Corraterie Gestion aims to scale up without losing its identity. Christophe Lecoeur explains here how the company intends to accelerate its growth, strengthen its family office offering and develop its organisational structure. The key challenge is the ability to manage increasingly complex portfolios, both in Switzerland and internationally.
What are the key strategic directions you intend to set for Corraterie Gestion over the coming years?
Our ambition is to continue our development through measured growth, whilst preserving Coges’ long-standing values, which are based on independence, a personal approach and transparency. We want to continue supporting families in Switzerland and internationally in managing wealth, the challenges of which are becoming increasingly global and complex.
Our approach therefore goes beyond portfolio management, advisory services or the pursuit of performance. We advocate a holistic view of wealth, which takes into account all the issues families face.
How do you intend to develop Corraterie Gestion’s positioning within the Swiss independent asset management market?
We are pursuing a two-fold objective. On the one hand, to consolidate our position as a leading player in the Swiss market. On the other hand, without seeking to become the largest independent asset manager, to be the one that delivers the most relevance and value to its clients.
This involves, in particular, strengthening our role as a trusted adviser, capable of understanding, as I have just mentioned, the various aspects of a family’s wealth. We cannot address every issue on our own, but we must be able to draw on the necessary expertise – whether from solicitors, notaries, tax specialists, trustees or banks – to provide each family with a coherent and tailored solution.
What role do you envisage for family office activities in the future development of Corraterie Gestion?
Coges’ family office is already one of the three pillars of our value proposition, alongside portfolio management and advisory services. We now wish to strengthen this aspect and develop a genuine ‘family office mindset’ in the way we approach families’ needs.
The challenge lies in understanding the full scope of the issues, anticipating the situations a family may face, and coordinating the specialists required to assist. Our value does not lie in having all the answers, but in our ability to help families ask themselves the right questions before circumstances force them to do so.
It is this ability to anticipate, rather than merely react, that we believe sets us apart in a relationship built for the long term.
How do you see the Swiss independent wealth management market evolving over the coming years?
Independence alone will no longer suffice. It will need to be underpinned by a clear vision, solid expertise, a suitable infrastructure and a robust organisation. New generations of clients are increasingly well-informed, demanding and savvy, which raises the bar even higher for independent asset managers.
The bond of trust remains at the heart of the business, but it must now be built over the long term and passed down from one generation to the next. For asset managers, the challenge is therefore to build a relationship that is strong enough to stand the test of time and go beyond the needs of a single generation.
The market will certainly see further consolidation, particularly as a result of regulatory constraints and growing operational demands. Asset managers will need to strike the right balance between a size that allows them to remain competitive, the stability of their structure and the preservation of their identity.
What role does the Eric Sturdza Group, the main shareholder, play today in Coges’ development strategy?
It is crucial. The Group gives us access to shared infrastructure and functions, particularly in the areas of IT, compliance, human resources and communications, whilst allowing us genuine autonomy in running our business. This allows us to devote more time and resources to our core business: building relationships with clients, understanding their needs and delivering high-quality advice. It is this combination that enables us to develop Corraterie Gestion without compromising what makes it unique.
The Eric Sturdza Group also has a unique structure within the financial sector, bringing together three complementary businesses under one umbrella: a bank, an independent wealth manager and an asset manager. This complementarity enables us to combine our areas of expertise and broaden the range of solutions available to clients. Finally, the group’s family-oriented nature is consistent with our culture and with the long-term vision that underpins our relationship with families.
What model should an EAM develop today to remain competitive in an increasingly demanding environment?
I’d like to return once again to the subject of infrastructure. A digital backbone that integrates regulatory requirements and compliance processes is now a prerequisite. This pooling of resources should enable managers to devote more time to what gives their profession its value: trust, listening, understanding clients’ needs and the quality of the solutions provided
The role of the asset manager, moreover, extends far beyond the management and allocation of portfolios. They must be able to anticipate issues relating to a family’s life cycle, whether these involve inheritance, succession, the transfer of a business or property transactions.
It is this ability to ask the right questions and to draw on the necessary expertise that will enable asset managers to continue to generate real added value.
How do you intend to organise Corraterie Gestion today to make the structure more operationally efficient?
Our aim is to further structure our processes and strengthen our teams’ skills, particularly through training and by providing tools that enable them to be ever better equipped to deal with their clients’ questions, expectations and objections.
Artificial intelligence is also part of this evolution. Some of our morning briefings are already generated in part by AI, with our teams carrying out a final review. We must move with the times and integrate these technologies intelligently. That said, I do not believe that AI will replace people, let alone wealth management professionals. Families need a human point of contact who can listen to them and understand their unique circumstances.
Is the Eric Sturdza Group working on acquiring new fund managers?
Yes, but we certainly do not take a quantitative approach. We do not chase assets for the sake of assets.
Our approach is selective and qualitative. We are looking for individuals who share our mindset and values, who have a genuine entrepreneurial spirit and who understand the value that the group can bring to them and, ultimately, to their clients.
Above all, we want to ensure that the people who join us understand the culture in which they will be working. It is also important for us to create an intergenerational environment, where young talent can benefit from the experience of more seasoned professionals, in a spirit of sharing and passing on knowledge.
Where do you currently see the most significant market opportunities for independent fund managers?
Switzerland remains a very important market for us, with plenty of opportunities still available. But we must also look beyond our borders. Several European markets now deserve greater attention. I am thinking in particular of Poland, which offers interesting potential. Our client base is already largely European, and our growth strategy must take this into account.