Swiss bankers are slowly discovering the power of their online brand. How well do Switzerland’s top shots stack up in self-marketing, and what are the potential pitfalls?
Until Friday, Iqbal Khan was a ghost, professionally speaking – if his LinkedIn profile is to be believed, nothing happened since June, when he was still wealth head at Credit Suisse. His profile contained no mention of his new employer (UBS) or his new role (co-head of the largest private bank in the world).
The months-long deathly silence on the star private banker’s LinkedIn profile suggests that not Khan himself, but Credit Suisse managed the account on his behalf. He may have defected to arch-rival UBS in October, but you wouldn’t have known it from looking at his profile.
The profile of Khan, updated on Friday shortly after finews.com inquired about the Swiss banker's presence on LinkedIn, is emblematic of how social media and the professional network in particular form a key part of executive identity and personal brand. Experts say Swiss finance CEOs, accustomed to rubbing shoulders and hobnobbing in person, have been slow to realize the algorithm-fueled potential of online networks to boost their own brand and that of their firms.
«There’s a strong belief and misunderstanding that LinkedIn is 'personal' and has nothing to do with the company,» said Erica Kessler, a Zurich-based LinkedIn trainer and coach. She is researching the LinkedIn profiles of the 120 largest Swiss firms, measured by employees.
Contracts over Keys
The professional network is a powerful communication tool to existing staff – and is often the first place job candidates look when checking out potential employers. «Many CEOs are missing a huge opportunity to maximize their presence on LinkedIn,» according to Kessler.
The most common errors? Outdated information, unprofessional profile photos, and no link back to the company’s website – or not being on LinkedIn at all.
The tool has become so powerful that the «owner» of a corporate profile for top shots is typically contractually agreed – for CEOs but also for high-performing private bankers with a «brand name», according to Christoph Hess, a Zurich-based consultant with Kuble, a communications agency. It is up to the top executives to effectively reclaim the account if they defect to a rival.
Sports, Culture, Proud Papa
Philipp Rickenbacher, who took over as CEO of Julius Baer in September, seems to be using his profile to banish the «Philipp Who?» notion. The Swiss banker likes to ski, motorcycle, listen to music, is very proud of his two teenage children, and is passionate about science and technology – all information presented slickly on LinkedIn.
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