Jean Berthoud

Education and Early Career

Jean Berthoud was born in 1961 in Neuchâtel, grew up in Paris, and returned to Switzerland to study at the University of Neuchâtel, where he obtained a degree in economics in 1984. He then moved to New York City to attend Columbia Business School, where he earned an MBA in 1986. During his studies, he joined the Sales & Trading department at Salomon Brothers, also in New York.

In 1987, he joined J.P. Morgan, where he held the position of associate director, portfolio manager, and head of international clients in Geneva and Zurich.

Career at Bonhôte

At the age of 22, Jean Berthoud began looking into acquiring Bonhôte Bank in Neuchâtel, where he was a client. He met with Claude Bonhôte in Paris to present his proposal, but the bank director declined due to Berthoud's young age. In 1988, the bank is sold to Cortaillod Holding. Berthoud approached the new owner to share his vision for the institution, and in 1990 Cortaillod Holding appointed him CEO of the bank at the age of 29. His main objective was to develop and modernize the bank, which was the last private bank in Neuchâtel and had not yet been computerized.

An option agreement negotiated upon his appointment allowed him to gradually acquire a stake in the bank until 1992, where together with private investors from Neuchâtel he acquired a majority shareholding from Cortaillod Holding. As the bank's new principal shareholder, he also became president of the Bonhôte Trust companies in Neuchâtel and London.

Berthoud stepped down as CEO in 2010 and to become the bank's chair.