Personal – Matthias Hunn

After completing my Swiss grammar school with focus on economics, I learned banking from scratch at Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB). I was able to put my theoretical knowledge of securities, loans, payment transactions and accounting into real-life context. After a detour into financial analysis, it was clear: I wanted to deepen my basics and go to university to study business and economics.

During my studies, I initially continued to work at ZKB, then as an independent insurance consultant for Helvetia insurance. The years of direct customer contact helped me to better understand customers and their needs. I then worked as a business, economics and banking trainer at Schweizerische Kreditanstalt (SKA).

 After completing my studies, I remained loyal to SKA and switched to market research. Dealing with the perceptions and needs of bank customers deepened my understanding of banking from the customer’s perspective. This was followed by an assignment on a project in the USA in which, among other things, we built mathematical models of customer behavior in order to better understand at what moment which products should be offered to which customers and how. When I returned to Switzerland, I built a team that translated mathematical models into marketing campaigns.

 My last task in the bank, which has now become Credit Suisse, was building and managing the staff department for smaller retail customers. We improved the training of advisors, built management information systems, increased efficiency and strengthened active sales of banking products.

 After 12 years at a large bank, it was time for me to take a risk: I moved to AWD Switzerland (now Swiss Life Select), which was suffering from severe image problems at the time, as Head of Partners and Products, . The goal was to massively increase the quality of the offering and products in order to position ourselves as a reputable provider. After 6 years, I returned to the banking world.

 I joined Migros Bank at executive management level as Head of Marketing, Products and Prices. For 10 years I strived to increase the bank’s value proposition, strengthen the partnership with customers and emphasised open, honest and straightforward communication with customers.

 Why FinGuide? Over the years, I have repeatedly noticed how opaque the Swiss private banking offering is. Today, when a customer enters a private bank to find out about what’s on offer, their first thought is: mystery shopper or journalist? Private banking customers rarely approach potential partners on their own, even though not everyone is happy with their provider. In my opinion, this constellation is ideal for a provider that reconciles the interests of customers and the company. The idea of FinGuide was born and the entrepreneurial passion was awakened!

On the FinGuide website you can find pictures of water, boats and mountains. For what reason?

 I come from a working class family of 5 children, so long trips were not affordable. Holidays therefore meant skiing in winter and mountain hiking in summer. Although I would have preferred to go to the seaside as a child, I developed a deep connection with the mountains that continues to this day. But when I had children myself we allowed ourselves a few trips to the seaside every now and then.

Water has always been my element. My first regular sports activity as a child was swimming. After that, the focus was on rowing and later I started scuba diving and underwater photography, which I still do with great passion. Excursions on sailing boats are always highlights for me; gliding along with just the power of the wind gives me a calm feeling. Be it in Europe or in the tropics: I feel comfortable on and in the water.