Independent · Aligned
Independent advisor, or private bank? It is rarely either-or.
Banks custody, lend, and offer products. An independent family office coordinates, challenges, and consolidates. The two roles can coexist. They should not be confused.
Our approach
How we work with families on this.
Different roles, not rivals
Banks are counterparties: they custody, finance, execute, offer products. We sit on the client's side of the table, with no product to sell and no balance sheet to feed.
Independence in remuneration
We are paid by clients only. We do not earn retrocessions, placement fees, or product commissions. When unavoidable, retrocessions are credited back.
Consolidated view across banks
A single bank sees its own positions. We consolidate across all relationships, on a look-through basis, so the family sees one coherent picture.
Coordination of specialists
Banks, lawyers, tax advisors, notaries, brokers. The family rarely needs another specialist. It usually needs a coordinator.
Who we serve
Three profiles, one standard of attention.
Long-standing private bank clients
Families and entrepreneurs satisfied with their banks, wondering what an independent counsel would add on top.
Multi-bank households
Households with three or more banking relationships, where no single banker has the full picture.
Principals weighing a change
Clients considering moving assets, who want an independent assessment of where they actually stand before deciding.
What we do
Disciplines most relevant to this work.
An independent family office adds value alongside banks across investment, structuring, governance and oversight.
Investment Strategy
We develop both short- and long-term investment strategies based on your objectives, liquidity needs, and broader family capital structure. This includes working alongside your legal and tax advisors to ensure that investment decisions are aligned with your broader planning framework.
Wealth Structuring
We help our clients organize their assets and entities for the long term with a focus on continuity, efficiency, and consistency across structures and jurisdictions.
Family Governance
We support families and entrepreneurs in coordinating family daily affairs and in establishing clear, long-term governance frameworks.
Private Markets
We rigorously select private market opportunities, committing our own capital alongside our clients when appropriate. From due diligence to ongoing oversight, we remain fully engaged throughout the life of each investment.
2012
FINMA
Geneva
Open architecture
Frequently asked
Questions families ask before engaging.
Should I leave my private bank?
Usually not. Banks remain the right counterparties for custody, financing and execution. An independent family office sits beside them, not instead of them.
Does NESS hold my assets?
No. Assets remain with the banks of your choice, in your name. We oversee the relationships and consolidate the picture.
Is it more expensive to have both?
Often the opposite. Independent oversight typically identifies fee structures, product layers and inefficiencies that more than offset the family office fee.
How are retrocessions handled?
We do not take retrocessions or placement fees. Where they cannot be avoided, they are credited back to the client. Remuneration comes from the client only.
What about discretionary mandates with banks?
They can coexist with independent counsel. The independent view brings an additional layer of challenge on strategy, fees and performance, without disrupting the mandate itself.
Contact
Let us talk.
If you are weighing where independent counsel fits in your setup, let us have a candid conversation.