How does one run a bank when more than one hundred currencies are circulating across Switzerland? How are messages exchanged decades before the invention of the telephone? How are clients’ assets protected through revolutions, regime changes, and the threat of confiscation?
Lombard Odier is honoured to have received the 2026 Economy Prize from the Geneva Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services (CCIG), which recognises excellence in the financial sector, and honours companies that project a positive and dynamic image of Geneva. As we accept this prestigious award, we invite you to discover 230 years of history that have helped shape the economies of Geneva and Switzerland.
In the video below, (only available in French), our Senior Managing Partner, Hubert Keller, reflects on the Bank’s enduring legacy, the values that have guided us through the centuries, and the spirit of innovation that continues to define Lombard Odier today.
Pioneers of banknotes and the foundations of the Swiss franc
Before the introduction of the Swiss franc in 1850, Switzerland’s monetary landscape was a genuine puzzle, much like that of many European countries. A multitude of cantonal, foreign, and local currencies circulated simultaneously, making commercial transactions increasingly complex.
As early as 1835, Jean-Eloi Lombard and Albert Hentsch championed reform of Geneva’s monetary system. Convinced of the need for monetary standardisation, they advocated a forward-thinking idea for the time: a single currency within a single territory. Thanks to their efforts, the Geneva franc was introduced in 1839. The reform gave Geneva a considerable advantage, several years before other cantons followed suit.
Within this context, Lombard Odier also played another pioneering role. From 1832 onwards, the bank issued bearer notes, precursors to modern banknotes. Redeemable in cash, these notes allowed payments to be made without the need to carry heavy metal coins. At a time when paper money was still regarded with suspicion, their acceptance depended above all on the bank’s reputation and financial solidity.
Success came quickly. By 1846, Lombard, Odier & Cie notes were accepted by more than 70 institutions abroad, a remarkable achievement for the period. In 1845, the bank also participated in the creation of the Banque du Commerce de Genève, which would become one of the country’s principal issuers of banknotes until the establishment of the Swiss National Bank in 1907.
At a time when trust was already the most valuable currency of all, these initiatives helped modernise economic exchange and facilitate transactions. They also laid the foundations for a simpler and more efficient monetary system.
The Industrial Revolution: financing railways, electricity, and the telegraph
Today, we are preoccupied with artificial intelligence, the energy transition, and digital infrastructure. In the nineteenth century, the great innovations were railways, gas, electricity, and the telegraph.
The Partners of Lombard Odier did not simply observe these transformations. They contributed to their financing and supported the development of numerous businesses across industry, energy, transport, and finance. Among the companies founded, administered, or chaired by the firm’s Partners were the Compagnie des chemins de fer de l’Ouest Suisse (Western Swiss Railway Company), the Union financière de Genève (Geneva Financial Union), and the Compagnie genevoise pour l’industrie du gaz (Geneva Gas Company).
Among these, the railway is perhaps the most striking example. As railway networks expanded across Switzerland, Europe, and later the United States, they brought cities closer together, accelerated trade, and transformed the global economy. Lombard, Odier & Cie participated in financing a number of these projects. After chairing the inaugural meeting of the Compagnie des chemins de fer de l’Ouest Suisse, Charles Odier remained a director of the company for the next 20 years.
The telegraph represented another major revolution. When Switzerland first began deploying this new communications network, the bank contributed to the subscriptions required to finance it. For the first time in history, information could travel around the world faster than people. It was a transformation every bit as profound in its day as the internet has been in ours.
From the 1850s onwards, the Partners of Lombard, Odier & Cie also helped lay the foundations of the Geneva Stock Exchange, the first securities exchange established in Switzerland.
Their reputation as visionary entrepreneurs extended beyond the financial world. In his novel From the Earth to the Moon, published in 1865, Jules Verne cited Lombard, Odier & Cie among the subscribers to a project that was as ambitious as it was imaginary: sending a projectile to the Moon. The reference reflected the firm’s renown and its association with some of the most ambitious undertakings of the age.
Weathering crises, looking beyond borders, and rethinking everything
The twentieth century brought its share of upheaval: two world wars, economic crises, and major technological advances. In Switzerland, Lombard, Odier & Cie contributed to the national effort during both global conflicts. Young Partners and employees were mobilised at the borders, while women and retirees played an essential role in ensuring the continuity of the firm’s activities.
Then came a period of reconstruction and international expansion. Lombard, Odier & Cie became the first Swiss private bank to establish a presence abroad with the opening of an office in Montréal in 1951, a location recognised for its stability outside Europe during the Cold War.
At the same time, always attentive to the major developments of its era, Lombard, Odier & Cie invested in information technology through the acquisition of its first IBM computer in 1957. The bank subsequently developed its own technological infrastructure, establishing itself as a pioneer in the digitalisation of banking activities.
This forward-looking momentum continued throughout the following decades, as did the bank’s international expansion. Through its Canadian subsidiary, Lombard, Odier & Cie became, in 1979, the first foreign bank to obtain a seat on the New York Stock Exchange.
The past 25 years have been marked both by continued international growth and the expansion of the firm’s areas of expertise, particularly in sustainable finance and private equity.
From its earliest days, the firm has evolved in a constantly changing world, driven by a determination to protect clients’ interests and prepare for the future. Inaugurated in 2025, Lombard Odier’s new headquarters in Bellevue is a reflection of this commitment.
The ability to anticipate the defining transformations of each era has become one of the enduring threads of the firm’s history and finds expression today in our philosophy: Rethink Everything.
Looking to the future
Over the past 230 years, Lombard Odier has navigated profound economic, political, and technological change. From the emergence of modern currencies and industrialisation to the digital age and the sustainability transition, the Bank has continually evolved while remaining true to its founding purpose: safeguarding and growing clients’ wealth across generations.
Our award of the 2026 Economy Prize from the Geneva Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services gives us a moment for reflection. But our storied history serves as more than a reflection on the past – it is also a reminder that long-term success depends on the ability to anticipate change, adapt with conviction, and continue to rethink what comes next.
Geneva’s oldest private bank
In 1796, Geneva native Henri Hentsch founded his bank in Geneva – he was joined two years later by his cousin, Jean Gédéon Lombard.
The address of our new headquarters in Bellevue, 1 Chemin Messidor, is no coincidence. It refers to the date of the first partnership between Hentsch and Lombard, established on 1 Messidor, Year IV, corresponding to 19 June 1798.
Under the French Revolutionary Calendar, which was then in force in Geneva, the month of Messidor marked the harvest season. This symbolism has accompanied our firm through the generations. The wheat sheaves that adorned the doors of the historic Corraterie headquarters from the beginning of the twentieth century were already an expression of this symbol. Reinterpreted over time, they ultimately gave rise to the emblem that today forms part of Lombard Odier’s visual identity.
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