These last few weeks, the bank has put in place a series of solidarity actions in favour of people in precarious situations, of youth suffering from digital divide, of hospitals and medical staff, as well as of the local small businesses.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the BNP Paribas Group as a whole has mobilized to contribute in helping the people and institutions the most affected and exposed to this sanitary crisis. This global emergency plan represents a total amount of more than 50 million euros, structured locally – in many of the countries where the Group is present – around concrete and local actions focused on three main targets: hospitals, fragile populations and youth.

Reduce the digital division

A corporate donation to the YOJOA –Youth Job Accelerator association, working in favour of the professional integration of young refugees in Geneva, to buy twenty laptops for the programme’s young beneficiaries who cannot follow their online courses.

Skill-based support

Our employees support SMEs in Geneva

Skills-based support from volunteer employees to help the small businesses in Geneva that are partners of réalise (an institution otherwise supported by the BNP Paribas Swiss Foundation for its “Opportunity” programme, aiming to promote equal opportunities for tomorrow’s jobs).

“Thanks to our values to engage and accompany change, our two companies have united their strengths in a solidarity plan dedicated to Geneva’s’ SMBs by offering réalise the expertise of BNP Paribas in Switzerland’s employees! After COVID-19, a world that changes through a transition to a sustainable economy!“

Cécile Marguerat, Public relations and Communication manager, Réalise

A hackathon to adapt and face post Covid-19 challenges

Skills-based support to the Canton of Geneva new “Crisis and resilience innovation Fund”, which seeks to collectively develop disruptive projects in response to the current and future economic challenges. The bank’s employees will thus have the opportunity to participate in the Geneva Resilience Hack, from June 12 to 14th.

For the past few weeks, our teams have been dedicated to support more than ever our Clients. We thank them all for their dedication and professionalism whether they were working from home or from our offices in Zurich, Lugano or Geneva.

 We have met Slaven Maligec, Head of CHF Debt Syndicate and located in Zürich, and talked about the health crisis, new ways of serving our Clients and about the necessity to adapt during these particular times.

Slaven, could you tell us more about what you do and where have you been working from during the lockdown?

I am Head of CHF Debt Syndicate. I am not working from home and I remain on site as my work installation requires a lot of hardware and computers!
However, we have adapted our organisation: split team in the office, split team at home during home schooling and recent holidays.

We are glad that you and your family are doing well. How your clients have been coping with the situation? What are their main preoccupations?

Regarding the post Covid-19, our clients are a bit worried about the near future to some extend as uncertainty leads to discomfort, but they are adapting to the new environment rapidly as there is no choice, working from home related or also to the new pricing landscape.

 I think that people tend to forget quickly as soon as we are facing a more normalised situation but I think given the impact we will keep that in memory and hopefully be better prepared when the next crisis will occur. There is only one life, birth and death are determinate, the time in between should be fun, at least part of it. 

And for the next changes? We shall be masked soon and stay masked for quite some time… 

CoVid-19: Message from Monique Vialatou to clients and employees of BNP Paribas in Switzerland

24 March 2020

Dear all,

The unprecedented sanitary crisis we are currently experiencing has led many countries, including Switzerland, to impose restrictive measures that have a strong impact on everyday life. It is a shock for the worldwide economy and populations.

Our responsibility is to contribute to the economy’s smooth operation, thanks to the implementation of exceptional measures throughout our different buildings in Switzerland.

Ensuring the continuity of our economic activities and preserving the health and security of our employees

The health of our employees is our number one priority.

Thanks to the implementation of teleworking for the vast majority of our employees, we safely ensure the continuity of BNP Paribas in Switzerland’s economic activities.

Our teams are mobilised and committed to answer our client’s questions and to support them during this difficult period. They pursue their mission tirelessly while showing extraordinary discipline and dedication. Through this message, I want to thank them for that.

Accompanying our client through this sanitary crisis

I am aware that this unprecedented situation is a challenge for our clients, whether they are companies, institutions or private individuals. Appropriate measures are taken to accompany them daily and support them through this hitherto unseen crisis.

We all have a role to play. Each of us has a specific responsibility, both professional and personal. I know we will honour our commitment to serve our clients and more than ever to keep playing our part in service to the economy.

Take care of you and your family, more than ever.

Monique Vialatou
CEO of BNP Paribas in Switzerland

“BNP Paribas makes societal engagement an integral part of its development strategy. I take this role very seriously because it is our duty to meet social expectations to build a sustainable and efficient bank.

I take the measure of my role and will strive to intensify the local implementation of the Group’s commitment policy in the four areas of energy transition and environment, social inclusion of young people, entrepreneurs and territories”

Starting from August 2019, Vontobel’s digital market place for structured products, deritrade, will expand its product offering to investors with the introduction of Autocallable Barrier Reverse Convertible payoff structures from BNP Paribas as the eighth
issuer on the platform.

