This article was originally published in the Brand Finance Banking 500 2024 report
As EFG International AG navigates the evolving landscape of the industry, the brand's emphasis on wealth management, personalised services, and sustainable value creation aligns well with the upcoming wealth transfer and changing client demands. Leveraging a strong brand and reputation, EFG can capitalise on its global reach and local expertise. By prioritising employee engagement and ensuring alignment with the brand's core values, EFG can solidify its position as a leading Swiss private bank and enhance brand success.
CEO, EFG International AG
What are the key trends you envisage as being the most important in the banking industry over the next three years and how can brands navigate or capitalise on those?
In wealth management, having a strong brand and reputation is indispensable − especially in today’s highly competitive market environment. Over the next few years, our industry will witness the biggest wealth transfer in history, and for the next generation of clients and investors, sustainable value creation will be an essential requirement. This is where we, as a family-owned and listed global player, have an advantage as we can offer truly independent and impartial advice to our clients. While technology will remain an important enabler in the private banking sector, we believe that talent and the human touch will continue to be key differentiating factors.
The strength of EFG and our brand is based on our ability to deliver on our brand promise “Empowering entrepreneurial minds to create value – today and for the future” for clients around the globe. In an increasingly digital world, it is important that a banking brand is accessible and agile while, at the same time, being solid and reliable. I believe that the unique quality of personal service and advice, combined with sophisticated digital applications and customised solutions, will make all the difference.
What are EFG’s biggest advantages in ensuring brand success?
EFG’s approach to business is rooted in our positioning as a leading Swiss private bank with global reach and local knowhow. We are convinced that our people are the most powerful ambassadors of the EFG brand.
In their daily interactions with clients, colleagues, business partners and our communities, they live up to our brand promise and values, demonstrating how entrepreneurial thinking enables them to create value. Our claim ‘Bringing entrepreneurial thinking to Swiss private banking’ reflects our client-centric approach, with our unique client relationship officer (CRO) model and our history of entrepreneurship. EFG offers comprehensive advice, reliability and financial stability, as well as an international network spanning over 40 locations, to support our clients no matter where they are in the world. With our scalable multi-shore platform, we operate hubs in Switzerland, Europe, the Americas, Asia Pacific and the Middle East. Satisfying the expectations of our clients is the ultimate measure of our success.
We advise them in the spirit of entrepreneurship that has shaped our culture ever since EFG’s private banking business was established. The success of our brand is closely linked to our ability to deliver the best solutions for each individual client and is underpinned by our strong capital position and reputation.
Employee engagement can significantly impact brand perception. How does EFG involve employees in contributing to and aligning with the brand's values and goals?
Alongside our unique client approach, the key factor that sets EFG apart is our people – our brand ambassadors. As a financial services provider, our people are our most important asset and they represent our brand every day across every single touchpoint with clients and other stakeholders.
Our strategy puts people at its core – through our client-centric CRO model, but also through our efforts to be an employer of choice. EFG’s culture is built on our five core values – Accountable, Hands-on, Passionate, Solution-driven and Partnership-oriented. These values were defined using a bottom-up approach by involving and engaging with people from across the entire company. They have since been lived by our employees day after day.
