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Building the future of Swiss finance – Lombard Odier’s new headquarters is Herzog & de Meuron’s latest architectural masterpiece
key takeaways.
Lombard Odier’s new headquarters in Bellevue, designed by Herzog & de Meuron, represents a major architectural achievement and a milestone for the firm
The building reflects Lombard Odier’s deep commitment to sustainability, with world-class environmental certifications and smart building technologies
It signals a forward-looking vision for Swiss banking – one that embraces transparency, innovation, and adaptability
The project showcases Swiss excellence in architecture and engineering, reinforcing Geneva’s global financial standing
More than a workplace, the building is designed to gather all of the Firm’s colleagues under one roof and foster collaboration, connection, and a sense of purpose
The move to Bellevue underscores Lombard Odier’s long-standing ties to the region and its role in shaping the future of Swiss finance.
Standing on the banks of Lake Geneva, with an unparalleled view across the lake towards Mont Blanc, is a remarkable new building.
With world-leading sustainability certifications, and state-of-the-art building management, Lombard Odier’s new headquarters at No.1 Chemin Messidor Bellevue, is, says Senior Managing Partner Hubert Keller, “a leap into the future.”
Designed to blend harmoniously into the parkland that surrounds it, and to be welcoming, transparent and adaptable, the new headquarters are a symbol that Swiss banking must be ready to adapt to a changing world. Crucially, it is also a sign of our belief that Swiss finance must not only ‘talk the talk’ when it comes to sustainability, but also ‘walk the walk’.
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Since our founding in 1796 we have been committed to investing sustainably – we have also been pioneers of sustainable investment analysis for more than three decades. That is why we commissioned world-renowned architects Herzog & de Meuron – designers of Beijing’s famous ‘Birds Nest’ National Stadium and London’s Tate Modern – to create their first ever work in French-speaking Switzerland, with sustainability at its core.
At the recent inauguration of the new building, Hubert Keller, Lombard Odier Senior Managing Partner, and distinguished guests, turned the page on a landmark chapter in the life of Geneva’s oldest private bank, a pivotal moment not only for Lombard Odier, but for the wider Swiss finance sector.
Welcoming guests to the building’s 500-seat auditorium – flanked on one side by a huge sweeping curve of imposing raw concrete and on the other by floor to ceiling glass – Hubert Keller explained the origins of the project.
The decision to build our new headquarters was designed to bring together all our Geneva colleagues under one roof, and to transform the way we work and welcome our clients. It was a leap into the future
A spirit of innovation
“A century ago there were 100 of us. Today, there are more than 3,000, including more than 2,100 in Geneva. This growth led us to spread our Geneva teams across half a dozen sites, but separation did not fit with our DNA, which is based on human contact and collaboration. The decision to build our new headquarters was designed to bring together all our Geneva colleagues under one roof, and to transform the way we work and welcome our clients. It was a leap into the future.”
He continued, “We could have opted for a ‘stone-clad vault’ like a traditional bank, but we preferred an avant-garde building: open, bathed in light, facing outwards. This spirit of innovation has always been with us – it has become our philosophy, embedded in our motto: ‘rethink everything’. Adapting, transforming, and questioning ourselves – this is what guided us throughout this landmark project.”
New architecture for a new world
Yves Oltramare, Former Partner of the Lombard Odier Group, who joined the celebrations just a few days shy of his one-hundredth birthday, echoed the importance of adaptation. “Lombard Odier has been in existence for 229 years,” he said. “As Geneva’s oldest bank, we have risen to the challenges that have emerged over the centuries. In order to survive, we have constantly adapted to change.”
“What does today’s change in architecture represent?” he asked. “For me, it is a new message, open to a new world.”
Though this new world is full of challenges and questions, he continued, “I firmly believe that answers will emerge. Not from my generation, but from yours and those that follow – provided we know how to observe, question, take risks and, above all, give ourselves time to discern.”
“This ambitious, transparent building is a message of openness and hope for this new world. In an increasingly automated world, I am convinced that personal relationships and empathy are essential. This is Lombard Odier’s long-standing culture and, here, our culture will find a new expression. I am confident that it will continue to thrive and inspire future generations.”
This new headquarters is certainly an architectural feat, but first and foremost it is a promise to our employees and clients
World-leading sustainability
Alexandre Meyer, Lombard Odier Managing Partner, picked up on the theme of openness and transparency. With the new headquarters bathed in natural light via a large central atrium; a huge, many-panelled glass skylight; and full-length balconies and floor-to-ceiling glass on every level, he noted, “Our first key decision was to share the most beautiful views of Lake Geneva with our employees and clients. This meant embodying a true culture of openness through shared spaces.”
The second key decision was to commit to world-leading sustainability certifications. This was achieved through, “Careful selection of materials; preservation of biodiversity; a 25% reduction in CO₂ emissions, achieved partly through the integration of the ultra-low-emissions Genilac thermal control system, which uses water from Lake Geneva to heat and cool the building.”
