Catalog Continuing education ISFB Certificate in Governance and Risk Management for Directors

ISFB Certificate in Governance and Risk Management for Directors

Context

In an ever-changing banking environment, marked by growing regulatory challenges and increasingly complex financial products, risk management is becoming a strategic imperative for every financial institution. This short certificate is designed specifically for bank board members, as well as professionals with cross-functional banking responsibilities. It aims to provide participants with an in-depth understanding of the major issues involved in risk management in the banking sector.

Key objectives

1. Give a general overview of the risk function in banks of different categories
2. Clarify the roles and responsibilities of those involved, and identify the different approaches and means
3. Develop general knowledge of the different types of risk
4. Understand and apply different risk situations through case studies
5. Keep abreast of changes in risk regulations.

Target audience

- Members of the Board of Directors of financial institutions
- Cross-functional positions not specializing in risk management, with a view to a future directorship

Stakeholders

ISFB lecturers have been working in the banking world as CROs or risk specialists for many years, and are recognized as some of the leading experts in our ecosystem in French-speaking Switzerland.

Reviews

The certificate is validated by means of a 120-minute written QCS exam (simple-choice questionnaire, one and only one correct answer). Emphasis is placed on comprehension, application and the ability to analyze and solve concrete cases using the tools and methods learned in training. Candidates have the right to consult course materials, appendices and personal notes (open notes exam concept).

Practical information

This program is offered in partnership with ACAD. ACAD is a training center for members of Swiss company boards of directors. ACAD offers comprehensive ACAD+ training as well as continuing education courses that provide all the knowledge required to serve competently on the board of directors of a public limited company. It also offers the opportunity to obtain ACAD+ certification after passing an exam. ACAD was founded in 2010 to meet the growing need for professionalization of the role of board member

ACAD recognizes the ISFB Risk Management Certificate for Directors as equivalent to the ACAD Risk Management module of the ACAD+ program, allowing ISFB Certificate participants to continue on to the ACAD+ certification program.

Price

Public: CHF 5,270
Member : CHF 3'950.-
Training cheque: CHF 4,920.00

Managing risk without becoming a CRO

Jean-Philippe Bernard, Program Director

Ultimately responsible, the boards of directors of small financial institutions must weigh risks with sufficient understanding to make decisions and exercise control.

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Interview with Jean-Philippe Bernard, Program Director of the ISFB Certificate in Risk Management for Directors

Jean-Philippe Bernard - ISFB Program Director, and ISFB Lecturer

"At the board level: How can we better understand risk-related issues? How should we position ourselves? How can we make informed judgments about the relevance of the executive's approaches to risk? How can we use these approaches to integrate them into the right strategic initiatives? This is where training dedicated to bank directors comes in."

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Training bank directors: FINMA's vision and lessons from ISFB

Nezam Alexandre Bayat - Co-Head Enforcement Procedures (Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA)

"The role of board member at an institution subject to FINMA, particularly a bank, requires great rigor, strategic vision, extensive knowledge of financial markets and the legal and regulatory framework, as well as availability, an independent and critical mind, and courage."

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Hervé BROCH

Hervé Broch is President of Servette FC 1890. He is also Chairman of the Board of Raiffeisen Banque Genève Rhône and Co-Chairman of the Geneva Federation of Raiffeisen Banks. He joined the boards of GPF and ISFB in 2024. A business economist with an EMBA in Integrated Management, he is also a certified ACAD administrator. His academic background also includes two CAS degrees in Fundraising and Blockchain.
Over many years, he has developed strong links between the voluntary sector and the world of finance.

Jean-Christophe PERNOLLET

Jean-Christophe Pernollet is a recognized financial expert who has held senior positions in auditing, risk management, and compliance. He was previously a Certified Public Accountant and Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers and Chief Risk, Legal & Compliance Officer at Edmond de Rothschild. He is a member of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Audit and Risk Committee at Swissquote.

Jean-Philippe BERNARD

A graduate of EPFL in systems analysis and operations research, he began his career in banking process optimization before taking on management roles at a private bank in Geneva. Founder of several consulting firms, including BERYL Management, which he headed from 1999 to 2019, he has advised numerous financial institutions in Switzerland and internationally on governance and risk management issues. As co-founder of OPCIS, he develops benchmarking and risk management solutions for Swiss banks. He has also taught banking organization at various academic institutions. He is currently an independent director at Banque Cantonale de Genève and chairman of the Risk and Strategy Committee of the Board of Directors.

Julien PELEGRY

With a master's degree in finance from Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne University, he began his career in 2004 at HSBC France in risk management for interest rate activities within the investment bank. In 2007, he joined Lombard Odier in Switzerland, where he successively covered risk for asset management, hedge funds, then wealth management and trading room advisory services. In 2016, he joined the Edmond de Rothschild Group as Head of Financial Risk. There, he developed LTV and derivative exposure calculation models to support the credit business, piloted the IRRBB framework for interest rate risk, led structural projects such as the Libor transition, strengthened liquidity stress testing tools, and supervised market risk for proprietary investments.

Nicolas DERVAUX

Nicolas Dervaux has been working in the financial industry since 1998, with diverse experience in banking/funds, corporate/capital markets, internationally and in Geneva.
In 2004, he discovered commodity financing (transactional and structured), becoming successively Middle Office Manager, Distribution Manager, Fund Manager, and Front Office Group Manager. In March 2021, Nicolas joined the Finance Division as Head of Risk at BCGE (financial, non-financial, and operational).
The development of commercial activity, the management of banking and financial crises, and knowledge of regulatory developments (Basel II/Basel III) give Nicolas a comprehensive view of credit risk.

Nezam Alexandre BAYAT

After studying law at the Universities of Fribourg and Durham (UK), Nezam Alexandre Bayat qualified as a lawyer. He has been working at FINMA since 2012. Since 2025, he has been Co-Head of the group responsible for enforcement proceedings, particularly those concerning French-speaking Switzerland and Ticino. Given his responsibilities and experience, he has been a privileged witness to the evolution of financial markets, the risks faced by banks and other institutions subject to FINMA, and changes in the legal and prudential framework. Nezam Alexandre Bayat has also developed expertise in corporate governance, risk management, and compliance. He is a graduate of the Swiss Board School and the University of Cambridge in sustainable finance and holds a trader's license from SIX.