vision than traditional asset managers. Without yet covering the 360° of a family office, the idea was already there.

Finally, and to answer your question, I took this training so that I would be able to take charge of the entire 360-degree management of a customer. The aim was to be able to cover all aspects and thus offer comprehensive and coherent support, tailored to the specific needs of each family.

What would you say were the highlights of this program?

Each of the courses was presented by professionals in the field, and the practical side was strongly felt, enabling an immediate understanding of the subjects covered. The "Conflict Resolution" module definitely impressed me.

Teaching focuses on simple, effective communication and subtle analysis of partner behavior. It emphasizes methods for achieving the set objective, while seeking to immediately defuse any obstacles or hiccups that could jeopardize the project.

How has this experience enriched your day-to-day professional practice?

This course inevitably opens our minds and encourages us to propose innovative solutions to our customers, sometimes outside our usual field of action. It has enabled us to rapidly create synergies between the bank, the real estate agency, the fiduciary and the family office, and above all has simplified the building of the professional network that is absolutely essential in this field.

Why would you recommend this training to your colleagues?

I would recommend this course to my colleagues, as it offers a comprehensive and complementary vision of wealth management. It provides concrete skills in taxation, law, governance and inheritance, which are essential for supporting families in the long term.
It's a real added value, both for developing our expertise and for meeting the complex needs of a rapidly expanding market.

Philippe Nicod

Real estate consultant

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