ISFB Insight
“Understanding the Bank from the Inside”
May 29, 2026
Aimed at students and recent graduates who want to gain practical experience in banking and finance, the ISFB Summer School offers an intensive immersion in the heart of the financial center. Through presentations by professionals, case studies, and direct exchanges with industry players, it aims to bridge the gap between academic training and operational realities. A few months after the 2025 summer session, a former participant looks back on this experience and the role it played in his entry into the job market.
Peter Asfaha, you attended the ISFB Summer School during the summer session of 2025. What stands out to you about the experience?
The ISFB Summer School is more than just an introduction to the Swiss banking sector. It offers a structured overview of the sector, grounded in its operational realities.
What immediately stands out is how the content integrates regulatory, commercial, and organizational aspects. This approach accurately reflects an industry where every decision involves striking a delicate balance between compliance, performance, and accountability.
Interactions with stakeholders play a crucial role. They provide direct insight into the realities on the ground, going far beyond theoretical frameworks. In particular, they reveal the implicit high standards that shape the Swiss financial center, as well as the importance placed on consistency in execution.
In this environment, competence is not merely a matter of technical expertise. It depends on the ability to sustain performance over time, to deliver consistently, and to maintain high standards in every interaction. It is precisely this discipline—more than any particular attitude—that forms the foundation of credibility.
Are you looking for your first job in the field of communications at a financial institution? What skills will you bring to your future employer?
In a financial institution, communication cannot be viewed merely as a means of disseminating information. It serves as a tool for clarification, alignment, and, ultimately, decision-making.
My contribution follows this approach. My primary focus is on structuring information, with the goal of making complex topics immediately accessible without sacrificing accuracy. This is essential in an environment where the quality of a message directly determines how well it is understood and utilized.
My experience has led me to work on content intended for discerning stakeholders, particularly in international contexts. This requires a keen understanding of the level of detail, tone, and context of each communication.
I pay particular attention to execution. In an industry where reputation is a key asset, even the slightest oversight can undermine the overall perception. Formal rigor and message consistency are therefore inseparable from the content itself.
Finally, my career path has allowed me to develop the ability to adapt quickly—a skill that is essential for thriving in environments where expectations vary depending on who I’m dealing with—while maintaining high standards.
Would you recommend that students or recent college graduates enroll in the ISFB Summer School?
The ISFB Summer School is an excellent starting point for those who wish to pursue a long-term career in the banking and financial sector.
It provides a structured understanding of the fundamentals of the Swiss financial center, drawing on an ecosystem of practitioners with direct experience in the field. This practical focus is at the heart of the ISFB’s approach, whose mission is specifically to strengthen skills relevant to the realities of the sector.
It doesn’t replace professional experience, but it certainly makes it easier to assess. It helps you better understand what’s expected of you, refine your professional positioning, and take on your first responsibilities with a solid foundation already in place.
This approach is particularly useful for recent graduates who want to move beyond an academic understanding of finance and adapt more quickly to the industry’s operational standards.
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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.
