HUMAN PRIVATE BANKING

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empower change

HUMAN
PRIVATE BANKING

At the heart of our philosophy lies a core belief in the intrinsic value of humanity. We are humans working for and with humans, embracing the unique qualities and values that define each individual. We recognize that money, while mostly measured in financial terms, holds a deeper power — the ability to enhance lives and uplift communities.

Bergos’ commitment extends far beyond traditional banking. We view assets not only as financial resources but as instruments to invest in people, recognizing their potential to drive positive change in both society and the environment. Our Philanthropy services translate our commitment to take a step further, turning our belief into impactful action.

WHY
PHILANTHROPY?

At the antipode of traditional finance, where people seek the maximization of returns, Philanthropy is all about giving, and receiving something much more valuable than money.

 Education, Community, Development, Literacy, Science, Research, Energy, art, Nutrition, Renewables, Culture, Health, Empowerment, Care, Sustainability,
 Education, Community, Development, Literacy, Science, Research, Energy, art, Nutrition, Renewables, Culture, Health, Empowerment, Care, Sustainability,
 Education, Community, Development, Literacy, Science, Research, Energy, art, Nutrition, Renewables, Culture, Health, Empowerment, Care, Sustainability,
 Education, Community, Development, Literacy, Science, Research, Energy, art, Nutrition, Renewables, Culture, Health, Empowerment, Care, Sustainability,

PHILANTHROPY
AT THE CORE

Patricia Guerra*

Patricia Guerra* Image

Patricia Guerra*

Chairman and Vice Chairman

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Which philanthropic projects are you currently supporting?

I am currently acting pro bono in various charitable foundation boards, leveraging my professional expertise as a lawyer, my desire to contribute to a better world and aligning this with the needs of the organizations.

How did you start your journey?

It came spontaneously from looking around and realizing how lucky I am. I have had the privilege of education, which allowed my efforts to turn into a successful career, and naturally this created for me a desire to give something back and help create a fairer world.

Can you recall a moment you witnessed firsthand your philanthropic efforts made a significant impact?

With the foundations, we have had very different social focus: some projects are dedicated to providing female education, others to supporting mothers and children in need, or improving the lives of special needs children. I am always keen to see how the projects evolve, and the wonderful successes in each individual beneficiary, and lately I have witnessed the building of an orphanage. Seeing the pictures of the little kids, happy to have a home, holding hands, smiles on their faces: it’s really heartwarming.

What advice would you give to someone embarking on their philanthropic journey?

They need to understand that philanthropy is not just putting money somewhere. It means much more than that: you need to give your talent, your time, your passion, and share your wealth. It is a lot about humility and respect also. Not imposing but understanding and showing consideration for your grantees. In addition, philanthropy can actually be a very powerful instrument to transmit the values of the family to the next generation: sharing your philanthropic efforts can create a strong family bond and give you opportunities to spend more time together as a family and learn a lot about each other.

Sylvie Mutschler-von Specht

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Sylvie Mutschler-von Specht

Member of various Supervisory and Advisory Boards.

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Which philanthropic projects are you currently supporting?

I am involved in a wide variety of philanthropic projects: I have co-founded a Social Venture Fund in Germany 12 years ago, support the non-profit Miracle Feet, as well as the foundation Educa Swiss. I am also passionate about supporting women in “male-dominated fields”, which is why I support the Female Football club FC Viktoria, an advocate for diversity and promoter of gender equality. Also, I am passionate about classical music and ballet, and thus have supported young artists and an orchestra.

How did you start your journey?

I feel very lucky and privileged to be born on this side of the globe, so for me it is almost a necessity to not only take but also to give back. Philanthropy is also an opportunity to get out of our comfort zone, to get involved in countries and issues that we don’t deal with on a daily basis. It has broadened my horizon quite substantially.

Can you recall a moment you witnessed firsthand your philanthropic efforts made a significant impact?

It is so important to be able to personally witness the impact of your contributions. I can still remember the time I saw a little boy who was born with club feet suddenly walking around, playing soccer and laughing after receiving the surgery he needed thanks to Miracle Feet. It really touched me, and I am still having goosebumps talking about it. I can also recall the time I visited an orphanage I financially supported in Nepal: other than their usual onions and potatoes, cooked with the heat of sunbeams on the roof, the kids once had cheese for dinner. Although it was something very rare and special for them, they were so eager to share it with me. It is very moving to witness such generosity.

