Family Office: a designation now carried by the ISFB-CFOA™ brand

May 6, 2026

The ISFB Family Office Certificate, a program unique in French-speaking Switzerland and already recognized as a benchmark for family office professionals, is taking a new step forward with the creation of the registered trademark ISFB-CFOA™. Reserved for individuals who have successfully completed the entire program, this designation underscores the rigor of a demanding curriculum designed to meet the needs of comprehensive family support and coordination across various areas of expertise.

A registered trademark for a flagship program

The ISFB announces the creation of the ISFB-CFOA™ certification, intended for individuals who have successfully completed the entire ISFB Family Office Certificate program. This certification is designed to recognize a comprehensive continuing education program focused on the specific challenges of the family office sector and the professional development of specialists who provide long-term support to families.

Today, the Family Office plays a key role in the wealth management ecosystem. It brings together family governance, investment strategy, wealth planning, succession planning, real estate, philanthropy, partner management, and intergenerational continuity. The ISFB Family Office Certificate addresses these realities through a comprehensive, structured, and practice-oriented approach.

“The creation of the ISFB-CFOA brand is part of the ISFB’s strategy: to make professional competencies more transparent, support the evolution of professions, and enhance the quality of training programs offered in the French-speaking financial center. “In a field as demanding as Family Office, this recognition helps establish a clear benchmark that serves both professionals and institutions,” emphasizes Mathias Baitan, Executive Director of the ISFB.

Recognizing members and building a community

The ISFB Family Office Certificate is designed for family members, professionals working for a single- or multi-family office, and professionals collaborating within this ecosystem. It enables them to better understand the current and future challenges facing family offices from technical, human, and organizational perspectives.

Over the course of a few days of training, the program brings together complementary expertise across the key areas of the Family Office: governance, succession planning, investment, private markets, real estate, philanthropy, conflict resolution, partner management, and understanding family dynamics.

“This certificate brings together professionals who are directly confronted with the realities on the ground. The ISFB-CFOA designation recognizes a comprehensive, structured, and coherent program that has been validated as a whole,” notes Christophe Nicod, Director of Continuing Education at ISFB.

The ISFB-CFOA designation is reserved for individuals who have successfully completed the entire program. It serves to highlight the commitment of its holders while helping to build a community of specialists trained in the global challenges facing family offices.

“Today, families are looking for advisors who can understand their situation as a whole and systematically coordinate the expertise needed to address their challenges. The ISFB Family Officer Certificate aligns with this trend by establishing an approach that restores coherence and meaning to decision-making—a core priority for the NextGen,” emphasizes Pierre Ricq, Program Director of the ISFB Family Office Certificate.

With the registered trademark ISFB-CFOA, the ISFB is enhancing the visibility of a program that is unique in French-speaking Switzerland, recognized for its practical focus, its network of experts, and its ability to integrate the wealth management, family, and organizational aspects of the Family Office.

© Institut Supérieur de Formation Bancaire (ISFB). All rights reserved.
The analyses and content published by the ISFB may be quoted or reproduced in part, provided that the source is clearly mentioned. Any full or substantial reproduction of this article in another medium or format is subject to the prior written authorization of the ISFB. In order to facilitate reading and without any intention of discrimination, the masculine gender is generally used, in accordance with the grammatical rule that allows it to be used as a neutral value to refer to a group of people comprising both men and women. This publication is intended for ISFB members and their employees in Switzerland, as well as anyone interested in finance in Switzerland. It is not intended to be read or distributed in any jurisdiction where its distribution would be prohibited.

ISFB Family Officer Certificate

In the photo, from left to right: Monica Espinosa, Mathias Baitan, Pierre Ricq, Christophe Nicod

 

The creation of the ISFB-CFOA brand is part of ISFB’s strategy to make professional competencies more transparent, support the evolution of professions, and enhance the quality of training programs offered in the French-speaking financial sector of Switzerland.

Mathias Baitan