History
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From tradition into the future
Over the past 60 years we have shown that we not only react nimbly and dynamically to change, but we tend to stay one step ahead of the game. That is why we are one of the three largest banks in Liechtenstein, with six international locations.
Committed, competent and courageous while at the same time client-facing and focussed on security – just like our founder, the Princely Commerce Counsellor Guido Feger. We confidently carry this tradition with us into the future.
2021
Roger Barmettler is appointed Chief Financial Officer. VP Bank is included in the sustainability indices of the SIX Swiss Exchange, signs the United Nations Principles for Responsible Banking and publishes its first sustainability report in accordance with GRI standards. Dr Thomas R. Meier is re-elected to the Board of Directors of VP Bank for a term of three years and confirmed as Chairman; Philipp Elkuch is elected to the Board of Directors. Pamela Hsu Phua is appointed CEO of VP Bank Asia. VP Bank and InvestCloud enter into a partnership to build an innovative open wealth service platform. In the fall, VP Bank joins the UN Net-Zero Banking Alliance. With the Sustainable Plus solution, the digitisation of assets and a cooperation with Utopia Music AG, VP Bank offers new types of investment opportunities. Marcel Tschanz is appointed Chief Transformation Officer and the VP Bank Art Foundation celebrates its 25th anniversary.
2022
VP Bank enters into a cooperation with Leonteq in the area of structured products and promotes young talent in the Swiss and Liechtenstein gastronomy industry as the presenting partner of the renowned marmite youngster competition. The 59th annual general meeting approves an increase in dividends. In May, VP Bank receives the "Wealth For Good Award" for the VP Bank Sustainability Score. In September, the 3rd VP Bank Swiss Ladies Open takes place and the Genussfestival Vaduz celebrates its premiere. With a special certificate, VP Bank and Chartered Investment create a structured product solution that gives private investors access to sustainable gold for the first time.
2023
Dr Mara Harvey, Dr Rolf Steiner and Adrian Schneider are added to the Group Executive Management. VP Bank and GFT Technologies win the Banking Tech Award for the unique solution for tokenised collectibles and the FS Tech Award for digital asset innovation. By signing the Luxembourg Women in Finance Charter, becoming a Swiss Advance member and participating in the UN's Target Gender Equality Programme, VP Bank promotes gender equality and organisational development in accordance with the sustainability plan. The Bank successfully offers digital client opening for intermediaries for the first time. In Singapore, VP Bank is honoured as "Best Private Bank - Intermediary Service", celebrates its 15th anniversary and expands its branch with new office premises.
2013
VP Bank continues to pursue its growth strategy in 2013 by taking over the private banking activities of HSBC Trinkaus & Burkhardt (International) SA as well as the private banking related fund business of HSBC Trinkaus Investment Managers SA in Luxembourg.
2014
In April 2014, the VP Bank Annual General Meeting approves the proposed resolution to change the company name from “Verwaltungs- und Privat-Bank Aktiengesellschaft” in “VP Bank AG” (VP Bank SA, VP Bank Ltd). The short and succinct company name is easier to understand and reflects the “VP Bank” brand name already in use.
2015
VP Bank’s merger with Centrum Bank, Liechtenstein’s fourth-largest financial institution, represents an important growth milestone for VP Bank Group.
2016
VP Bank celebrates its 60th anniversary. Rating agency Standard&Poor’s reconfirms in July 2016 its “A-“ rating of VP Bank and lifts its outlook to “Stable”.
2017
At Group Executive Management level, the organisational units "General Counsel & Chief Risk Officer" and "Investment Solutions" are formed at the beginning of the year. Under the programme title "Next", VP Bank launches several extensive digitisation projects and, in the middle of the year, launches a website with state-of-the-art portal technology. This paves the way for the development of a needs-oriented, secure and flexible client portal with modularly expandable services. The rating agency "Standard&Poor's" confirms VP Bank's excellent "A-" rating and increases the outlook from "Stable" to "Positive". The positioning of the VP Bank brand undergoes a review and in August 2017, VP Bank presents itself in a fresh new brand design.
2018
The locations in Zurich and Luxembourg move into new offices with state-of-the-art infrastructure. Dr Felix Brill joins Group Executive Management as Chief Investment Officer and Dr Urs Monstein as Chief Operating Officer. In May 2018, the rating agency “Standard & Poor's” raises VP Bank's rating from "A-" to "A" with a stable outlook. In spring, the new e-banking system with advanced portal technology is launched. Through the deals with Catella Bank and Carnegie, VP Bank completes its entry into the Scandinavian market at the end of the year.
2019
Following the departure of Alfred W. Moeckli in January 2019, Paul H. Arni takes up his position as the new CEO of VP Bank Group in October 2019. As part of on-going upgrades to the client portal, a simple, secure and independent login procedure is introduced with “VP Bank Connect”. In July 2019, VP Bank Ltd and Hywin Wealth Management Co. announce their intention to establish a joint collaboration platform in Hong Kong. Standard & Poor's confirms its "A" rating and stable outlook for VP Bank in August 2019. VP Bank (Switzerland) Ltd receives easier access to the German market from the German Financial Market Authority. In November 2019, VP Bank successfully issues its first senior non-preferred 10-year bond totalling CHF 155 million.
2020
Fredy Vogt steps down as Chairman of the Board of Directors and Dr Thomas R. Meier is elected as the new Chairman. As part of the reorganisation of the Credit division, CFO Siegbert Näscher and General Counsel & Chief Risk Officer Monika Vicandi leave VP Bank, and Patrick Bont is appointed Group Chief Risk Officer. Tobias Wehrli succeeds Christoph Mauchle and takes over as Head of Intermediaries & Private Banking. Thomas von Hohenhau becomes Head of the newly created Client Solutions division as part of Strategy 2026. VP Bank strengthens its position in the "Nordics" market and acquires the private banking activities of Öhman Bank in Luxembourg from the Swedish financial group Öhman. VP Bank improves its overall ranking in the Fuchsbriefe test on advisory quality to 10th place.