What advice would you give to someone embarking on their philanthropic journey?

First, you need to find a project that you relate to personally and where you can do more than just “writing a check”. Engage with the CEOs and initiators of the projects, see where they come from and where they want to go. Second, don’t spray and pray: don’t just give a little here and there and hope something good comes out of it. Try to focus, and rather do a little less but with full heartedness. Remember that it is not a matter of quantity, but more a matter of quality.

Christof Kutscher

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Christof Kutscher

Chairman of Board of Directors 2019-2025 at Bergos AG and Member of the Board at Carmignac, Indeez and Gnothis Holding SA.

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Which philanthropic projects are you currently supporting?

I support projects carefully and professionally analyzed by the Elea Foundation, an organization that brings entrepreneurial thinking into philanthropy. With Elea, I can choose which entrepreneurial projects I want to support, whether they are dedicated to providing education, cutting short supply chains, or driving technical progress.

How did you start your journey?

There are actually a lot of coincidences behind that: who you meet, where you are, the circumstances… For me, it all started when I witnessed two young successful bankers abandon their stellar career to commit completely to their philanthropic project (Child’s Dream Foundation). That was very inspiring to me.

Can you recall a moment you witnessed firsthand your philanthropic efforts made a significant impact?

It is amazing to meet the founders of the projects and start-ups you support, see what their challenges are, and then meet them again two years later and see how they developed and how they became more mature. There can be a lot of leverage in what you are doing. It is a real eye-opener, and also highly motivating: you really get attached to what you are doing as a philanthropist.

What advice would you give to someone embarking on their philanthropic journey?

My first advice would be to acknowledge your own limits. Acknowledge that you don’t know the needs, the culture, the legal system, the challenges or even the language in the places where you want to make an impact. For your efforts to translate into measurable impact, you need to find a professionally run organization you trust, that shares your values, and transparent enough so that you can see what your money is effectively achieving.

Dr Andreas Jacobs

Dr Andreas Jacobs Image

Dr Andreas Jacobs

Chairman of INSEAD, shareholder and former Chairman of Barry Callebaut, the world’s leading cacao and chocolate manufacturer.

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Which philanthropic projects are you currently supporting?

Currently, I am involved in three society-oriented foundations: the Johann Jacobs Foundation, dedicated to providing education to children worldwide. The Force for Goods INSEAD, a foundation which purpose is to provide business education. And the Fährhof foundation, to continue the 500 years farming legacy of our family which I was allowed to take over from my late Grandfather.

How did you start your journey?

When we were younger, my siblings and I witnessed our father’s philanthropic efforts: he created a foundation and gave money spontaneously to hospitals, or orphanages in territories he cared about. From there, my brother and sister provided more structure to Jacobs Foundation on the base of our founder’s values. In our family, we are passionate about the Foundation and its strategy. We deal with philanthropy and the foundation strategy in a very professional way with no room for family affairs.

Can you recall a moment you witnessed firsthand your philanthropic efforts made a significant impact?

Jacobs Foundation is on a big mission to help stakeholders in cacao growing countries to improve their income and livelihoods. Our programs have helped hundreds of thousands of farmers to live above the extreme poverty level. It is amazing to see the impact on their families and generations to come: the reach is huge, and it is very touching to witness, especially when you act as the leading force in the project and see other foundations follow.

What advice would you give to someone embarking on their philanthropic journey?

If you want your philanthropic efforts to translate into sustainable and measurable impact, you need focus. To have a narrow focus, you will need experts: experts on the board and in the management. Because research and science are at the core of impact potential.

To me, philanthropy and caring for others is very important, and there is always something coming back. Especially for us, who are so well-off, it is almost an obligation, not only to take, but also to give back. And in my opinion, it’s not a matter of quantity, but more a matter of quality, so almost everyone can do something.”

Sylvie Mutschler – Von Specht Member of various Supervisory and Advisory Boards

Jacobs Foundation is on a big mission to help stakeholders in cacao growing countries to improve their income and livelihoods. Our projects have always been very touching to me and my family”

Andreas Jacobs Chairman of INSEAD, shareholder and former Chairman of Barry Callebaut, the world’s leading cacao and chocolate manufacturer.

