Pictet

About Pictet

Pictet is the oldest of Zurich's major private banks and one of the few remaining partner-owned institutions in European banking. Founded in 1805, the Geneva-headquartered firm manages CHF 694 billion with a partnership structure that aligns the interests of the bank's owners with those of its clients, partner liability is unlimited, a vanishingly rare arrangement that concentrates the mind on risk management. Pictet's Zurich presence is substantial, serving Swiss and international UHNW clients with core private banking, family office services, alternative investments, and asset servicing. The firm's family office practice is among the most sophisticated in Switzerland, advising on multi-jurisdictional structuring, succession planning, and the governance frameworks that professionalise family wealth across generations. For the family office seeking a private bank whose partners have skin in the game, literally, Pictet occupies a unique position in the market.

Known For

• Partner-owned since 1805, with managing partners bearing unlimited personal liability, an arrangement almost extinct among banks of its size
• Three business lines: wealth management, asset management and asset services, with several hundred billion Swiss francs under management or custody
• No investment banking, proprietary trading or commercial lending, which keeps the balance sheet simple and the group's focus on client assets
• Strong family office and multi-jurisdictional structuring practice from Geneva, Zurich, London, Luxembourg, Singapore and Hong Kong

Typical Mandate

A family or entrepreneur with liquid wealth typically above several million Swiss francs seeking discretionary or advisory portfolio management, custody and wealth planning from an institution insulated from quarterly shareholder pressure. Family offices use Pictet for custody, reporting and access to private markets and hedge funds; individuals use it for cross-border structuring and succession. Lombard lending exists but lending is not a driver of the business.

How to Engage

Pictet is generally approached via an introduction from a lawyer, trustee, existing client or family office, or by direct contact with the wealth management office in the relevant jurisdiction as listed on the firm's website. The first meeting is exploratory; onboarding then requires identification and source-of-wealth documentation. Clients should be prepared to discuss objectives, risk tolerance, reporting needs and where assets should be booked.

Frequently Asked Questions