Private Banking Day 2026
At the tenth edition of the Private Banking Day, VAV and ABPS brought together leaders from the financial industry, government and academia to discuss the implications of growing public debt levels worldwide for markets, economies and society at large.
In her address, Federal Councillor and Head of the Federal Department of Finance Karin Keller-Sutter emphasised that Switzerland’s economic, political and social stability is one of the Swiss banking centre’s major assets, and highlighted the role of its rigorous yet flexible fiscal rules in this regard.
In a fireside chat, Philipp Hildebrand, Vice Chairman of BlackRock, built on this perspective by noting that Swiss Private Banking is predestined to thrive amid current geopolitical uncertainties. He also discussed the current AI investment boom and emphasised the importance of promoting Europe’s capital markets to support innovation and relieve pressure on state pension systems.
Grégoire Bordier, Senior Managing Partner at Bordier and Chairman of ABPS, put current debt levels into historical perspective and underscored the importance of prioritising growth from a policy perspective.
In a panel discussion, Pierre Collin-Dufresne, Professor of Finance at EPFL and SFI, Sabine D’Amelio-Favez, Director at the Swiss Federal Finance Administration, Maria Vassalou, Head of the Pictet Research Institute, and Mike O’Sullivan, author and Forbes contributor, discussed how the consequences of rising debt levels, particularly in the US, will ultimately depend on states’ capacity to balance demographic challenges while productively leveraging technological innovation.
In his closing remarks, Giorgio Pradelli, CEO of EFG International and Chairman of VAV, emphasised that Switzerland’s fiscal position provides a competitive advantage at a time of record global debt levels, and highlighted how the Swiss banking industry’s long-standing expertise can support the efficient allocation of much-needed private investments.
Speakers
Karin Keller-Sutter
Federal Councillor
Head Federal
Department of
Finance
Pierre Collin-Dufresne
Professor of Finance
EPFL and Swiss Finance Institute
Sabine D’Amelio-Favez
Director
Federal Finance Administration FFA
Mike O’Sullivan
Author and Forbes Contributor
Maria Vassalou
Head
Pictet Research Institute
Philipp Hildebrand
Vice Chairman
Blackrock
Carolin Roth
Business journalist
Grégoire Bordier
President ASPB
Partner with unlimited liability
Bordier & Cie
Giorgio Pradelli
President VAV
CEO
EFG International
Impressions
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Organisers