Further, he noted, 70% of employees have opted for sustainable forms of transport, with the new building promoting cycling and offering electric vehicle charging points; while a smart automation system optimises heating, ventilation, lighting and water use.
From start to finish, the build gave rise to some impressive numbers, he said, with more than 300 companies, thousands of workers, 60,000m² of floor space, 1,500 km of electrical cabling, and 250 meeting rooms all contributing to a new home for 2,200 employees and, most importantly, the firm’s clients.
He concluded, “This new headquarters is certainly an architectural feat, but first and foremost it is a promise to our employees and clients. For our employees – to provide one home, where they can collaborate in a warm, bright, modern and environmentally friendly space that can transform according to their needs. For our clients it is the promise of elegant, warm and confidential spaces, where the spirit of our former home in the rue de la Corraterie is reinvented in contemporary language.”
Investing in a multipolar world
Together, Michael Strobaek, Chief Investment Officer, and Samy Chaar, Chief Economist and CIO Switzerland, grounded the day’s celebrations in the new headquarters chief purpose – understanding today’s economic environment and investing to grow our clients’ wealth for the long term.
Samy Chaar began: “For some years we’ve been seeing comfortable economic expansion, dominated by the US. But now we’ve hit the exit, because of uncertainty and Donald Trump’s tariffs. However, we don’t anticipate a recession in the US because labour markets remain strong, interest rates are coming down, and governments in many developed nations are investing to shift from interdependence to autonomy. This investment creates economic activity.”
If this is the case, Michael Strobaek, asked, “What does this mean for how you should invest?” Giving the Lombard Odier house view, he continued, “I don’t think US exceptionalism will subside as quickly as some think. Why? Because the US has one of the biggest earnings opportunities with big tech and AI [artificial intelligence]. We think the US economy is slowing, but we are still invested.”
“We are now overweight in emerging markets that tend to do well when long-term and short-term interest rates are coming down, and when the dollar is weakening. But the number one rule I have learned when forecasting the markets is not to overestimate the impact of geopolitics, and not to leave equity markets if you don’t believe that recession is on the horizon in the US.”
we are unveiling a meaningful place that embodies our history, our values, and our vision for the future
A reflection of Swiss expertise
As guests and dignitaries gathered by the grand entrance to the new headquarters, ready for the official ribbon-cutting ceremony, Hubert Keller returned to the theme of adaptation and innovation. “There are moments that mark the life of an institution. This is one of them,” he began. “We are not merely inaugurating a building, we are unveiling a meaningful place that embodies our history, our values, and our vision for the future. This Home is much more than a workplace. It reflects a bank that has always sought to innovate, and to anticipate tomorrow’s challenges rather than endure them.”
Luc Perret, head of the construction consortium behind the build, highlighted the world-class nature of the new building. “This is a historic project,” he said. “Such architectural and technical standards are rare – likely among the global elite – and reflect Swiss expertise. It is a great opportunity for Bellevue, for Geneva, and for Switzerland.”
Delphine Bachmann, State Councillor of the Canton of Geneva, echoed this sentiment. “The banking and financial sector is of great importance to our canton. This is even more true today, in these uncertain and unpredictable times. With your move here, you are above all demonstrating your commitment to our canton, your loyalty to the region where your bank was born in 1796.”
Mylène Schopfer Sandoz, Mayor of Bellevue, agreed. “Lombard Odier’s decision – as one of Switzerland’s most respected and oldest banking institutions – to establish its global headquarters in Bellevue, sends a strong signal of confidence and recognition of our quality of life,” she said. “You honour us, and make our residents proud.” she said.
This building expresses this welcoming spirit. What is its architectural identity? Innovation with tradition. Transparency with discretion. Nature with elegance
Innovation with tradition
As Hubert Keller, Delphine Bachmann, Mylène Schopfer Sandoz, Luc Perret, Ana Roch – President of the Grand Council of the Canton of Geneva, and Christine Binswanger and Pierre de Meuron – Partners at architects Herzog & de Meuron gathered to jointly cut the ribbon, Pierre de Meuron shared the vision he had first had for the new building a decade ago.
“Lombard Odier is a bank that is different,” he said. “It is open. Open to the landscape as well as to new visitors. This building expresses this welcoming spirit. What is its architectural identity? Innovation with tradition. Transparency with discretion. Nature with elegance. Beauty matters, and beautiful buildings are those that last.”
He concluded, “For us, as architects, this moment allows us to hand over the symbolic keys. We have had a fruitful and enriching collaboration, for which I thank you – Lombard Odier – wholeheartedly. May this landmark moment in your long history prove to be a complete success – a welcoming, attractive and fertile place for work and human connection.”
important information
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