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Name: Brice Zanetti
Age: 30
Degree: Master of Arts UZH in Wirtschaftswissenschaften (Banking and Finance); Chartered Financial Analyst, CFA Charterholder
Profession: Co-Founder, Head Client Relations
Employer: Everon AG
Describe your job in one sentence.
On the one hand, as co-founder, I define the processes so that our employees can report problems and improvements to me and focus on their daily tasks. On the other hand, in the client relations role, I take responsibility for ensuring that all customers are always looked after and that all partnerships are maintained and expanded.
What are the three main tasks in your job?
My most important task is to ensure that my colleagues in Client Relations and Business Development are constantly exchanging ideas and not getting hung up on operational or technical problems. This allows us to constantly optimise processes in order to ensure our efficiency and scalability in the future.
The second elementary task is the very close dialogue with all our partners in order to define a clear roadmap for joint improvements (e.g. at the interfaces) and to further develop our product efficiently and quickly.
Another key task is certainly that I have to be open to feedback on our offering, the app and the website at all times so that Everon can continue to develop as a digital asset manager, which is what the market would like to see as the ideal provider in the coming years.
What do you think is the best / most exciting thing about this job?
No two days are the same and the exciting, innovative people we are surrounded by enrich our work. Time and competition don't stand still, so we are constantly in dialogue with customers, partners and investors to take Everon to the next level. The environment is so dynamic that every day brings new challenges. Nevertheless, I realise that sometimes I am also very demanding on myself, because when we experience a positive response from customers, it makes us very happy and confirms that we are on the right track.
What is the biggest challenge in this job?
From a co-founder's perspective, it's clear that problems never solve themselves in a small company and delegating is often not an option. I have learnt that everyone can take responsibility and that tasks really have to be completed. This can also be related to an increased workload, as deadlines have to be met in order to deliver the promised product to customers, partners and investors. Customers always come first, because if we don't deliver, it will be remembered and can directly damage our reputation.
What does it take to enter this profession or to be successful in it?
Personally, I would prioritise character traits the most. Client relations is definitely about honesty, sympathy, positivity and sensitivity. In my view, a long-term client relationship is only possible if the client's needs are regularly revisited and communication can be completely transparent from both sides. If there is one requirement, it is probably that you are happy to pick up the phone and seek contact with people. Expertise and professional experience in finance and wealth planning is certainly helpful, but I have observed that the greatest knowledge building has taken place in client meetings, where personal interaction was essential.
What promotion/further development opportunities are there?
At our company, Business Development is currently also part of the Client Relations department. It's about developing new business relationships on a daily basis. These can advance the technical side of the business, expand the products, for example in the area of private markets and, last but not least, co-operations in the area of customer care. This task is currently carried out by one person, but I see potential for specialisation depending on the project.
On the client side, there are many opportunities for advancement. Usually, a junior customer advisor takes care of the many smaller customers, where the need for support tends to be on the operational side. If the experience is a little more advanced, a senior client advisor takes care of the wealthy clients, where the personal exchange takes place more often and the complexity exceeds a pure investment proposal.
In terms of further development, there are a variety of options; in the area of wealth planning, a CFA is certainly helpful. In the area of private markets, a CAIA can be quite useful and in the area of pension provision, for example, there is the IAF professional examination for certified occupational pension advisors.
What would you have liked to have known about this profession as a graduate?
Specifically, I would have liked UZH to sensitise us more to fintechs and start-ups. At many events, students are often confronted with the big names from the finance, insurance and consulting industries. The career path can be quite rigid and lengthy, as you have to prove yourself over the years within given structures, where the dynamics are sometimes very politically regulated. Of course, there are also advantages to joining an established company as a graduate, for example on a career starter programme. Nevertheless, I believe that we in Zurich are lucky to be surrounded by countless start-ups and fintechs and that these should be advertised more prominently at universities and colleges. A fintech brings with it so much innovation and momentum that is rarely seen in established companies. Each individual employee can contribute so much and help shape the company that the monetary component is less important and the work experience is incomparable. The hierarchies in fintechs and start-ups are also still so flat in the early phase that a graduate can experience different departments up close and find out in a short time where they ultimately want to specialise.
What advice do you have for students who are interested in this job?
First and foremost, you should have the courage not to enter the "classic" big-corp world straight away, but to accept a small pay cut at best in order to have a better work-life balance. A lot of work is done in a fintech, but the team spirit is formed in the first few years and remains so beyond that. If the work is right and the company is successful, you can even realise a greater upside later on than with the classic career path.
In terms of your career, is there anything you would do differently looking back? Why?
I wish I had had a part-time job at a start-up or a financial company during my bachelor's degree. I only ventured into fintech after I had gained 2-3 years of work experience and realised that I couldn't fulfil myself there. If I had already had this experience during my bachelor's degree, I would probably have joined a small company directly during or after my master's degree.
Is there anything else you would like to pass on to current students?
Be hungry for knowledge, courageous and fun-loving. It's easier said than done, of course, but give yourself every chance you can by pursuing a CFA or other certifications early on. Not only will you set yourself apart from others, but you will also learn to deal with and focus on a huge amount of material independently. Have the courage to follow the path you want and not necessarily the one that brings security or more stability. Last but not least: have fun and enjoy the time with your colleagues. Friendships can strengthen over the years and you will meet up again on one path or another and look back on the past with joy.
As of March 2023
