Citywire: Thanks, I quit

UBS Global Wealth Management chief economist Paul Donovan was unable to be openly gay in his earlier career. He discusses striking changes in attitudes and the role of his employer and its CEO Ralph Hamers. Donovan also explains why LGBTQ+ people may need specialised investment advice and how their cause fits into the wider ESG movement.

Jean-Pierre Lagane worked on his family's farm until he developed a new type of software. His long and varied career took him to Crédit Agricole, where he built the independent asset managers division. Now CEO of Coges Corratiere Gestion, a wealth manager in Geneva, Lagane shares insight into this market along with his life story.

The Swiss start-up investment scene is coming of age, according to head of clients at Serpentine Ventures Christoph Kruecken. He discusses the venture capital asset manager’s fund range, how it nurtures its holdings, and how it compares to sales roles he held at BlackRock and UBS.

Trusting partners on the ground to know how best to deploy charitable endowments is essential, according to LGT Venture Philanthropy’s CEO Oliver Karius. He discusses the venture philanthropy movement, lessons learned from sustainable investment history, and personal motivation to make the world fairer following his youth in apartheid era South Africa.

Ukrainian refugee Oksana Kononenko describes the journey from her war-torn homeland to Switzerland and how she found a job at Zurich bank Bergos after a brief appearance on television. She also discusses private banking in her homeland before the war.