“The primary driver of Pictet North America Advisors’ growth is the calibre of our team”
Life before Pictet
My career began at Citibank in New York, covering the Italian wealth market just after finishing my MBA at NYU. It was an exciting start in finance to be in a truly global institution. An early assignment took me to Geneva, where I led the Italian offshore business across Lugano, Geneva, and London. After five years, I returned to New York to lead Citibank’s EMEA-NY team. Over 27 years at Citi, I remained deeply focused on clients, even as I took on various leadership roles, before later broadening my European wealth coverage at JPMorgan.
My philosophy has always been that of a steward—nurturing and curating client relationships. Our job as advisors is to serve these clients, attract future generations to ensure continuity, and leave a legacy of stewardship so these relationships continue to thrive long after we move on. It’s an approach I’ve brought with me to Pictet.
What made you choose Pictet North America Advisors?
When PNAA’s Board approached me, I found the Pictet Group attractive for several reasons. Its scale—with roughly 5,000 employees—gives it a distinct sense of focus that really appealed to me. Having come to know the firm during my time in Geneva, I had long admired its approach to wealth management.
The timing also felt right. As the US market evolves, American clients are increasingly seeking global alternatives to meet their financial goals. Pictet’s Swiss heritage, strong brand, distinctive solutions and 200-year history of stability and resilience made the opportunity especially compelling. I was also attracted by PNAA’s SEC-compliant structure which offers both a competitive edge and the transparent, rigorous compliance framework that clients require.
Clients value that we are not a listed company and feel that our independence aligns our values with theirs.
How do you explain Pictet North America Advisors’ growth and what challenges lie ahead?
PNAA was founded in 2007, so it will soon be 20 years ago. Much of its success is therefore down to my predecessors, who, with patience, determination and professionalism, built up this company with the unwavering support of the Partners.
More generally, the primary driver of PNAA’s growth is the calibre of our team. After four decades in this industry, I can confidently say that our Client relationship managers, Client relationship officers, portfolio managers, and specialists are among the best. We are deeply client-focused and united by a clear sense of purpose in serving the US market, the largest and most dynamic wealth market in the world.
Our growth is also fuelled by strong relationships with intermediaries—law firms, trust companies, accountants, and family offices—who increasingly look beyond the US for risk diversification and global opportunity. PNAA’s partnership structure is another differentiator: clients value that we are not a listed company and feel that our independence aligns our values with theirs. This independence is frequently cited as a primary reason for choosing us.
The main challenge is capacity. Rapid growth in new accounts puts pressure on our resources so managing that growth while maintaining our standards is a key priority. We are addressing this through strategic hiring and succession planning.
The main challenge is capacity. Rapid growth in new accounts requires us to manage expansion while maintaining our standards.
How is Pictet’s ‘Swissness’ an advantage (or not)?
Over the past two decades, Switzerland’s regulation has evolved significantly, resulting in heightened standards for products, services, and transparency. Today, in a more uncertain geopolitical climate, its neutrality and stability are especially valued. Clients are drawn to Pictet for its history, prudent risk management and “fortress balance sheet”, particularly US clients who are shaped by events such as the collapse of Lehman Brothers and, more recently, Silicon Valley Bank.
In client conversations, the themes are clear: institutional strength, safety, alignment of values, non-US-centric expertise, and currency diversification. Switzerland is often seen as a preferred jurisdiction due to the strength of the Swiss franc. Historically, looking at the Swiss Franc against the US Dollar over the last 50 years shows an almost steady downward trendline of 80%-dollar devaluation; the data is compelling and serves as an excellent conversation starting point.
Clients are looking for an investment perspective that goes beyond the US While they are well-served domestically, they value external expertise that complements their existing portfolios. Our clients think globally, and our team provides the specialised alternatives needed to expand the international scope of their holdings.
A recent inspiration?
On a geopolitical and international relations expert’s recommendation, I’m currently reading The Grand Chessboard by Zbigniew Brzezinski (former US National Security Advisor), heralded as a classic geostrategy book of the late 1990s. Brzezinski argues that the Eurasian landmass—home to most of the world's population, natural resources, and economic activity— is the grand prize in the global geopolitics and that whoever controls Eurasia, controls the world. I’m finding it fascinating and insightful.