The Swiss Bankers’ Association (SBVg) held its annual Bankiertag event in St. Gallen on September 18, 2026, marking the handover of its presidency from Marcel Rohner to Giorgio Pradelli. Rohner, who led the association for five years, emphasized in his final address that regulatory priorities must prioritize competitiveness alongside investor protection and financial stability, warning of regulatory and tax-related disincentives driving financial services—such as gold trading, Eurobonds, and fund management—to offshore markets. The issue has been a persistent concern among Swiss banks, with a recent branch forum identifying regulatory density as their top risk, according to prior reporting by finews.ch.
Pradelli, who remains CEO of EFG International and vice-president of Economiesuisse, underscored continuity in his approach while stressing the need for forward-looking reforms. The 114th general assembly also elected four new members to the SBVg’s administrative board: Markus Ronner (UBS), Stefan Bollinger (Julius Bär), Basil Heeb (Raiffeisen Schweiz), and Georg Schubiger (Vontobel). Heeb concurrently serves as vice-president of the association.
Rohner’s closing remarks highlighted the importance of vocational training and academic research, noting the Swiss Finance Institute’s role in fostering 3,000 apprentices across 130 banks. He also referenced the Credit Suisse crisis to stress heightened ethical and operational accountability for banks. The transition reflects ongoing debates about Switzerland’s financial sector competitiveness amid global regulatory shifts.
