Credit Suisse bleeds bankers, UBS saves on payouts

Credit Suisse bleeds bankers, UBS saves on payouts
Rivals have poached dozens of senior Credit Suisse investment bankers in recent months, reducing the need for big redundancy packages for UBS.
JUL 14, 2023

The exodus of talent from Credit Suisse's investment bank has been higher than UBS expected, as rivals have made opportunistic moves to hire senior bankers and their teams.

Deutsche Bank has been one of the most active in poaching Credit Suisse bankers, with more than 40 former employees now on its books. Jefferies has also been a major player, bringing on at least 25 former Credit Suisse bankers.

Santander has also been active in the market, hiring more than 20 former Credit Suisse bankers. The Spanish bank's CEO, Hector Grisi, spent 18 years at Credit Suisse earlier in his career, and he is reportedly keen to bring in some of his former colleagues.

The combined UBS-Credit Suisse employs about 115,000 people globally, but as many as 20,000 roles are expected to be cut as part of the integration. The majority of these cuts are expected to come from Credit Suisse's investment bank.

The poaching of Credit Suisse bankers by rivals is a sign that the market for investment banking talent is still strong. However, it also highlights the challenges that UBS faces in integrating Credit Suisse's business. Analysts have predicted that the restructuring process could cost as much as $10 billion.

Adding to potential headaches for UBS is a class action by Credit Suisse investors that is being spearheaded by Lausanne-based start up LegalPass. Yesterday a group of Swiss institutional investors operating as the Ethos Foundation and representing around 5% of shareholders signed up to the legal claim.

“Since Finma has decided to withdraw shareholders’ voting rights, the only way to challenge the exchange ratio is to go to court, as LegalPass intends to do,” Vincent Kaufmann, chief executive of the Ethos Foundation said to the FT.

Latest News

Investing for accountability: How to frame a values-driven conversation with clients
Investing for accountability: How to frame a values-driven conversation with clients

By listening for what truly matters and where clients want to make a difference, advisors can avoid politics and help build more personal strategies.

Advisor moves: Raymond James ends week with $1B Commonwealth recruitment streak
Advisor moves: Raymond James ends week with $1B Commonwealth recruitment streak

JPMorgan and RBC have also welcomed ex-UBS advisors in Texas, while Steward Partners and SpirePoint make new additions in the Sun Belt.

Cook Lawyer says fraud claims are Trump’s ‘weapon of choice’
Cook Lawyer says fraud claims are Trump’s ‘weapon of choice’

Counsel representing Lisa Cook argued the president's pattern of publicly blasting the Fed calls the foundation for her firing into question.

SEC orders Vanguard, Empower to pay more than $25M over failures linked to advisor compensation
SEC orders Vanguard, Empower to pay more than $25M over failures linked to advisor compensation

The two firms violated the Advisers Act and Reg BI by making misleading statements and failing to disclose conflicts to retail and retirement plan investors, according to the regulator.

RIA moves: Wells Fargo pair joins &Partners in Virginia
RIA moves: Wells Fargo pair joins &Partners in Virginia

Elsewhere, two breakaway teams from Morgan Stanley and Merrill unite to form a $2 billion RIA, while a Texas-based independent merges with a Bay Area advisory practice.

SPONSORED How advisors can build for high-net-worth complexity

Orion's Tom Wilson on delivering coordinated, high-touch service in a world where returns alone no longer set you apart.

SPONSORED RILAs bring stability, growth during volatile markets

Barely a decade old, registered index-linked annuities have quickly surged in popularity, thanks to their unique blend of protection and growth potential—an appealing option for investors looking to chart a steadier course through today's choppy market waters, says Myles Lambert, Brighthouse Financial.