Private Banks
Union Bancaire Privée (UBP)
An independent review of Union Bancaire Privée (UBP) by our team of experts
Book a Discovery CallSummary
Union Bancaire Privée (UBP) was founded in 1969 and is a Geneva-headquartered private bank and wealth management firm, and one of the larger privately owned banks in Switzerland.
It serves institutional and private clients from around 20 locations worldwide, with some 1,800 staff and over 300 private wealth managers, and reported assets under management of around CHF 147 billion. Private clients can be booked through 11 centres, including Geneva, London, Monaco, Hong Kong and Singapore.
UBP's Middle East office is regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA).
Pros
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Pure-play private banking heritage
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Global booking centres
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Strong digital banking
Cons
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Expensive
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Not the best way to invest
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Better options exist
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Limited scale and depth
Our verdict
Union Bancaire Privée is a respected Geneva boutique with a long pure-play private banking heritage. For all that, it is a relatively small house, and size has consequences for private clients.
A smaller bank has a narrower bench. That can mean less access to best-of-breed thinking across banking, investment and planning, and a greater chance that the person looking after you is stretched across responsibilities rather than deeply specialised in each. For a globally mobile client with complex affairs, breadth and depth matter.
The more fundamental point applies to any bank. A bank sells what a bank holds. Serious wealth work begins one level up, with the whole picture coordinated across your investments, structures, pensions, protection and succession, and with advice that answers to you rather than to a product shelf.
If you are already a private banking client of UBP, a no-obligation Second Opinion will show whether your portfolio still serves your plan, or whether the plan was ever the starting point. AES will also review the thinking that led to the investments you currently hold.
FAQs
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What does UBP stand for?
- UBP stands for Union Bancaire Privée.
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Does UBP have a branch in the Middle East?
- Yes. UBP has an office in the Middle East, regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA).