Arnaud Leclercq's interview, Partner Holding Privé and Head of New Markets, Lombard Odier, talks to WealthBriefing’s Tom Burroughes about how the bank has achieved its status.

Lombard Odier is proud to have won ‘Best overall International Private Bank (HQ outside MENA region)’ and ‘Best Shariah-Compliant Wealth Management Offering’ at the WealthBriefing  MENA Awards 2022.
Arnaud Leclercq is managing the Middle East activities of the Swiss private bank for 15 years. The bank itself has been committed to serving its clients in the Middle East for more than 60 years.

Please explain what you think makes your firm successful in its chosen field.

The experience, stability, and security that we offer are rooted in Switzerland, where Lombard Odier was founded. Having served clients in the Middle East for over half a century, we have a deep understanding of their specific needs. Our approach is bespoke, and we build our offering around our clients’ needs, which is a key differentiating factor. For example, our discretionary Shariah mandate is not a one-size-fits-all fund like many others in the market, but a fully customisable solution.
We have offered Islamic investment solutions since 2012. It includes, our Shariah discretionary mandate, under the umbrella brand “Lombard Odier Assayil”. Lombard Odier continues to develop its Shariah mandates, together with the eminent Shariah Supervisory Board and Scholars of Amanie Advisors, who certified the mandate as Shariah-compliant in 2018. The natural symbiosis between Islamic finance and responsible investing fits well with Lombard Odier’s long-standing commitment to sustainability.

What are the main contributions do you think you bring to the wealth management industry?

Lombard Odier has been a privately-owned family business for seven generations, and we have always believed in acting with integrity and responsibility. Our partners are entrepreneurs, like many of our clients, and share most of the same concerns on succession and wealth transmission. We thus apply with our clients the same family principles that have driven our business since its foundation: integrity, responsibility, and long-term vision.
As a privately owned firm, we have the luxury of time where we can offer bespoke services with a focus on caring for, preserving and growing clients’ wealth over the long term, rather than rushing to meet short-term targets.

How do awards such as this make a difference to your firm and your colleagues?

These awards are an important international recognition of our expertise in the field of Islamic services. The Middle East is one of our fastest growing and most strategically important regions. Our Islamic offering has gained  extraordinary momentum since our discretionary mandate was officially certified as ‘Shariah compliant’. This mandate draws on our long heritage as a responsible investor and gives clients seeking Islamic solutions access to the full capabilities of Lombard Odier as a global wealth manager.
These awards are also a testament to our commitment to the region and our belief in its future as an increasingly important economic hub and wealth market. Our mission is to build a strong footprint in the Middle East.

Can you sum up the philosophy that sums up your firm?

‘Rethink everything’ has been our philosophy for over 200 years and it is all the more relevant nowadays. We have always thrived on taking new and fresh perspectives throughout our history. This has allowed us to prosper through financial crises whilst growing our clients’ wealth.
We live in a fast-changing, unpredictable world, and must constantly challenge ourselves to offer new opportunities and tailored solutions to our clients.
We thus strongly believe that sustainability is a global shift that is already transforming our economies. We have made a very public commitment to embedding it into all our investment processes.