Long-serving Vontobel CEO Zeno Staub, doesn't sound like he will be leaving the investment firm anytime soon.
Zeno Staub has been CEO of the Zurich-based Vontobel Group for more than ten years, making him one of the longest-serving bank CEOs in Switzerland. This is not likely to change any time soon, not even for the top position as Credit Suisse CEO, according to an interview he gave to «TX Group» (in German, behind paywall).
Like Unicredit CEO Andrea Orcel, Staub sees no good reason why he should take over Credit Suisse CEO Thomas Gottstein's position if he were to leave. Vontobel is the right size to concentrate on what the investment house is good at, he said.
Apart from this, he works in a pleasant environment at Vontobel with a major shareholder who is oriented towards the long term, he said.
International Standards
With regard to compliance-related to Russian sanctions, Staub said the financial center is on the right track: «On the origin of funds, prevention of money laundering and abuse, we are doing a job that holds up to all international standards,» he said.
Staub also spoke in favor of enforcing the same rules for all players in the Swiss financial center. In particular, he would like to see local lawyers adhering to similar standards when it comes to tax issues when they set up financial constructs abroad on behalf of clients.
In the interest of Swissness everything that happens in connection with the Swiss financial center should conform to «socially accepted values,» Staub said in the interview.
Staub is convinced that banks would not be able to escape the negative headlines if certain players devoted themselves to tax avoidance.
