Office address: 1285 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10019
Website: ubs.com/us
Year established: 1862
Company type: financial services
Employees: 110,300+
Expertise: wealth management, investment banking, asset management, retirement planning, alternative investments, sustainable investing, corporate solutions, financial planning, risk management, capital markets
Parent company: UBS Group AG (Switzerland)
Key people: Sergio Ermotti (group CEO); Robert Karofsky, George Athanasopoulos, and Marco Valla (co-presidents); Aleksandar Ivanovic (president); Mike Dargan (group chief operations and technology officer); Todd Tuckner (group CFO)
Financing status: corporation
UBS is a leading global bank that specializes in serving high-net-worth clients and institutions. The company manages $6.6 trillion in invested assets and offers tailored financial advice and solutions to individuals, families, and institutions. Its US operations are headquartered in New York.
UBS traces its beginnings to 1862 in Switzerland, when Bank in Winterthur was created to help local business and manage a warehouse. Fifty years later, a merger with Toggenburger Bank formed Union Bank of Switzerland, which quickly grew its network and services across the country.
Swiss Bank Corporation, known as SBC, formed from several mergers in the late 1800s and soon set its sights beyond Switzerland. By 1898, SBC had opened a branch in London, showing its global ambitions.
Both Union Bank of Switzerland and SBC embraced new technology, such as adding machines and early computers. They also opened offices in major financial centers like New York, Tokyo, and Rio de Janeiro.
A turning point came in 1998, when Union Bank of Switzerland and SBC joined forces to create UBS. This merger brought together expertise in various areas which made UBS one of the world’s largest financial institutions.
In 2000, the company entered the US market in a big way by acquiring PaineWebber, an American brokerage and asset manager. This gave the firm a strong presence in New York and across the country.
The company continued to grow, even through financial crises, and expanded its digital banking services worldwide. In 2023, it acquired Credit Suisse which strengthened its role as Switzerland’s largest universal bank.
By 2025, UBS increased checks on client money sources in Asia after a money-laundering scandal. The firm worked with Deloitte and KPMG and closed thousands of smaller accounts.
The firm combines deep market knowledge with access to both traditional and alternative investments. UBS's investment offerings include:
UBS is also known for its strong digital platforms and global network. Clients benefit from disciplined risk management and a wide selection of investment choices.
UBS states that its culture is the foundation for how the company works and adapts to change. The firm’s “three keys” represent the main values and guide daily actions:
UBS aims to create a supportive and flexible work environment for all employees. According to the company, its benefits are designed to help staff balance work and personal life:
UBS also offers regional programs to help employees manage work and family commitments. The company reports that it provides benefits that often go beyond legal requirements.
Sergio P. Ermotti serves as group CEO of UBS Group AG and has been leading the executive board since 2023. Before this, Ermotti led the company from 2011 to 2020 and served as chair at Swiss Re. He also held senior roles at UniCredit Group and Merrill Lynch. He completed advanced management training at the University of Oxford.
The UBS Group Executive Board leads the company’s global operations and oversees key business areas:
UBS Group AG uses a dual board structure as required by Swiss law. The board of directors delegates business management to the executive board.
In 2025, UBS experts shared practical strategies for family wealth conversations, focusing on values, legacy, and open communication. Judy Spalthoff and Libby Stantial explained how purposeful dialogue and programs like Emerging Successors help families prepare future inheritors. Their advice supports clients in building trust and guiding responsible wealth transitions across generations.
UBS leaders like Adrian Zuercher have also highlighted how new clients, especially younger generations and women, are driving demand for ESG and sustainable solutions. The company sees this shift as a sign that stewardship and responsible investing will play a bigger role in its future, as clients look for more return drivers and long-term value.
Former Merrill senior executives are in high demand
Swiss bank UBS AG reports earnings for the third quarter on Tuesday. The following is a summary of key developments and analyst opinion related to the period.
PIMCO is planning to build active equity management capability, possibly by lifting an existing team from a rival firm, according to sources familiar with the company.
Robert McCann, the former head of the brokerage business at Merrill Lynch & Co., will officially take over as the head of UBS AG's wealth management business by the end of the month, according to a source close to Mr. McCann.
Dangle some cash and a lot of people are happy to turn in their employers for cheating on their taxes.
Although a House Financial Services subcommittee plans to discuss adviser issues at a hearing on Oct. 6, it's unlikely Congress will debate the fine points of adopting a fiduciary standard for all financial advisers.
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc. is investigating whether broker-dealers are meeting their obligations to municipal-bond issuers who seek distribution to retail investors.
To date, Tamarac Inc. has been known for its re-balancing and trade order generation platform, but that is about to change. The company is simultaneously making two announcements.
The week's dollar sell-off continued today, with the greenback hitting a fresh 12-month low.
Tighter regulation on investment banks will force firms to cut salaries, eliminate staff and reduce capital commitments to the business, according to research from JPMorgan Chase & Co.
When it comes to leveraged and inverse ETFs, seemingly every regulator and influential brokerage firm has recently voiced the opinion that these exotic vehicles - which can double or triple the returns (or short the losses) of a market index - are inappropriate for individual investors.
The United States has lost its place as the world's most competitive economy, according to a survey released today, falling behind Switzerland mainly because of the financial crisis and accumulated fiscal deficits.
After the headlines about the IRS' going after secret Swiss bank accounts, investors are learning to their dismay that they could face fines and prosecution for failing to report other foreign assets, such life insurance, to both the IRS and the Treasury Department.