You have to give your talent, you have to give your time and your passion, and you have to share your wealth to try to make a better world. It’s not just putting money somewhere; it means much more than that”

Sylvie Mutschler – Von Specht Member of various Supervisory and Advisory Boards

My goal is to help them help themselves. I want to focus my efforts on something where I can say: I have supported a project with a visible, sustainable and long term impact.”

Christof Kutscher Chairman of the Board of Directors at Bergos AG and Member of the Board at Carmignac, Indeez and Gnothis Holding SA.

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ENGAGEMENT
OF THE BERGOS
PRIVATE BANK


Reflecting our commitment to making a lasting impact, Bergos builds on this legacy by actively supporting projects and committing to an annual increase in donations, with a goal of a 10% increase each year. Our primary beneficiaries are the Bergos Artist in Residence (AIR) program, the young artists of the Zurich Opera House, and the Childrens’ shelter Weidhalde in Zurich.


Extending our commitment further, we actively encourage our clients to embark on their philanthropic journey by offering a 50% discount on the management fees for charity accounts and seek to amplify their impact by pledging 10% of the returns to support our philanthropic projects.

PHILANTHROPY
SERVICES

Our tailored approach allows you to create personalized philanthropy plans designed to meet your unique objectives and needs. From a direct, one-time donation to the establishment of your own private vehicle, our broad array of offerings guarantees we can provide the right structure to meet your philanthropic aspirations.

STANDALONE CHARITABLE DONATION

Sometimes, the desire to make a difference arises in the moment, and for those who want to contribute to a cause without engaging in a prolonged philanthropic journey, we offer our support in identifying the suitable standalone donation that will benefit your desired cause. It is a simple and impactful way to support meaningful initiatives on a more immediate basis.

PRIVATE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

Committed to a long-lasting philanthropic journey? Bergos can help you to establish your private foundation, helping you initiate a meaningful legacy and contribute to causes close to your heart. You will gain the flexibility to shape your philanthropic narrative in your fully owned foundation set up, making it an important commitment for those ready to invest in lasting change.

DONOR-ADVISED FUND

You seek for a long-term philanthropic commitment within a cost-efficient framework? Establishing a sub-fund allows you to support your own charitable purposes while benefiting from shared administrative and operational costs – a service offered with the help of our preferred partner MLL Legal and its umbrella foundation Sombrilla. Ideal for you if you seek tailored service, appreciate the support of a collaborative framework, and are interested in contributing to the causes that matter to you most.

YOUR VISION,
OUR EXPERTISE

  • Find support and guidance from your Relationship Manager, ready to assist you in every step of your philanthropic journey
  • Gain valuable insights on impactful projects directly from our dedicated Philanthropy experts, ensuring your contributions make a meaningful difference.
  • Unlock financial benefits by leveraging our partner’s expertise in setting up tax exemptions, maximizing the positive impact of your giving while optimizing your fiscal advantages.

Start catalyzing change now

As you embark on your philanthropic journey with Bergos, it is important to build a foundation that ensures your giving is both meaningful and impactful.

Uncover your Personal Motivations

Discover the essence of your giving. What deeply motivates you to make a difference in the world. Understanding your motivations lays the foundation for impactful philanthropy.

Define your Philanthropic Focus

Identify the issues close to your heart. What challenges do you want to address? By pinpointing the areas that resonate with you, you can create a more targeted and effective philanthropic strategy.

Set your Philanthropic Goals

Envision the change you want to see. Define the results and impact you aspire to achieve. Clarifying your desired outcomes helps shape the direction of your philanthropic efforts.

Craft your Philanthropic Approach

Determine the strategies, timescales, and preferred partners for your philanthropic initiatives. Your approach is the blueprint for turning aspirations into tangible, positive change.

Find a Holistic Approach to Giving

Are there ways you wish to contribute beyond financial support? Bergos is committed to helping you explore avenues for support that extend beyond monetary contributions.

Reach out to us

Contact us to learn more about our offerings and begin your philanthropic journey with Bergos!

We look forward to assisting you with any questions or enquiries you might have.

StrategicTransformation@bergos.ch

Philanthropy Brochure

Download PDF brochure here