In Germany, the Frankfurter Bankgesellschaft is among the top ten private banks. In Switzerland, however, it remains relatively unknown. Even its Swiss subsidiary, located on Zurich’s Börsenstrasse, rarely makes waves.

Thomas Heller is well aware of this. «We’re not yet one of those institutions at the top of school graduates’ wish lists—but not yet,» he says with a laugh.

Over CHF 7 Billion in Assets Under Management in Switzerland Alone

Since last March, Heller, a veteran of Zurich’s financial scene, has served as Chief Investment Officer and a member of the bank’s extended executive team. «The business model is absolutely compelling,» he says.

Frankfurter Bankgesellschaft operates as two fully licensed banks, located in Zurich and Frankfurt am Main, serving as the private banking arm of the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe.

Additionally, the group operates a multi-family office and holds a majority stake in an M&A advisory firm. With approximately 350 employees, the private banking group manages around CHF 21 billion (or euros), of which more than CHF 7 billion is managed in Switzerland. The sole shareholder of the holding company, based in Frankfurt, is Helaba (Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen). 

Swissness Resonates 

With its Zurich location, the Frankfurter Bankgesellschaft enables cross-border wealth management. «Swissness resonates. Many Germans hold an almost idealized view of Switzerland,» says Heller, sharing observations from client events hosted by the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe.

In Switzerland, the bank has yet to fully tap into its market potential, even though it already serves Swiss clients. That’s about to change. The institution aims to play a more active role in the future. «We see significant growth potential in Switzerland,» Heller explains.

Taking Deliberate Steps

However, the Frankfurter Bankgesellschaft has no intention of rushing into action — such an approach is simply not its style. What it does, it does deliberately and with precision. «We don’t feel any pressure. Nobody has been waiting for us, so we have time,» Heller says confidently.