Goldman Sachs opens Luxembourg branch

Goldman Sachs has registered a new banking entity in Luxembourg this November. The new entity, a branch from Goldman Sachs Bank Europe in Frankfurt, will support the bank’s European business across the private banking, investment, and wealth management space.

The group’s Luxembourg-based entities have grown significantly in recent years, and now include a bank, a fund management company and a number of mutual funds and investment vehicles.

 

Bank Delen's René Havaux: ‘We would like to do more acquisitions’

Bank Delen would like to do more acquisitions in the Benelux, says its CEO in an interview with Investment Officer. ‘The Luxembourg market is difficult though, because of the fiscal differences. So we would need to buy a local Luxembourg player with local clients. There are not many of those.’

The integration of Bank Delen’s recent acquisitions in the Netherlands is going smoothly, says Havaux. ‘The customers of Nobel Vermogensbeheer [which Delen acquired in 2019] have all moved to our funds.’

Quintet: «la durabilité devient la norme pour tous nos mandats discrétionnaires»

Selon James Purcell (photo), responsable de la gestion durable au niveau du groupe chez Quintet Private Bank, la gestion durable devient de facto la norme pour tous les mandats de gestion discrétionnaire au sein du groupe. Il se présente comme un partisan des Principes pour l’investissement responsable (PRI) des Nations unies, mais limite délibérément le nombre d’initiatives auxquelles le groupe adhère afin de se concentrer au maximum sur l’expérience client.

Banks focus innovation efforts on customer experience

European banks are focusing their innovation efforts on customer experience, a study by PwC Luxembourg has found. Though the study was conducted before the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, PwC’s Banking Industry Leader Roxane Haas believes Covid-19 will lead to a further acceleration of innovation in the field.

McKinsey : la rentabilité des banques privées se porte mal

En 2019, pour la deuxième année consécutive, les banques privées européennes ont vu leurs bénéfices chuter, malgré une année boursière solide. D’après une étude conduite par McKinsey, la rentabilité souffre d’une combinaison de hausse des coûts et de clientèle qui ne se développe pas assez.

McKinsey: private bank profitability declines again

Private banks in Europe saw their profits decline in 2019, for the second year in a row, according to a study by McKinsey. Profitability is under pressure due to a combination of rising costs and lack of client growth.

According to the management consultancy, the study shows that private banks in Europe are confronted with structurally weak profit dynamics, growing dissatisfaction among clients and significant operational problems due to working from home.

Active clients propel Degroof Petercam private banking profits

The income of Degroof Petercam Luxembourg’s private banking division has not been dented by the coronavirus crisis. To the contrary, results have been ‘above expectations’ thanks to a sharp increase in trading revenue, says its head Kris De Souter in an interview with Investment Officer.