“We are very happy to join as an issuer on one of Switzerland’s leading structured products platforms for Private Banking clients. It enables us to gain immediate access to over 70 Swiss banks and 550 External Asset Managers with an addressable AuM potential of over CHF 2’000 billion – in a purely digital fashion, since deritrade offers a fully automated service for the end client”, says Renaud Meary, Global Head of Private Banking and Distribution at BNP Paribas Global Markets. “It is fully aligned with our global strategy aimed at capturing the flows and at partnering with the most prominent platforms aggregating such flows”.

“On behalf of our clients, I am especially pleased to have BNP Paribas as a new issuer on deritrade. Their expertise in the world of structured products, specifically in Autocallable Barrrier Reverse Convertible Certificates, reinforces deritrade’s positioning as a leading digital structured products platform for institutional clients. BNP Paribas, as an  established leader in structured products, offers us a truly global reach and prominence in this area and opens possibilities for future expansion and synergies of the platform”, says Roger Studer, Head of Vontobel Investment Banking.

With strong roots anchored in Europe’s banking history, BNP Paribas supports its clients and employees in today’s changing world and has positioned itself as a leading bank in the Eurozone and a prominent international banking institution. Within Global Markets, BNP Paribas’ teams provide customized and innovative investment in equity markets across the globe.

deritrade is one of the leading multi-issuer platforms for tailor-made products in Switzerland. Over the years, deritrade has evolved into an intuitive self-service platform for relationship managers and external asset managers in Switzerland who want to offer their distinct private clientele a sensible choice of tailor-made structured products at transparent and competitive prices with a MiFID II compliant front-to-end-service over the whole product lifecycle. In 2018, over 36’000 individually tailored products with an issuance volume of CHF 6.0 billion (CHF 4.6 billion in 2017) were issued on deritrade.

About Vontobel

At Vontobel, we actively shape the future. We create and pursue opportunities with determination. We master what we do – and we only do what we master. This is how we get our clients ahead. As a globally operating financial expert with Swiss roots, we specialize in wealth management, active asset management and investment solutions. We empower our employees to take ownership of their work and bring opportunities to life. Because we are convinced that successful investing starts with assuming personal responsibility. We relentlessly question the achieved, striving to exceed the goals and expectations of our clients. The registered shares of the Vontobel Holding AG are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange. The Vontobel families’ close ties to the company guarantee our entrepreneurial independence. We consider the resulting freedom an obligation to assume social responsibility as well. As of June 30, 2019, Vontobel held CHF 272.2 billion of total client assets. Around the world and in our home market, we serve our clients from 27 locations.

About BNP Paribas (Suisse) SA

With almost 1,400 employees and 4 establishments in Geneva, Zurich, Basel and Lugano, BNP Paribas (Suisse) SA is a leading European bank in Switzerland for businesses, institutions and private clients. Established in Switzerland since 1872, we are here to develop over the long term, with a specific strategy for each business-line: To be the privileged partner of businesses and institutions, to accompany them in their development in Europe and internationally, with our “One Bank for Corporates” initiative. To be a reference in Wealth Management in terms of expertise and of service for our private clients and entrepreneurs. To be a center of excellence for funding of raw materials thanks to our “Specialized Trade Solutions” offer at the service of our historical customers who share our values, and of the bank’s corporate clients in Europe. The integrated model of the BNP Paribas Group enables us to offer our clients the financial stability of a first rate bank in Europe with international reach and a full range of products and investments. By developing privileged long-term relationships with our customers, we aspire to contribute to sustainable and responsible growth. Since 2015, BNP Paribas is also an active member at the Swiss Structured Products Association SSPA.

Non-discrimination principles applied at every career stage

Trusted criteria and objectives in order to ensure equal treatment

With three new hires in the second half of 2018 BNP Paribas Global Markets in Zurich is boosting its operations.

Andrea Baumeister, as THEAM Sales Switzerland, Equity Derivatives Group

She is responsible for distributing the THEAM Quant funds across Switzerland. After graduating from HSG St Gallen Andrea worked for various European and US investment banks in Zurich, London and Hong Kong as derivatives sales in equities, credit & rates and FX. She joined BNP Paribas in 2009 and has spent the last seven years in Hong Kong covering institutional clients for equity derivatives.

Marc Leo Schweizer, as Portfolio Solutions Sales Specialist

He is responsible for the Independent Asset Managers and distribution business in the German speaking part of Switzerland. He holds a M.A. from the University of St. Gallen (HSG) and prior to his recent appointment at BNP Paribas, he had worked since 2011 for Société Générale Corporate and Investment Banking in various positions. In his last role, he was a Structured Products Sales Specialist within the Cross-Asset Solutions team in Zurich.

