Commenting on the results, Group CEO Eric Syz, said: “Refocusing our businesses with a bold long-term vision and creating value at all levels is delivering results. Accelerating organic growth, seeking further acquisitions, developing our footprint in core markets, and emphasising our attractiveness for talent is our focus for the coming year.”
Continuous innovation
Under the stewardship of its CEO Yvan Gaillard, Bank Syz’s culture of performance-driven wealth and investment solutions is attracting more inflows, as private clients seek to navigate a complex macro picture and diversify into alternatives and private markets, at a time of persistently low interest rates.
As significant steps to accelerate its presence in the Swiss market, the Bank has acquired the Zurich-based independent asset management firm BHA Partners AG, and appointed Dominik Staffelbach as the head of Swiss private banking based in Zurich.
“The acquisition of BHA adds about CHF 1 billion in managed assets and an experienced wealth management team, it is just the first in a series of acquisitions targeted by the Bank,” said Yvan Gaillard.
Bank Syz creatively expanded its service offering beyond its own booking platform, providing multi-custody services for its customers. This game-changing addition allows clients to access Syz investment expertise while keeping their assets with their existing bank.
Syz Symphony, the new systematic mandate drawing on the proprietary market indicators of the Syz investment team, is attracting considerable interest and delivered excellent results despite last year’s market turbulence, with its underlying algorithm totally excluding sentiment-based investment decision making.
“Defining a long-term strategic asset allocation, “endowment style”, including Private Equity and Hedge Funds, is the best way for clients to achieve sustainable risk-adjusted returns. 2021 underlined, yet again, how important it is to stay the course with our long-term views and ensure a robust investment process to successfully navigate financial markets. To ensure on-going best-in-class investment expertise, we made several senior hires to complement our current team. Being an investment-led private bank with a clear focus on providing the best possible solutions, this is something we will continue to do during the course of 2022,” said Yvan Gaillard.
A recipe for success
As the Group pursues its growth ambitions, the rapid development of Syz Capital is noteworthy. Created only 3 years ago, its business model allowing clients to invest alongside the Syz family and the Group is highly appreciated by investors. The firm’s talent in identifying and accessing “hidden gems” in private markets has delivered excellent returns.
Efficient collaboration between Bank Syz and Syz Capital provides private clients with alternative investment opportunities to complement the Bank’s active investment philosophy
“After continuing the successful scaling of niche private equity investments with the completion of further direct majority investments in family owned businesses, one of the distinctive features of Syz Capital’s business model, we have broadened our thematic investment offering by becoming one of the first providers of litigation finance solutions in Switzerland and becoming a leading allocator in Europe. The uncorrelated nature of this strategy makes it another compelling solution for our clients to diversify their portfolios which has attracted large family offices and institutional investors.” explained Marc Syz, Managing Partner at Syz Capital.