Sébastien joined Pictet in 2012. Prior becoming Head of Fund and Manager Research in 2022, Sébastien was a Senior Fund Analyst covering global emerging and Asian managers. He spent four years in Singapore, focusing on Asian managers’ research and supported the launch of Pictet Wealth Management’s fund advisory unit in Asia. Sébastien started his career at JPMorgan Private Bank before working at Lloyds TSB Bank for seven years in its hedge fund and fixed-income department. He has a Master’s of Science in Financial Engineering from the University of Michigan and a Master’s degree in Management from HEC Lausanne. Sébastien is a Certified International Investment Analyst and Certified Financial Analyst in ESG Investing.

Stephan Balmer has been Head of Manager Selection at Zürcher Kantonalbank since 2020 and is responsible for selecting active and passive investment vehicles for discretionary and advisory mandates. He joined the bank in 2005 as a fund analyst. Prior to that, Stephan spent many years as a semi-professional and professional football player in Switzerland. He holds a Master's degree in Economics and Business Administration from the University of Zurich, is a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) and holds the Certificate in Investment Performance Measurement (CIPM) from the CFA Institute.

Thomas oversees equity fund selection for discretionary and advisory offerings, as well as manager research for multi-manager accounts, covering both active and passive strategies. Since joining UBS Switzerland in 2004, he has built a multi-billion fund shelf for the global wealth management business (ex US), serving both discretionary and advisory clients. With over 25 years of experience, Thomas is passionate about driving innovation in fund selection and delivering superior investment solutions. He holds a degree in Business Administration from FU Berlin, completed his Master thesis in Seed Capital, and is a certified EFFAS Financial Analyst.