Pascal Sahli, as Head Institutional Sales Switzerland

He is responsible for cross asset solutions, derivatives and THEAM fund distribution for institutional Clients across Switzerland, including Pension Funds, Insurance Companies, Asset Managers, Discretionary Portfolio Managers and Family Offices. Pascal is based in Zurich, Switzerland while his team is located in Paris and Zurich. Prior to joining BNP Paribas, Pascal was heading the Swiss solutions and equity derivatives business at Bank of America Merrill Lynch as well as the Pension and Insurance Solutions business for Switzerland at Goldman Sachs International in London. Pascal holds a degree from the University of St Gallen, Switzerland.

 

BNP Paribas Asset Management confirms its commitment to low carbon finance on the 10th anniversary of its BNP Paribas Easy Low Carbon 100 Europe® UCITS ETF and strengthens its offer in Switzerland with the listing of this ETF on the SIX Swiss Exchange on 11 December 2018. Launched in October 2008, BNP Paribas Easy Low Carbon 100 Europe® UCITS ETF was the first low carbon fund, offering investors an effective investment solution to reduce the carbon footprint of their investment portfolio. It replicates the Low Carbon 100 Europe® NR, an index created and published by Euronext that contributes to financing energy transition by redirecting investments towards those companies that are most active in reducing their carbon emissions and that offer the products and services required for energy transition to occur. Euronext recently announced the exclusion of fossil fuel companies following its December rebalancing of the index. This is a sub-fund of BNP Paribas Easy, a sicav under Luxembourg law that complies with Directive 2009/65/EC. The sub-fund has been approved in Switzerland by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA). It is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange as of 11 December 2018. Past performance is no guarantee of future performance. Investments in funds are subject to market fluctuations and the risks inherent in investing in securities. The value of the investments and the income they generate may go up or down, and investors may not get back the amount they initially invested. The fund described presents a risk of loss of capital. For a more detailed definition and description of the risks involved, please refer to the fund’s prospectus and “Key information for investor“. Before subscribing, you must read the most recent version of the prospectus and “Key information for investor”, available free of charge on our website www.easy.bnpparibas.ch.

ABN AMRO Bank N.V., BNP Paribas and Commerzbank AG were mandated by ECOM Agroindustrial Corp. Ltd. (“ECOM” or “The Company”) to arrange the refinancing of their USD 650m Multicurrency Revolving Credit Facility dated 12^th October 2016 and subsequently extended in 2017. The refinancing adds a new 3y RCF (with one 1y extension option) to the existing 1y RCF structure (including three 1y extension options), split USD 216.7m and USD 433.3m respectively. Both tranches include an innovative social impact incentive to interlink ECOM’s social impact objectives and the company’s funding. Any social impact discount received by the Company will be distributed into the ECOM Foundation and ECOM’s Sustainable Management Services division. The ECOM Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation supporting projects in origin producing communities. ECOM’s Sustainable Management Services division is a support function within the Company focused on providing agronomy services and technical assistance to farmers and communities. The social impact incentive was well received by lenders and the transaction closed oversubscribed with subsequent scale back for all lenders. The syndicate comprises 27 banks including 2 new banks, with the following titles:

Bookrunner and Mandated Lead Arranger

• ABN AMRO BANK N.V.
• BNP PARIBAS (SUISSE) SA
• COMMERZBANK AG
•  HSBC
• ING
• Natixis
• Rabobank
• RBI
• Zürcher Kantonalbank

Lead Arranger

• Banco do Brasil S.A.
• Deutsche Bank
• KFW Ipex-Bank
• UBS
• UniCredit

Arranger

• Agriculture Bank of China
• Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi
• Credit Agricole (Suisse)
• DZ Bank
• Garanti Bank
• KBC Bank
• Nedbank
• OCBC
• Societe Generale
• Wells Fargo

Participant

• BCGE
• BIC-BRED

Since last July 6, Vahram Yerikian is officially Head of Specialized Trade Solutions EMEA for BNP Paribas. Graduate from Dauphine Paris IX University in Economics and Finance, Vahram began his career at BNP Paribas in 1999 within CIB in Paris, first in the Loan Syndication & Trading department. He has then held various positions such as Head of Paris Project Finance Hub, Co-Head of Brussels & Paris Project Finance Hub. He joined BNP Paribas (Suisse) SA in 2015 and has just become Head of Specialized Trade Solutions EMEA in 2018. “The development of this business is at the heart of our strategy and our growth objectives are ambitious. I am delighted to take this responsibility and meet the many challenges ahead.”