Summer School cohort 2025

October 8, 2025

In Geneva, ISFB created a unique bridge between the university and the banking world: the Summer School. Over two intensive weeks, this event immersed young graduates and final-year students in the realities of the finance business, up close and personal with those working in the field.

Its approach was resolutely innovative: each module was led by current practitioners, who shared their daily lives, methods and visions. More than a training course, it was a full-scale immersion in the inner workings of the financial marketplace.

The desired impact for the financial center is twofold. On the one hand, to nurture its pool of talent, trained to deal with today's concrete issues and future challenges. Secondly, to enable young professionals to prepare themselves effectively for the demands of the sector, thereby strengthening Geneva's employability and competitiveness.

This initiative is part of a history of encounters and experiences: the idea was born in December 2024, during ISFB's annual strategic retreat, with the aim of finding useful innovations for the market. The idea, nurtured by the team's own experience and exchanges with students at university Career Days and during presentations on the world of banking at various universities, gradually took shape. After conducting an opportunity study with the students, ISFB set about engineering the teaching methods and recruiting the speakers who made this experience such a success.

The first week of training alternated between discovering the different banking professions and a collaborative hackathon with partner banks. The program also included a visit to the trading room of a major bank. The second week was devoted to professional preparation: career guidance with the ISFB psychologist, interaction tests, reflection on the importance of networking and its development, a personalized action plan, followed by simulated interviews and real-life meetings with recruiters.

Among the experts and speakers, ISFB warmly thanks: Marion Fogli, Patricia Logoz, Sébastien Vukanovic, David Diedat, Julien Serbit, Ed Yau, Cédric Lovis, Audrey Cauchet, Lino Finini, Nicolas Duchêne, Gaëlle Trezza, Maryse Gabbay, Catherine Fragnière, Fabien Smadja, Mathias Baitan and Stéphane Bonzon. Thanks also to Leila Khariji, Aude Altermatt, Noa Cancino, Aileen Reyes, Luisa Domingues, and Cindy Garcia. The program was managed by Christophe Nicod, himself a regular contributor to the program, with the support of Product Managers Oscar Marano and Joseph Baud-Grasset, who orchestrated all logistics and coordination.

By launching the first edition of this Summer School, the ISFB is confirming its role as a useful tool for the community: connecting the players in the financial center, facilitating access to employment for talented young people, and reinforcing the dynamism of French-speaking Switzerland and Geneva, in particular as a leading French-speaking banking center.

We look forward to seeing you next summer! 

Discover the profile of participants in the 2025 session

SPHERE - The Swiss Financial Arena, n°35, September 2025, pages 28 and 29

Contact one of the participants

Would you like to offer a position to one of the 2025 cohort participants? We'll put you in touch free of charge.

ISFB will only put you in touch with ISFB member entities or companies active in the financial sector in French-speaking Switzerland.