The Swiss private bank is replenishing a Basel stronghold after the abrupt exit of four former La Roche partners this spring. Vontobel is poaching from UBS to do so.
Vontobel moved into a prestigious 19th-century building on Basel's patrician Rittergasse last year. The noble address was a pleasant side effect of its April 2018 acquisition of Notenstein La Roche (the offices were the stronghold of four ex-La Roche partners).
Zurich-based Vontobel's ambitions for Basel appear intact following the sudden exit of the four anchor bankers earlier this year: the bank is hiring two private bankers from UBS to replenish ranks. Daniel Schuepbach and Matthias Crettaz will join effective November 1, Vontobel said in a statement on Thursday.
Schuepbach (pictured above) currently runs UBS' family banking practice in Basel and is part of the Swiss giant's high net worth management committee. He will take over Vontobel's wealth arm in Basel and report to Jean-Pierre Stillhart, who runs Vontobel's wealth management activities in Zurich, Basel, Berne, Chur, Lucerne, Olten, Schaffhausen, St. Gallen, and Winterthur).
Crettaz (pictured above) is currently desk head in the same team as Schuepbach. Vontobel said it wants to expand in Basel, which is rich pickings for private banks because it is home to several drugmaking dynasties including the ultra-wealthy Roche clan.
