ISFB 2025 evening
ISFB celebrates award winners and excellence in continuing education
November 10, 2025
The ISFB Soirée was held on Thursday, November 6, 2025 in Geneva, bringing together ISFB certificate winners, representatives of member banks, lecturers and partners of the Institute, as well as numerous personalities from the financial sector in French-speaking Switzerland.
Opening the event, Mr Mathias Baitan, General Manager of ISFB, welcomed the guests before handing over to Mrs Anne Hiltpold, State Councillor in charge of the Department of Public Education of the Republic and Canton of Geneva, who praised the Institute's commitment to the development of skills and employability in the Canton's banking and financial sector.
The meeting also marked an important milestone: the announcement by our Managing Director Mathias Baitan of the creation of theISFB Observatory of Banking and Financial Skillsa first-of-its-kind initiative in French-speaking Switzerland to anticipate changes in professions and support the transformation of skills in the banking and finance sector.
The founding banks are Banque Cantonale de Genève (BCGE), Banque Pictet & Cie SA, Banque Lombard Odier & Cie SA, Banque Mirabaud & Cie SA, Banque Bordier & Cie SCmA, and Banque Indosuez Wealth Management in Switzerland.
Winners in the spotlight
The highlight of the evening was the presentation of awards to the winners of the last two semesters, celebrating their success and commitment to their training. On this occasion, the Gold Partner Award was presented by Damien Repond, BDO, to Joël PASTRE, PwC, in recognition of the student with the highest average in the ISFB Compliance Officer Certificate.
A groundbreaking conference on the link between emotions, decisions and AI
The conference entitled "Emotions, decision-making and artificial intelligence", co-presented by Prof. David Sander and Dr. Marcello Mortillaro from the Centre Interfacultaire en Sciences Affectives at the University of Geneva, captivated the audience. Together, they explored the interactions between human emotions, decision-making processes and artificial intelligence technologies, offering a scientific and forward-looking look at a theme at the heart of contemporary issues. It was a privileged moment for the 170 or so people present, an opportunity to step back from their knowledge and reflect on how to adapt to a constantly changing world.
Promoting excellence and continuing education
The evening continued with the presentation of the ISFB 2025 Member Prize, which is awarded each year to a member establishment that has particularly distinguished itself through its commitment to the training and skills development of its staff. This year, the ISFB Member Award was awarded to UBP - Union Bancaire Privée. Ms Isabel Gayo, Head of Learning & Development - HRBP, accepted the award on behalf of the bank, and emphasized the importance the bank attaches to developing the skills of its employees.
In a convivial and festive atmosphere, discussions continued over a cocktail reception, marking the end of an evening dedicated to excellence, innovation and sharing.
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Strategic Business Area 1
Continuing Education
The Institute aims to maximize the collective and individual skills of the banking ecosystem in French-speaking Switzerland. It trains specialists in technical fields as well as in managerial and interactional skills.
The training program offers different types of training in Wealth Management, Asset Management, Retail & Corporate Banking, Support & Back-Office, Legal, Risk & Compliance and Management.