Consilior Announces Succession Plan: Raphael Benz to Become Partner and Deputy CEO
The independent asset manager Consilior is setting the course for the future: Raphael Benz is joining from J. Safra Sarasin and, as a partner and deputy CEO, will gradually assume ownership alongside Tobias Bänziger. At the same time, the team is growing, and the multi-family office offerings are being expanded in a targeted manner.
Consilior, an independent asset manager headquartered in Birsfelden near Basel, is addressing its succession planning well in advance: Raphael Benz is moving from Bank J. Safra Sarasin to Consilior, where he will assume the role of partner and deputy CEO. Together with Tobias Bänziger, he will gradually assume ownership of the company in the coming years.
Experienced Successor with an International Profile
Raphael Benz brings more than 20 years of experience in wealth management to the table. Most recently, as Managing Director and Global Head of Investment Consulting at J. Safra Sarasin, he was responsible for investment advisory services for private clients in Switzerland, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and the Americas. He also holds an Executive MBA from INSEAD. Tobias Bänziger, who joined Consilior a year ago, was previously CEO of a single-family office in the United Arab Emirates and, prior to that, held senior positions at J. Safra Sarasin.
The decision to make the move was clear to Benz: «That’s exactly what convinced me to join Consilior,» he explains. «After more than two decades in wealth management, I am convinced that the future of the industry lies in this kind of independent and trusting partnership.» Thomas Liviero, CEO of Consilior, highlights the strategic rationale behind it: «Anyone who manages family wealth across generations must lead by example when it comes to their own succession.»
Team Expansion in Birsfelden and Delémont
Alongside the succession planning, the Consilior team continues to grow. Effective August 1, 2026, Gabriel Dubuis joined Consilior as a wealth advisor. The senior private banker has more than 35 years of experience and spent over three decades at UBS, where he held senior positions in international wealth management. In 2024, he moved to Pictet before joining Consilior. His focus is on high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) and corporate clients.
On October 1, 2026, Louis Kroni will join the Delémont office as an investment advisor; the office is headed by Didier Etique, a partner and member of the Board of Directors. Kroni is moving from Banque Cantonale du Jura to Consilior and holds both the Swiss and international diplomas as a finance and investment expert (CIWM). The advisor, who has deep roots in the region, is expected to further strengthen Consilior’s long-term commitment to the Canton of Jura and French-speaking Switzerland.
Multi-Family Office as a Strategic Growth Pillar
As part of its strategic plan, Consilior is purposefully expanding its multi-family office offerings alongside its existing wealth management business. The company is thus responding to the growing demand from entrepreneurial families for support that goes beyond mere wealth management—ranging from investment strategy to cross-generational planning. The multi-family office offering is set to become a central pillar of the company’s strategy in the future.
Founded in 2008, Consilior is a FINMA-regulated, owner-managed asset management firm with offices in Birsfelden, Basel, and Delémont. It serves private clients, families, and foundations in Switzerland and abroad and works with custodian banks of the clients’ choice.
Source: www.consilior.ch
