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.
A roundup of the week's top tech news, including MaxMyInterest integrating with Wealthbox, CapIntel's growth and Smarsh hiring new executives.
The firm's announcement that it will limit redemptions from the fund sent its stock falling as much as 10%.
The asset manager wasn’t aware of the decision until reading about it in a statement from Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis.
The groups that Hassan will take responsibility for were previously part of the global wealth-management operation.
Chairman Colm Kelleher said the bank has been slow to identify cross-selling opportunities to wealth management clients.
Although advisers have long avoided discussing certain subjects with clients, David Bahnsen of Bahnsen Group advocates being open with clients about such topics.
'This past fiscal year, we sought to recalibrate penalties to more effectively promote deterrence,' said SEC enforcement director Gurbir Grewal.
The latest moves illustrate the push-and-pull dynamics of recruiting and hiring advisers at Wells Fargo.
Bruce takes the pod solo this week as he's joined by Rich Steinmeier, managing director and divisional president at LPL Financial. Rich lets us in on the details of LPL's latest acquisition, the firm's plans for the future, and why he's so passionate about the company.
Jeff and Bruce talk to Shane Sideris of Synchronous Wealth Advisors about the recent craze over Treasury I bonds. They discuss whether the rising popularity of I bonds is due to inflation, and whether or not this investment is worth it in the long term.
The five-adviser, 16-person group known as The Promus Wealth Management Group has joined RBC Wealth Management in Indianapolis.
The bank will raise $4 billion to fund a years-long reshaping that includes carving out its investment bank and slashing its head count by 9,000.
The bank added that it had a 'strong quarter' in financial adviser recruitment in the Americas but gave no details in its earnings information.
While CEO Ralph Hamers pursues his vision of harnessing automated tools and boosting the firm's standing in the US, wealth business head Iqbal Khan and his disciples are concerned about diluting UBS' private banking brand.
Plano, Texas-based Valorous Advisors specializes in retirement plan consulting.
