Its acquisition of the Belgian private bank and asset manager offers Indosuez a chance to bulk up fast in key European markets. Its chief executive Jacques Prost sits down… erm, stands up with Euromoney to discuss the firm’s future.

Senior Indonesian officials have floated the idea of transforming the island paradise into a private-wealth hub to rival Hong Kong and Singapore. Jakarta certainly needs to do something to ensure that more of the wealth created onshore stays onshore.

India’s wealth-management sector is growing fast, with new advisory firms constantly springing up. This is catnip to private equity firms keen to invest in the best growth-oriented private banks. But who will win this race and who will fall short?

Diego De Giorgi’s arrival at Standard Chartered has coincided with important changes at the bank. He talks to Euromoney about the transition from investment banker to chief financial officer, and how the firm can further leverage its advantages amid growing profitability and geopolitical risk.

CEO Leandro Miranda tells Euromoney that the firm will use recently granted CVM license and secured deal mandates to raise equity.

John Mathews, head of UHNW Americas for UBS in New York, tells Euromoney why the US’s private banking model is so successful, why the Swiss firm is really in the life counselling business, and explains why it has targeted US ultra-high net worth clients.

Naz Vahid is to leave Citi after nearly four decades as one of the US bank’s most effective and innovative wealth managers.

The UK government wants to invigorate the UK stock market and sell its stake in NatWest. The bank’s private banking arm wants to boost its investment almost anywhere else.

Exactly one year ago, San Francisco-based First Republic Bank was sold by regulators amid a US regional banking crisis. Citizens Financial Group, which had seen the sale as a chance to turbocharge its private banking ambitions, lost out to JPMorgan. But far from being the end of the story, that failed bid was just the beginning. Within weeks the bank had announced First Republic’s Susan deTray as the head of its new private bank, a unit that is now at the heart of a fast-growing wealth franchise.

The Swiss bank stands apart from its peers. It helped its clients profit, both in the serene waters of 2019 and in the wake left by Covid-19 as it spread across the world in 2020

“I think this crisis has shown why being with a firm focused on wealth management as a primary business and having a global perspective matters to clients,” says Tom Naratil, co-chief executive of UBS global wealth management (GWM) and president of UBS Americas.

Our review period was a difficult one for private banking operations in the region, as it was worldwide: the fourth quarter wiped out huge chunks of revenues and assets for some international and local players, and it was a year that required sound individual advice for clients.

For the second year running Credit Suisse is Latin America’s best bank for wealth management, this year bolstered by the completion of a three-year turnaround across the whole bank.

Household net financial wealth in CEE has roughly doubled since 2006 and private banking and wealth management services are increasingly in demand across the region.

With a new strategy of regionalization, integration and innovation, Credit Suisse’s wealth management business has set itself apart from its peers and brought the ethos of Swiss personalized service to an international platform.

This year Lombard Odier is western Europe’s best bank for wealth management. It has $262 billion in client assets, making it a medium-sized player, yet it succeeds in having the feel of a boutique wealth manager thanks to its structure.

The award for best bank for wealth management in Africa this year goes to Standard Bank. With R79 billion ($6.14 billion) in wealth and investment assets under advisory, Standard Bank is Africa’s largest wealth manager.

It has not been easy for those without a retail presence to win the affections of America’s wealthy, but UBS – Euromoney’s best bank for wealth management in North America – seems to have done just that. UBS Wealth Management Americas (WMA) this year had its most profitable first quarter in the history of the firm, following record third and fourth quarters in 2016.

Western Europe’s best bank for wealth management, Lombard Odier, was established 220 years ago. Yet despite a tight connection to its roots and with Patrick Odier as managing partner, the bank is an example of the new model of wealth management.

There are few banks that can advise wealthy clients across the multitude of different countries and cultures in CEE, but UniCredit has made itself the bank of choice for clients in nearly every single one, earning it the award for best bank for wealth management. Its focus for the last 12 months has been one of organic growth and innovation. The bank has focused on structured products.

The region’s wealthy are another group increasingly targeted by both local and international banks. The regional wealth management award goes to a firm with global breadth and expertise in this area, Credit Suisse, which also keeps the top spot in the Middle East in Euromoney’s 2017 private banking survey.