Having ruled the roost at Julius Baer for almost a decade, eyebrows were raised when Boris Collardi signed up to run Pictet’s wealth management business. But will he be able to exert the same influence he enjoyed in his old role? 

The younger, more dynamic private banks which cut their teeth in the emerging regions appear better placed to rise up and challenge the global leaders for a seat at the top table than the more traditional European names 

Investment bankers used to call the shots, with private banking and asset management seen as little more than diversifiers. But times have changed, and as banks redraw business models, wealth management divisions are being placed front and centre

While the UK lurches from one political crisis to the next, its European rivals are gearing up to capitalise on the Brexit fallout, with a revitalised Paris claiming it is the natural choice for any firms fleeing London 

No one quite knows what the UK’s vote to leave the EU will mean for London as a financial centre, but rival cities across the continent are readying themselves for the fallout and the opportunities that will surely arise. But the biggest winner could well be New York

The year ahead is likely to see big changes on both economic and political fronts. With themes such as Trumponomics, increased global infrastructure spending and a resurgent Russia beginning to emerge, investment advice will be top of clients’ wish lists

Investors must be aware of heightened political risks following Donald Trump’s win in the US election, including keeping an eye on developments in Europe

Is the prime role of a private bank to provide investment expertise to its clients or to build a close relationship through a much wider range of services? Opinion is divided, but the industry is at last asking the right question