Jean-Pierre Cuoni, a Banker with Heart

A man’s destiny is shaped by the work he does, but also by his attitude
towards life, his values and his ethics. Jean-Pierre Cuoni, founder of the
international bank EFG, together in collaboration with his old friend in the
ranks Lonnie Howell, embraced the virtues of ethics and loyalty in the
disillusioned, practical world of finance. He was the father of the name
Private Banking, and revolutionised the traditional management model of the
banking institution by promoting independence for his employees. Member of the
Board of Directors of the Union des Bourses Suisses, of the Board of Directors
of the Zurich Chamber of Commerce, Vice-President of the Swiss Chamber of
Commerce, Vice-President of the British Swiss Chamber of Commerce, Jean-
Pierre Cuoni remained unknown to the general public. Sometimes criticised but
often adored by those who knew him, Jean-Pierre Cuoni was a Swiss industry
giant who knew how to build rather than destroy over decades wrought with
major economic and political instability. Noëlle Demole, Cuoni’s first grand-
daughter, decided to put in writing the fascinating biography of her grand-
father, whom she deeply adored.