Pierre-Olivier Fragniere is a member of the executive management board of the Banque Cantonale de Geneve, or the Swiss Bank of Geneva. As head of the bank's international corporate and private banking division, he is ideally placed to observe the practices and expectations of Chinese nationals regarding investment and financial assets. 

Q. Do you have a presence in China? 

We have been in Hong Kong since the end of 2009. The local Hong Kong Monetary Authority granted us a licence authorising us to have a representative office. 

Q. In your experience, what main expectations have you identified among your Chinese customers?

The Chinese, who for thousands of years have been outstanding merchants, are very demanding in terms of investment. They want to be able to assess, concretely and rapidly, the performance of their asset holdings. 

Q. Why do they opt for Switzerland?

Switzerland remains a global and historical reference as regards asset management. Its expertise is an established fact. It harbours, in addition to its strong credentials, a stable political, economic and monetary system. It is worth remembering that Switzerland, although situated in the heart of Europe, is not part of the euro zone, which is undergoing severe turmoil. Its rating is excellent, its currency strong, its image intact. Furthermore, an ever-growing number of Swiss industries export to China and vice versa, which creates a special bond of friendship between the two countries. 

Q. How do you differentiate yourself from the competition?

We are a cantonal bank that has the good fortune of benefitting from a culture of stability and robustness. The fact that our shareholder structure is partly composed of public authorities strengthens that competitive advantage. Thus, we apply an original investment philosophy that is cautious and based on creating performance through the real economy. This has enabled us to weather major crises, especially in 2008; it minimises risk and aims for sustainable profit.