Alpian has appointed Belinda Bencic and Géraldine Fasnacht as CIOs

By Joy Dumasia

Alpian prepares to launch as Switzerland’s first digital private bank this summer, the company is announcing its future collaboration with two strong women leaders. Olympic gold medallist in tennis and Swiss sportswoman of the year 2021, Belinda Bencic, and freeride snowboarder, base jumper, and wingsuit pilot Géraldine Fasnacht, will not only be long-term exclusive brand ambassadors but will also be active members of the corporate culture.

Schuyler Weiss, CEO of Alpian, said: “What makes matters of finance and wealth relevant to the lives of people today? A key mission of Alpian is to find new ways to answer this question. Bringing Belinda Bencic and Geraldine Fasnacht aboard as honorary Chief Inspiration Officers is a long-term, two-way investment for us. This is more than a title for us. It’s about bringing fresh perspectives to the financial world.”

With a full banking license in place, Alpian plans to launch several collaborative projects with the two honorary Chief Inspiration Officers to highlight their philosophy of “Wealth Beyond Money”. One of these initiatives will see Belinda Bencic and Géraldine Fasnacht contribute to i-vest.ch, a newly launched education platform for demystified investing, wealth, and financial wellness. 

“We are delighted that Belinda and Geraldine will share their insights on i-vest”, said Roman Balzan, Chief Marketing Officer of Alpian. “They make an invaluable contribution to the social and individual discourse we hope to stimulate with i-vest through their unique perspective on the topic of financial self-determination.” 

Also planned is the joint launch of a performance acceleration program in 2023. Belinda Bencic and Géraldine Fasnacht will channel their experience and expertise to scout, promote and mentor young talents across Switzerland. 

“The financial world is a playing field with its own rules. When athletes understand and embrace this, they can put themselves in a better position to succeed long after they move on from their careers in sports and athletics”, says Belinda Bencic, honorary Chief Inspiration Officer of Alpian. “As an athlete myself, I feel strongly about spreading financial literacy to the world of sports in a way that is empathetic, engaging and ultimately meaningful. That’s why the Alpian team’s passion for facilitating the access to financial support appealed to me. Just like a strong double’s team, I believe we can work closely together to achieve this goal.”

Géraldine Fasnacht, honorary Chief Inspiration Officer of Alpian, comments: “We are surrounded by an increasingly complex financial world. But does it have to be that way? Matters of technology, innovation, finance and investing affect everyone. So, shouldn’t they be in a language that everyone can understand and apply to their own lives? Being a mother, I see an urgent need for organisations that champion this cause for the sake of future generations. It’s why I was drawn to Alpian’s vision of jargon-free financial knowledge. Together, I believe we can do more to shape a culture that spreads financial knowledge to people who don’t have a background in finance and investing. After all, the financial world needs to fit into their lives, and not the other way around, which I can personally totally identify myself to.”

Schuyler Weiss adds: “The financial world often forgets the role of inspiration in finance. When people can see how matters of money, investment and finance apply to their lives and what matters to them, that’s really when the journey to wealth beyond money begins. We’re honoured that Belinda and Geraldine – two highly successful individuals in their own right – share our vision, values and goals. I believe the possibilities to collaborate with them to inspire new communities are endless.”