In an exclusive interview with International Banker, Olivier Calloud, Chief Executive Officer of Piguet Galland, reflects on the major trends shaping private banking today: evolving client expectations, digital transformation and the growing role of artificial intelligence.
At a time when financial information is available everywhere and investors have access to a wide range of platforms and investment solutions, Olivier Calloud observes that clients' fundamental expectations remain unchanged.
“Clients have, thanks to technology, have access to a lot of investment platforms, to very sophisticated investments. [...] And yet, they are still looking for trusted personal advice.”
According to him, it is precisely this combination of proximity, expertise and seamless digital tools that enables banks to meet clients' long-term needs.
🎥 Discover Olivier Calloud’s full interview in International Banker
“We try to make our client feel a different kind of banking relationship to be closer to their needs, to their life projects, to their ambitions, long-term ambitions, to their concerns. [...] And I think in the world of today, authenticity can be a real competitive advantage.”
— Olivier Calloud
For Olivier Calloud, private banking is not limited to portfolio management or investment decisions. Conversations with clients also revolve around life projects: preparing for retirement, planning wealth transfer, managing a liquidity event or supporting a family project. These are topics that require a comprehensive understanding of each client's situation, ambitions and concerns.
“Clients do not only entrust us with assets; we also have to deal with emotions.”
In 2025, Piguet Galland launched a new e-banking platform designed to enhance the user experience and respond more quickly to evolving client expectations.
For Olivier Calloud, the purpose of this transformation is clear:
“These digital tools are not here to replace human interaction; they are here to reduce friction.”
By reducing administrative tasks and operational complexity, teams can devote more time to what truly matters: major wealth decisions, family projects and supporting clients during periods of uncertainty.
For Olivier Calloud, artificial intelligence represents one of the most significant transformations private banking will need to adapt to in the years ahead. The expected benefits are twofold:
“AI will improve the Bank’s efficiency, but also the personalisation of the service we offer to the client.”
Through this interview, Olivier Calloud reaffirms a strong conviction: in an increasingly digital world, technology must first and foremost serve human relationships. It is a vision that continues to guide Piguet Galland’s development and its approach to Intimate Banking.