Our philosophy
Wealth, first and foremost, brings people together around a shared project. We are convinced that transparent, efficient and responsible wealth management is the best way to achieve one’s objectives. When wealth advice is given in a spirit of trust and in direct dialogue with each client individually, with the care of a prudent parent and with long-term objectives, clients fully sense in our advice the absence of sales targets, which are unfortunately all too common in the financial sector.
Bespoke advice for every estate
Our partners, all private bankers, see wealth management as a bespoke service, developed in keeping with the individual circumstances of each of their clients.
That is why they take no shortcuts in their management and do not pool client services. This case-by-case approach gives our clients flexibility and the best possible quality of advice.
Advice without sales targets, in full transparency
Perhaps surprisingly, the Bank has never developed a marketing function, nor hired any “salespeople”. For 7 generations, the satisfaction of its existing clients has been a guarantee of quality and remains its best advertisement. The Bank’s aim is to continue offering its bespoke wealth management services to its clients for many generations to come.
We are convinced that wealth advice must be given in a spirit of trust and in direct dialogue with each client individually, with the care of a prudent parent and with long-term objectives.
Direct investments
Traditionally, the Bank and our Bankers have never wished to offer a “discretionary management” service. We prefer advisory management, which both allows clients to keep control over their assets and makes them responsible for their investments. Likewise, we decline to advise our clients to invest in investment funds or financial “products” (such as structured products or other derivatives). We consider that, across the financial sector as a whole, such services and products are a significant source of conflicts of interest and in reality bring clients no added value.
The Bank therefore favours direct holdings, mainly in shares and bonds. It may, however, recommend physically replicated ETFs tracking major indices, which allow portfolios to be indexed at very low cost and without conflicts of interest. It is pleased to note that, over the last two centuries, diversified long-term investments in shares and bonds have generated total returns far higher than those of any other asset class, despite the considerable fluctuations that stock markets have experienced.
Why our model lasts
Since 1814 the Bank has remained in the hands of the same family. Its capital is held entirely by partners who work in it full time and advise clients themselves. There is no outside shareholder and no financial group behind us.
The van de Put family keeps the majority, and the transfer of shares between partners is arranged in advance by the articles of association and the shareholders’ agreement. This is what allows us to accompany a relationship over several generations, with the same independence.
Our governanceThe service we would want to receive
The mirror test
We offer the service we would want to receive from our own bank, with as few conflicting incentives as possible.
Size is not a goal
Growth in assets is not an aim in itself. The return on your wealth remains the yardstick of our advice.
Fair fees
Our fees cover our costs and pay for our work; they are not designed to maximise our margin.
What we offer
- Bespoke wealth management
- Investment services