A financial centre that tells its own story: communication and image

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Geneva private banking long cultivated silence. The houses did not advertise, published little and relied on word of mouth among their clients. This discretion was part of their identity and of their commercial argument. The transformation of the financial centre has changed that attitude.

The major houses now publish accounts, annual reports and sustainability reports. They sponsor cultural, sporting and scientific events, in Geneva and abroad. They circulate economic and financial research publications, intended for their clients and for the public. They maintain a digital presence. The purpose of this communication is to strengthen brand recognition, to attract clients and talent, and to demonstrate the soundness and responsibility of the institutions.

The financial centre itself also communicates, through the Fondation Genève Place Financière, which publishes surveys, organises events and defends the interests of the sector before the authorities and the public.¹ This collective communication responds to the criticism levelled at the centre and seeks to show its contribution to the Geneva economy and to Geneva society.

The image of the financial centre remains mixed. For its supporters, Geneva embodies stability, seriousness and quality. For its critics, it remains associated with tax concealment, dubious fortunes and controversial trading. The institutions know that this image depends on their actual practices, which data leaks and legal proceedings have made visible, far more than on what they say about themselves.

Notes

Fondation Genève Place Financière, presentation and economic surveys, geneve-finance.ch (accessed September 2026). ↩

For general information only. This article does not constitute legal or tax advice, does not replace advice on an individual case and creates no lawyer-client relationship. It reflects the legal position as of September 2025.

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Dr Alexander Ressos, TEP

Rechtsanwalt/Attorney-at-Law

I am a Swiss attorney-at-law and also admitted as a solicitor in Hong Kong and in England & Wales, with almost 25 years of experience.

Together with my multilingual team, including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Ukrainian and French native speakers, I advise companies and their owners from around the world on the full range of banking, corporate, commercial and tax law matters in Switzerland, including international tax planning, fiduciary services, and legal family office services including immigration & relocation or real estate investments. My practice has a particular focus on clients from growth and frontier markets in Greater China, Central Asia and the Caucasus, the rest of Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America, and I equally advise clients from Europe and North America. Through an affiliated Swiss trust company, we also take care of the incorporation and ongoing administration of their companies and other structures, including accounting, tax returns and corporate secretarial services, and I serve as a professional director where required. With the support of a network of first-class cooperation partners, I also implement solutions worldwide.

My approach is to act as a trusted advisor who works directly with decision-makers, on an equal footing: I start from what you want to achieve and shape every structure, contract and tax decision around your commercial goals and how it improves your after-tax return. As “lawyers who make it happen”, my team and I stay involved until your company is set up, your structure is in place and your transaction has closed, and we remain available for any follow-on work that may be required. You benefit from bespoke solutions and personal attention, and sound, friendly and practical advice. We are not the lowest-cost provider in the market, nor do we intend to be; our aim is to deliver well-founded, proper solutions and excellent value for money.

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A financial centre that tells its own story: communication and image

Notes

Setting up or expanding in Switzerland?