The Ultra High Net Worth Banker's Handbook - by Heinrich Weber & Stephan Meier (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

Estimates show that there are around 20,000 Ultra High Net Worth individuals in existence today, each with bankable assets in excess of $50 million. Between them they possess a wealth of $5,000 billion, 10% of the world's estimated total wealth. The UHNW wealth management business is therefore a critically important as well as complex part of modern finance. It exists within a "client-banker-bank" triangle and is influenced by serious exogenous factors in political, economic and fiscal environments, as well as by numerous emotional, familial and personal dimensions. In this book the authors address these complex relationships, serving as guides and advisors for UHNW bankers, banks and clients alike.

The authors' clients have taught them that the three major frustrations for private banking clients are bad performance, bad communication with the banker, and confusion in the face of poorly explained financial processes. In the first part of the book the authors offer their expert solutions to these problems and, in the second, help to eliminate confusion by explaining UHNW financial processes as clearly and simply as possible.

The authors mix authoritative advice, gained from long careers in wealth management, with anecdotes and narrative, to make the book approachable as well as informative. The book also contains five major case studies that help to exemplify certain elements involved in UHNW banking across the world, including the importance and impact of: family values and governance; client confidence and connections; cultural and religious considerations; philanthropy; market crises and volatility; portfolio diversity and enterprise management.

This book is for private bankers who work or aim to work in the Ultra High Net Worth field, the most sought-after and secluded high-end client segment of private banking and wealth management. For UHNW clients, this book is a guide on how to deal with your bankers and what you can expect from them, depicting the view from the other side of the table. And for the management of a private bank or private banking division of a financial institution, this book will serve as an essential introduction on how to improve performance.

Expert, in-depth and accessible, The Ultra High Net Worth Banker's Handbook is the ultimate guide to this area of modern finance.

Review Quotes

"Wealth management for the super-rich (or UHNWIs) and family offices is a growing, but complex business."

"The book covers this niche, is very well written and highly useful as a reference."

"The authors cover all subjects of banking and advising for the super-rich, being individuals or family offices through six instructive case studies."

"The use of case studies and the recompilation of the learning points, plus excerpts from the press regarding real transactions, makes the book effortless to read and hard to put down."

"The book's structure is unmistakably separated into two parts, firstly, the client and secondly, the banker. The case studies are centered around "private investment banking", thus transactions and risk management. No subject seems to be left out, covering subjects from the IPO-process over Islamic banking to structured finance."

"Based on their experience, the authors explain how they themselves deal with UHNWIs and their different issues. Such personal tips are particularly precious, and hardly ever to be found in a book."

"I recommend the book for both clients and bankers. The book might be a bit too exhaustive for novice wealth managers, but for experienced bankers it is a priceless source to be consulted time and again. 5/5"" -- F. Inigo

""Finally a handbook written by experts from the industry with practical relevance."

"Well structured, the book is a joy to read. The case studies, clearly explained, are excellent learning material, obviously stemming from personal experience of the authors. The cases, well chosen, cover asset allocation, risk management, family governance, and to my special interest, private equity investments."

"As a finance professional, working mostly with institutions, this book gave me valuable insights how to work with Ultra High Net Worth Individuals, family companies and family offices."

"To my knowledge, this is the best description of the UHNWI client segment for finance professionals available."

"It is a little expensive, but worth every pound. 5/5"" --Erich Sieber

About the Author

Since April 2008, Stephan Meier has been head of the Private Banking Brazil Ultra High Networth Individuals (UHNWI) practice of one of the global leaders in Private Banking. Prior to that he was Head of Key Clients Brazil at another global Wealth Manager as well as Country Team Head for LatAm and Brazil for two internationally operating banks.

Before focusing on private banking, Stephan Meier spent 17 years working for a globally operating Swiss manufacturer and distributor of products that capture, model, analyze and visualize spatial information. He held various senior positions - including Managing Director, Senior Consultant and Area Sales Manager - in different legal entities of the group, both in Switzerland and in Brazil, where he built up a strong network.

Stephan Meier holds a Swiss Certificate of Qualification both in Engineering and Business Studies and speaks fluent German, Portuguese, Spanish and English.

Heinrich Weber is a co-founder of and served as CEO of the pan-European options market-making firm Servisen Trading/QT Optec.

Subsequent to the sale of his share in QT Optec, Weber became a partner and risk manager of the Eurex member firm DeTraCo in Switzerland. Moreover, he provided specific consulting in the securities area, some of which was conducted jointly with Dr. Kermit Zieg, co-author with Heinrich of 'The Complete Guide to Point & Figure Charting'. Together they have published a second book, 'The Complete Guide to Nondirectional Trading'.

Later in his career, Heinrich became an advisor to Ultra High Net Worth (UHNW) clients, entrepreneurs, old-money and family offices. For many years Heinrich advised UHNW clients and family offices for one of the leading wealth managers, where he was also responsible for a team of UHNW-bankers. Currently, he is an Executive Vice President at one of the oldest Swiss private banks, where his main task is to advise UHNW clients and manage their assets.

Heinrich studied at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) in Lausanne, Switzerland. He holds the Certificate of Lifelong Executive Education from IMD, Lausanne, as well as the Certificate of Quantitative Finance (CQF). He is a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) and a Professional Risk Manager (PRM).

He lives with his wife and two young daughters in Geneva, Switzerland.