2009
CEO Adolf E. Real leaves VP Bank after 26 years.
2011
For VP Bank, 2011 is a year of transition, one in which the pieces are put in place to meet the challenges of tomorrow. Luxembourg is now the last of the VP Bank Group locations to commence work with the new Avaloq banking software package. Going forward, this will make it easier and more efficient to conceive products and services for the entire VP Bank Group and individually adapt them to the specific needs of our clients.
2012
As was announced at 2011 annual general meeting, Hans Brunhart steps down after 18 years on the Board of Directors, of which 16 years as chairman. Fredy Vogt is elected to the Board of Directors as his successor, and is appointed chairman at the inaugural meeting of the Board of Directors held immediately following the annual general meeting. Fredy Vogt has worked for VP Bank in various functions since 1987 and has been a member of Group Executive Management since 1996.
2003
BZ Group, which encountered difficulties in 2002, sells its shareholding in VP Bank (32.9 percent of the capital; 15.2 percent of the voting rights). VP Bank acquires the block, cancels the majority of shares and reduces its share capital from 85.5 auf 59.1 million Swiss francs.
2004
After three years of construction, the Triesen Center commences operation, with 230 VP Bank backoffice employees.
2005
VP Bank (Schweiz) AG sets up a representative office in Moscow. The VP Bank Group receives an A rating from Standard & Poor's, thereby making it one of the few officially rated private banks in the Swiss franc region.
2007
As additional pillar in the Far East, VP Bank opens an asset management company in Singapore.
1980
Through 1984, the new VP Bank headquarters is constructed on Aeulestrasse 6 in Vaduz.
1982
The shareholders' equity ratio increases to 10.3 percent.
1983
On 7 March, VP Bank's shares become the first Liechtenstein securities to trade on the Zurich Exchange's side market.
1984
VP Bank and its 150 employees take up occupancy of the new main office building.
1987
Starting on March 18, the shares of VP Bank are traded in the main segments of the Zurich, Basel, Geneva and St. Gallen stock exchanges. The participation capital is increased to CHF 30 million and participation certificates commence trading on the Frankfurt and Munich Exchanges.
1988
In order to be present in the domestic EC market, VP Bank founds a subsidiary company in Luxembourg. In 1989, VP Bank (Luxembourg) S.A. is granted a full banking concession. In Zurich, VP Bank establishes VPB Finanz AG.
1995
VP Bank, together with Allgemeine Treuunternehmen, establishes in a joint venture VP Bank and Trust Company (BVI) Ltd. in Tortola (British Virgin Islands), the subsidiary of which, VP Bank (BVI) Ltd., receives a banking license on September 29.
1996
Hans Brunhart, former Head of Government of Liechtenstein, takes over the chairmanship from Heinz Batliner, who is named Chairman Emeritus.
1999
With «VP Link» for professional clients and as of December 2000 «more4u» for private clients, VP Bank makes it possible for them to handle their transactions electronically. Both products are replaced in 2004 by the «VP Bank e-banking» platform. In November, VP Bank founds IFOS Internationale Fonds Service AG, Vaduz.
2000
In the 2000 financial year, the VP Bank Group records the best results in its history: a net profit of CHF 197 million.
1970
VP Bank sets up the first ATMs in Liechtenstein and in installs a night safe.
1971
As the first bank in the Principality to do so, VP Bank joins the Swiss bank clearing system. Clients as well as the bank benefit from the faster handling of payment transactions.
1973
VP Bank, together with ATU, purchases an NCR Century 150 computer and introduces electronic data processing at the Bank on April 1, 1975.
1974
In parallel with the increase in share capital, public shares are created. The Stiftung Fürstl. Kommerzienrat Guido Feger Foundation remains the majority shareholder.
1975
The bank receives a concession for handling all banking activities. As a result, it starts to offer savings, youth and pensioners accounts, as well as mortgage financing.
1976
On September 1, the founder and chairman of VP Bank, Guido Feger, dies at the age of 83. His nephew, Wolfgang Feger, takes over as chairman of the bank.
1963
VP Bank publishes a printed annual report for the first time.
1967
The banking concession's time limit and mandatory tie to the founder are abrogated. VP Bank commits to having at least 60 percent of its voting rights and 51 percent of its share capital legally and economically in the ownership of Liechtenstein citizens.
1969
VP Bank is the first bank in Liechtenstein to introduce the "Swiss Cheque" as well as salary accounts for cashless transactions
1956
Guido Feger (1893-1976), proprietor of Allgemeines Treuunternehmen (ATU), Vaduz, Receives on April 4 a concession to «operate a banking business». Initially it is tied to Feger personally. The bank must waive conducting domestic transactions so as not to compete with LLB. On April 6, Feger founds Verwaltungs- und Privat-Bank Anstalt with initial capital of 2 million Swiss francs.
1957
Olaf Walser (ATU) is elected as the Bank's first authorized officer.
1960
Heinz Batliner takes over as General Manager. VP Bank increasingly devotes its efforts to the foreign currency and securities business. Olaf Walser opens a foreign exchange office on the ground floor of Städtle 14.
1962
In keeping with the provisions of the revised Bank Act, the foundation is transformed into a joint-stock company at the end of the year. The equity capital is owned by Stiftung Fürstl. Kommerzienrat Guido Feger.