VZ Holding
{{Short description|Swiss financial services provider}}{{Notability|date=January 2025}}{{Upe|date=January 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}
{{Infobox company
| name = VZ Holding Ltd.
| logo = VZ Logo RGB.svg
| type = Public limited company (Aktiengesellschaft)
| traded_as = {{SWX|VZN}}
| ISIN = {{ISIN|sl=n|pl=y|CH0528751586}}
| foundation = {{Start date and age|1993}}
| founders = {{ubl|Matthias Reinhart|Max Bolanz}}
| location = Zug, Switzerland
| key_people = Giulio Vitarelli (CEO)
| area_served = {{ubl|Switzerland|Germany}}
| industry = Financial services
| num_employees = 1,568 (FTE)
| revenue = {{CHF|525 million |link=yes}} (2024){{cite web |url=https://www.vermoegenszentrum.ch/sites/default/files/documents/investor-relations-corporate-governance-2024-chen.pdf |title=VZ Group Annual report 2024 |website=Annual report VZ Group |access-date=4 March 2025}}
| operating_income =
| net_income =
| assets =
| equity =
| website = {{URL|https://www.vermoegenszentrum.ch/en|vermoegenszentrum.ch}}
}}
VZ Group is a Swiss financial service provider based in Zug. It is known by the name VZ Vermögenszentrum (company's preferred spelling: VZ VermögensZentrum) on the market. Since March 2007, the holding company VZ Holding Ltd is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange.
Matthias Reinhart has founded VZ Group and is the main shareholder.
Business orientation
According to its own accounts, the group sells neither financial products of its own, nor such by third parties for a commission or kickback payments and should therefore have no conflicts of interests.{{cite web |access-date=2023-11-03 |title=NZZ |url=https://www.nzz.ch/wirtschaft/die-schweizer-banken-waren-lange-jahre-extrem-verwoehnt-sagt-der-gruender-des-vermoegenszentrums-ld.1798055}} Clients pay fees for the advisory services and for the management of their assets.{{cite web |access-date=2023-10-03 |title=AssCompact |work=AssCompact – News für Assekuranz und Finanzwirtschaft |url=https://www.asscompact.de/nachrichten/vz-verm%C3%B6genszentrum-und-vz-depotbank-verschmelzen}} The services of VZ Group are targeted predominantly towards individuals and couples aged 50 or above, who wish to prepare for retirement.{{cite web |access-date=2023-10-02 |title=Annual report |url=https://www.vermoegenszentrum.ch/en/investor-relations/financial-reports#a}}
Employees
VZ Vermögenszentrum has around 1568 employees (in full-time equivalents) and expands its workforce by around 100 employees per year.{{cite web |access-date=2023-11-03 |title=Annual report |work=Allnews |date=6 September 2023 |url=https://www.allnews.ch/content/interviews/%C2%ABl%E2%80%99ia-ne-remplacera-pas-le-conseiller%C2%BB}} In addition, every year the company provides between 30 and 40 apprentices with commercial and informatics training. It furthermore recruits dozens of interns every year. The consultants receive their education in the company's own, edu-certified academy.{{cite web |access-date=2023-10-06 |title=fuw |date=15 January 2021 |url=https://www.fuw.ch/article/vz-holding-ceo-aermel-hochkrempeln-und-dranbleiben}} Every year, more than 50 trainees begin their education programme, which lasts several years, in the areas of investment, tax, pension provision, estate, and mortgage financing.{{cite web |access-date=2023-10-03 |title=VZ VermögensZentrum Jobs |url=https://www.vermoegenszentrum.ch/en/jobs-careers/your-future-at-vz}} Employees of VZ Group are also invited as experts in consumer magazines and TV shows.{{cite web |access-date=2023-11-03 |title=SRF |url=https://www.srf.ch/play/tv/kassensturz/video/studiogespraech-mit-versicherungs-experte-stefan-thurnherr-vom-vz-vermoegenszentrum?urn=urn:srf:video:fbaebc1b-fca4-4979-9c1b-d2fd396120ef}}
History
The company was founded in 1993 by Matthias Reinhart and Max Bolanz under the name of VZ Versicherungszentrum AG. Their aim was to bring transparency to Switzerland’s insurance and banking industries by providing price and service comparisons. The initial purpose of the company was the brokerage of insurance contracts.{{cite web |access-date=2023-10-06 |title=fuw |date=15 January 2021 |url=https://www.fuw.ch/article/vz-holding-ceo-aermel-hochkrempeln-und-dranbleiben}}
In 1997, together with the company's name change to VZ VermögensZentrum AG, the articles of association were amended. From then on, the focus was shifted from insurance to advisory services in finance and asset management. The service scope has subsequently been increasing on an ongoing basis and further fields of business have been added. Today, the financial service provider advises private individuals in the areas of retirement, tax, investment, mortgages, estate, and insurance. For institutional clients, VZ Group provides assistance with pension fund solutions, corporate succession, and the management of insurance policies.{{cite web |access-date=2023-10-02 |title=moneycab |url=https://www.moneycab.com/company/vz-gruppe}}
In 2000, a holding structure was introduced. Today, VZ Group comprises 15 legally independent companies.{{cite web |access-date=2023-10-02 |title=VZ VermögensZentrum Portrait |url=https://www.vermoegenszentrum.ch/en/portrait#c}} They include a.o. Hypothekenzentrum AG, VZ Versicherungszentrum AG, VZ Vorsorge AG, and VZ Depository Bank Ltd.
In March 2007, the latter was authorised as a bank and securities dealer by the Swiss Federal Banking Commission.{{cite web |access-date=2018-08-20 |title=finma |url=https://www.finma.ch/en}} In the same month, VZ Holding Ltd went public.{{cite web |access-date=2020-10-19 |title=NZZ |work=Neue Zürcher Zeitung |date=25 March 2007 |url=https://www.nzz.ch/articleF1BYC-ld.403773?reduced=true}}
In 2000, VZ Group expanded into Germany, where the previously separate units VZ VermögensZentrum and VZ Depotbank Deutschland were merged to VZ VermögensZentrum Bank AG. Like its Swiss counterpart, the public limited company holds a banking licence.{{cite web |access-date=2020-10-02 |title=private banking magazin |url=https://www.private-banking-magazin.de/vz-gruppe-legt-ihre-deutschlandgeschaefte-zur-vz-vermoegenszentrum-bank/}} In addition, VZ Group acquired a majority stake at the London-based financial advisory company Lumin Wealth Ltd. In doing so, VZ Vermögenszentrum entered the market in Great Britain.{{cite web |access-date=2023-10-02 |title=finews |date=18 May 2021 |url=https://www.finews.ch/news/banken/46301-vz-grossbritannien-beteiligung-lumin-wealth-ifa}}
External links
- [https://www.vermoegenszentrum.ch/en VZ VermögensZentrum Ltd (Switzerland)]