About Us
The Association of Foreign Banks in Switzerland AFBS was founded in 1972. It is, next to the Swiss Bankers' Association SBA, the banking association in Switzerland with the largest number of members. On 14 June 2022, the Association celebrated its 50th anniversary with a special event, the AFBS Get Together, which takes place once every year since then.
The AFBS is represented on the board of the Swiss Bankers' Association SBA and in nearly all its Steering Groups, Commissions and Committees. The AFBS is also represented on the board of the SIX Group, where the foreign banks account for an important share in trading volume and are an important shareholder. The Association is furthermore represented on the boards of economiesuisse, esisuisse Depositor Protection Scheme, the Bank Employers' Association, the Swiss Finance Institute, and the Geneva Financial Centre Foundation.
The Association has 92 members: 57 members are affiliates of a foreign bank; 19 are branches. In addition, 7 foreign-owned non-bank services providers are members and 9 Swiss banks and financial institutions are observers, which gives them access to the Association’s information and events. 43 AFBS members are headquartered in Zürich, 34 in Geneva, 10 in Ticino and 5 are domiciled in other cities. Many of them have branches in other locations across Switzerland (data per 15 July 2024).
AFBS News
AFBS News is published five times a year in English. It offers an insight into legal and regulatory developments from the perspective of foreign banks in Switzerland. AFBS News is available to all interested persons.
To subscribe for the AFBS Newsletter click here.
AFBSecure - Members’ Only Information
All employees of AFBS Members have access to AFBSecure, the Members’-Only area which is password-protected and offers a wide range of information and reference documents, invitations to events and meetings. As an employee of an AFBS Member you can register as an AFBS User and receive your personal login here.
AFBS Publications
One of the main activities of the Association’s Secretariat is to provide information to the AFBS Members. Information covers various topics relating to legal and regulatory matters in the area of banking and finance. The focus of interest is on Swiss matters and international topics which impact the Swiss financial centre in some way. In general, publications are issued in English.
AFBS Info
Provides relevant information and updates in the areas of Legal & Compliance, Tax, Sustainable Finance, Human Resources, Digitalisation & Cybersecurity, Accounting & Risk Management and a special summary AFBS Info to the CEO.
AFBS Checklist Regulatory
With the support of EY the AFBS prepares a synopsis of regulatory developmen ts. It is updated twice a year and published in German, French and English.
AFBS Summaries
In its monitoring work, the AFBS Secretariat prepares summaries of reports and publications of financial centre bodies. These summaries provide a succinct overview but can never replace a careful reading of the original documents themselves.
Brussels Weekly News
An international law firm provides a weekly one-pager on relevant EU-Swiss topics.Third-Party Offers: Listing of special offers that may be of interest to the AFBS members.
AFBS Surveys
From time to time the AFBS conducts surveys on topics of relevance to the AFBS Members. Past and ongoing surveys are published here. Thank you for your participation.
AFBS Events & Meetings
The AFBS organises numerous events throughout the year. They cover various topics which impact the foreign banks in Switzerland. Beyond legal and regulatory as well as tax matters, events deal with topics such as digital banking and cyber security, sustainable finance, human resources, training and education. AFBS Events come in the format of Conferences and Roundtables. Participation is open to all employees of AFBS Members and is free of charge. They take place on-site in Geneva, Lugano and Zürich or through video-conferences.
AFBS Conferences
Presentation by expert guest speakers on regulatory and strategic topics, in Geneva, Zürich and Lugano, or through video-conferences.AFBS Roundtables: Ad-hoc discussion groups on topical matters, depending on regulatory developments, interest and suggestions from member banks. In Geneva, Zurich and Lugano, or through video-conferences.
AFBS Groups
Standing groups meeting in regular intervals to discuss topics of concern and share views and experience: Legal & Compliance, Human Resources, Trade Finance (Geneva), Corporate & Investment Banking (Zürich), AFBS Group Lugano, AFBS Group Retail (Geneva).
AFBS Board
The AFBS Board consists of at least eight persons who are in the top management of the AFBS Members. Board Members are elected by the General Assembly for a three-year term, which is renewable. The Board itself nominates a Chairman, two Vice Chairmen and a Treasurer. The Chairmen ensure representation of the AFBS on the Board of the Swiss Bankers' Association. The Board sets out positions on strategic/conceptual issues and defines the Association's strategy accordingly. It represents the standpoint of the foreign banks with regard to political, economic, legal, and regulatory matters, and takes a public position on topical issues. It ensures contact with key institutions of the Swiss financial centre and shares insights on the specific challenges foreign banks in Switzerland are facing. It further nominates representatives to the various commissions and working groups.
Adrian Nösberger
Chair
Chief Executive Officer
Schroder & Co Bank AG
Alfonso Gomez
Deputy Chair
Chief Executive Officer
BBVA (Suiza) SA
Enna Pariset
Deputy Chair
CEO and Head of Territory for
BNP Paribas Group in Switzerland
Mauro de Stefani
Treasurer
Chief Executive Officer
Banca Popolare di Sondrio (Suisse) SA
Peter Gabriele
Chief Executive Officer
J.P. Morgan (Suisse) SA
Daniel Belfer
Chief Executive Officer
Bank J. Safra Sarasin AG
Marni McManus
Citi Country Officer & Head of Banking, Switzerland, Monaco and Liechtenstein
Gabriel Castello
CEO HSBC Private Bank (Suisse) SA
Regional Head EMEA Global Private Banking
Country Head Switzerland
Laurent Gagnebin
Chief Executive Officer
Rothschild & Co Bank
AG
Loïc Voide
CEO & Chief Country Officer
Deutsche Bank (Schweiz) AG
AG
Anke Bridge-Haux
Chief Executive Officer
LGT Bank (Switzerland) Ltd.
