Interview with Philipp Alena: working at Vontobel for 45 years
What has changed at Vontobel over the past four decades, and what has stayed the same? We asked someone who needs to know: Philipp Alena has been working for Vontobel for 45 years.
Driven by an ownership mindset, we stand for empowerment and personal responsibility.
We embrace independent thinking to capitalize upon the future.
Determined to deliver, we stay on course in a changing world.
We trust each other. And we like to support one another in creating new opportunities. Our nimble approach and lean processes empower people in every position to make decisions, acting as trusted business owners.
We’re constantly looking for ways to better serve our clients. And we’re future-oriented – always on the lookout for new technologies and opportunities. Have an idea? We want to hear it.
We like to get together. Collaboration is encouraged. Throughout our Zurich campus, for example, you’ll find lounges, terraces and rooftops to get to know your colleagues and brainstorm. And when you’re eating your free lunch in our canteen, you may be sharing a table with your teammate, or perhaps the CEO.
We come from all kinds of backgrounds – and we know that gives us an edge. We’re proud that from our Swiss roots we have grown into a modern, dynamic, multi-cultural and multi-lingual team.
2.300+
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27
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60+
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8 years
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17.5%
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We are convinced that a diversity of perspectives leads to better understanding of the needs of our clients and the opportunities we can create for them. We foster an inclusive work environment where equality and diversity thrive in support of our strategy, goals and priorities.
Everyone is invited to participate in and help shape our culture. Workshops and bottom-up initiatives help move us forward on our journey. Within our yearly Diversity, Equality & Inclusion weeks –supported by employees across our organization – we bring everyone together to explore new perspectives.
To achieve a corporate culture that embodies diversity, equality and inclusion, we focus on the following three pillars:
We rely on a multitude of diverse voices to understand our clients’ needs and innovate solutions that fit. With headquarters in Zurich and offices in 27 locations globally, we build our teams to ensure a balance between our Swiss roots and the nationalities of our clients: our 2,300+ employees represent over 60 nationalities.
Equal opportunities are essential for our business success. We are purposefully working on attracting and promoting up-and-coming female talent, specialists and managers, with the goal of increasing the representation of women in senior management positions to 30 percent by 2030 (currently 21.8) and in managerial positions to 25 percent by 2030 (currently 18.5).
The varied experience and sharing of knowledge within our teams is critical for sustainable company success. Young professionals and experienced colleagues work together to benefit our clients with solutions that are future-oriented, fresh and feasible.
“The collaboration of mixed teams of professionals – with women and men of varying ages who have different career paths, experiences and diverse cultural backgrounds – creates significant added value for the business and for our clients.”
Zeno Staub, CEO
Close ties with the Vontobel family place us in a unique position to stay the course through market turmoil while guaranteeing our entrepreneurial independence. We consider the resulting freedom as an obligation of social responsibility. Our brand colors have their origin in the family crest due to this strong connection.
Corporate responsibility has a long tradition at Vontobel: from sustainable investment solutions, to environmental sustainability, through to serving communities. No greenwashing, just a sincere and consistent commitment to fulfilling our corporate responsibility – an achievement for which we regularly win awards.