Honorary Chairman
Alfredo Gysi (AFBS Chairman 1999-2014)
Auditors
Guy Teulings, Head Group Consolidation & Reporting,
Habib Bank AG
Zurich
Georgiana Solanet, Directeur financier,
Crédit Agricole nextbank
(Suisse) SA
Ivan Mattei, Deputy General Manager,
Banca Zarattini & Co SA
AFBS Secretariat
The Secretariat carries out the administrative work of the AFBS as directed by the Board and the General Assembly. The Secretariat consists of a team of three and is located in the centre of Zürich.
Representations
The Association is represented in the various organs, commissions and working groups of national bodies by experts of the member institutions. The Association Secretariat provides administrative support of their work and liaises with the AFBS Board, AFBS Groups and other AFBS Members.
Commissions
- Representation of the AFBS in Commissions and Committees of the SBA and other financial centre institutions.
- Representation of the foreign banks vis-à-vis the FINMA, the SNB and the Federal Administration.
- Presentation of points of interest to the various bodies.
Swiss Bankers’ Association
| Governing Board | Adrian Nösberger | Schroder & Co Bank AG |
| Committee of the Governing Board | Adrian Nösberger
|
Schroder & Co Bank AG |
| Gabriel Castello | HSBC Private Bank (Suisse) SA
|
|
| Enna Pariset | BNP Paribas Group in Switzerland
|
|
| Steering Group Capital Markets | Reinout Boettcher
|
J.P. Morgan Securities plc, London, Zweigniederlassung Zürich
|
| Steering Group Private Banking | Laurent Gagnebin
|
Rothschild & Co Bank AG
|
| Steering Group Retail Banking | Mauro de Stefani | Banca Popolare di Sondrio (Suisse) SA |
| Expert Committee Sustainable Finance | Daniel Wild | Bank J. Safra Sarasin AG |
| Expert Committee Digitalisation | Anke Bridge Haux | LGT Bank (Switzerland) AG |
| Training Commission | Jonathan Deneys | Association of Foreign Banks in Switzerland |
| Commission on Legal & Compliance Matters KORECO | René Schwab | Goldman Sachs Bank AG |
| Commission on Financial Market Regulation and Accounting | Dieter Semling | LGT Bank (Switzerland) AG |
| Commission on Tax Matters STEKO | Bernhard Schopper | HSBC Private Bank (Suisse) SA |
SIX Group
| Board of Directors | Soren Mose | independent |
| SIX Regulatory Board | Garrick Dean Smith | BNP Paribas, Paris, succursale de Zurich |
| Cash Market Advisory Board of the SIX Swiss Exchange | Stefan Zimmermann | BNP Paribas (Suisse) SA |
Other Associations and Institutions
| esisuisse Depositor Protection (Board) | Laurence Luyet-Slappnig
|
BNP Paribas, Paris, succursale de Zurich |
| Employers' Association of the Banks in Switzerland (Board) | Elvira Knecht | LGT Bank (Switzerland) AG |
| Swiss Finance Institute SFI (Board)
Swiss Finance Institute Sounding Board |
Alfonso Gomez Thomas Conel |
BBVA (Suiza) SA BNP Paribas (Suisse) SA |
| Fondation Genève Place Financière | Marc-André Poirier
|
CA Indosuez (Switzerland) SA |
| Fondation Genève Place Financière | Peter Gabriele | J.P. Morgan (Suisse) SA |
Members
The Association of Foreign Banks in Switzerland admits the following, foreign-owned, FINMA-supervised institutions as active members:
- banks as well as branches and agents in Switzerland of foreign banks;
- wealth management companies, trustees, securities houses;
- managers, management companies and agents of collective investment schemes.
Observers
Other legal or natural persons who identify with the Association’s goals but do not fulfil the above criteria, qualify for passive membership, and can obtain Observer status. They benefit from the same access to AFBS Info and participation in AFBS Events, but do not have the right of vote and eligibility at the Association's General Assembly.
50 Years AFBS
A special event commemorated the 50th Anniversary of the Association of Foreign Banks in Switzerland AFBS. The event took place on Tuesday, 14th June 2022 at the Landesmuseum in Zürich and offered the opportunity to exchange and network with professionals around the present situation and the outlook of the Swiss Financial Centre. Key representatives of the Swiss financial centre shared their views and discussed opportunities for the development and strengthening of the financial centre. The moderated panel discussion offered food for thought, invited participants to get involved and continued reflections during the ensuing informal networking dinner.50 years association of foreign banks in Switzerland - a long or a short timespan? Very short if compared with the establishment of the "first foreign bank" in Switzerland in 1425 in Geneva by Cosimo de' Medici. Still short if compared with the establishment of the oldest foreign bank still present in Switzerland in 1872. A lot of things have happened in that "short" fifty years. Have a look at the anniversary video which gives you a quick overview.
Contact us
Address
Association of Foreign Banks in Switzerland
Usteristrasse
23
8001 Zürich
Contact
Email:
info@afbs.ch
Tel: +41 44
224 40 70