Our people

How long have you been working for the SGPB Hambros?

I joined SGPB in Paris in September 1999 as Junior Private Banker after a two year experience as portfolio manager with CCF-HSBC. In November 2004, I joined SGPBH as Senior Private Banker. Since May 2009 I’m the Head of the French Team.

What do you believe makes SGPBH unique?

As an integrated Private Bank our offer is unique. We offer a dedicated service to our clients with an access to several jurisdictions around the world.

My team is the only one to exist in the UK with a team of five French speakers dedicated to French and francophone clients. Our knowledge of the English and French banking systems allow us to offer to our client an unique expertise.

What type of clients do you work with and what are they looking for?

Our clients are mainly French professionals and most of them are City Bankers. They are looking for availability, reactivity and professionalism. As they are very well informed and aware of the financial market activity, they want us to help them implementing their investment strategy with a wide range of products and services.

What makes a good private banker?

Listening

Which attributes do you think make SGPB Hambros a trusted private bank amongst our clients?

The creativity and the professionalism of our offer.

How long have you been working for the SGPB Hambros?

13 years

What do you believe makes SGPBH unique?

We are not product sales led but genuinely try to find the best solution for a client’s particular circumstances.

What type of clients do you work with and what are they looking for?

UK resident clients, many of whom need help with the organisation of their finances. Most of my clients use us for discretionary portfolio management.

What makes a good private banker?

An ability to explain financial concepts to clients who are not familiar with finance. A proactive attitude, focus and attention to detail as well as follow through.

Which attributes do you think make SGPB Hambros a trusted private bank amongst our clients?

Funds research and a broad range of investment strategies and products.

How long have you been working for the SGPB Hambros?

Since January 2005. I started working in private banking in August 1984.

What do you believe makes SGPBH unique?

SGPB Hambros offers a true open architecture  platform and wealth management service.

What type of clients do you work with and what are they looking for?

City professionals, including lawyers, insurance executives, investment bankers and traders, hedge fund partners, private equity firm owners and entrepreneurs.

What makes a good private banker?

Experience and professional qualifications, aligned with a desire to work with clients and their professional advisers to ensure that every wealth management need is catered for.

Which attributes do you think make SGPB Hambros a trusted private bank amongst our clients?

Essentially, all I have specified above.

How long have you been working for the SGPB Hambros?

20 years

What do you believe makes SGPBH unique?

Sincere focus on strong client relationships whereby the Bank offers clients a boutique private banking service utilising the global reach of Societe Generale.

What type of clients do you work with and what they looking for?

International clients that have a focus on London.  Most clients emanate from Russia/CIS, China and South East Asia.  In general they are looking for a comprehensive wealth management service that will enable the management of assets in a risk-controlled environment.  In addition, strong focus on asset classes, such as property, feature regularly, together with various immigration needs focusing on the UK.

What makes a good private banker?

Strong technical and inter-personal skills.  The need to be innovative, pro-active, sensitive and supportive to all aspects of the client’s relationship and linking this with the commercial focus of the Bank.

Which attributes do you think make SGPB Hambros a trusted private bank amongst our clients?

Belief in the global private banking offering, the navigation of clients during testing market conditions and the ability to offer sound solutions to clients with varying needs in a rapidly changing global environment.

Eric became SGPB Hambros Chief Executive in September 2007. Before this he was Group Head of Private Banking and Managing Director of the London office at SG Hambros. He is responsible for developing the Group’s commercial and marketing strategies and oversees the Group’s private banking activities as well as manages the day-to-day running of the London office.

Eric started his banking career in 1983 at NatWest in London as a graduate trainee. In 1986 he joined Hambros Bank Limited and undertook a variety of roles in investment banking and acquisition finance. He then moved to the Guernsey office in 1996 as Head of Private Banking, and continued in this role following Société Générale’s acquisition of Hambros Bank Limited in 1998 before moving back to London in 2000.

Eric has an MBA from the City University Business School in London. He is married with two children and has a keen interest in hill walking, photography and playing guitar.

Warwick Newbury held the position of Group Chief Executive of SGPB Hambros from 1998 until September 2007 with overall responsibility for the profitable development of the SG Hambros group of companies in London, Jersey, Guernsey, Gibraltar and the Bahamas.

He started his banking career in 1964 at Coutts where he held various positions both in Switzerland and in the UK.  He was appointed Head of Coutts Private Banking in 1990. He moved to Hambros Bank Limited in 1997 as head of private banking, becoming Group Chief Executive of SGPB Hambros following Société Générale’s acquisition of Hambros Bank in February 1998.

On 1st October 2007 Warwick became Chairman of SG Hambros Bank Limited. He continues to chair the boards of the SGPB Hambros offshore banks in the Channel Islands and Gibraltar. He is also Chairman of the SGPB Hambros Offshore Defined Benefits Pension schemes.

Warwick was awarded the Spear’s Private Banker of the Year (2007) and the Private Asset Managers Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. He is married with two children and enjoys shooting and opera.

Michael Allen was appointed CEO of SG Hambros Bank (Channel Islands) Limited on 01 January 2011.  Prior to that he was Head of Private Banking and Director of SGPB Hambros in the Channel Islands from 2000, having joined the Hambros Group in 1997.

Having received a Bachelor of Commerce from Birmingham University in 1981, Michael began his banking career in 1981 with Lloyds Bank International Ltd.  Michael held various executive positions in Corporate and Investment Banking divisions in London, Paris, Lisbon, Brazil and PNG.  In 1991 he moved to BBVA where he worked for the corporate and investment banking arms in Oporto, Madrid and Frankfurt.

Michael is married with three children and his main leisure interest is messing around on mountains which is why he lives on a small island.

Emma joined SG Hambros Bank (Gibraltar) Limited in May 2001 as the local accountant and was promoted to director in November 2002 taking on responsibility for Finance, IT, Operations, HR and Deputy MD. She was finally promoted to Managing Director in May 2006 and Chief Executive Officer in 2011.

She played a key role in the acquisition of the ABN Amro private banking business in Gibraltar, doubling the size of the local SG presence.

Emma has been president of the Gibraltar Bankers Association since January 2011 and is also a member of the Gibraltar Finance Centre Council.

Christophe Billard was appointed Group Commercial Director for SGPB Hambros in February 2013. In this role, Christophe is leading the commercial development of the entity and managing the commercial teams in the UK, Channel Islands and Gibraltar.  Christophe Billard is also a member of the Societe Generale Private Banking Global Management Committee.

Prior to joining SGPB Hambros, Christophe Billard was Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Products & Marketing at Societe Generale Private Banking Japan since January 2007 and then Chief Executive Officer from July 2010.  He joined Societe Generale Bank Head Office in 1992 as Inspector at the "Inspection Generale" department, the internal audit and consulting arm of the Group. In 1999, he became Regional Chief Operating Officer at Societe Generale Private Banking (Asia-Pacific) based in Singapore and then joined Societe Generale Private Banking Japan as Executive Officer in 2006.

Christopher Billard graduated from the ESSEC Business School of Management in Paris with a Masters in Business Administration.

Nass joined Societe Generale in January 1998 prior to the acquisition of Hambros and transferred to SG Hambros later that year.  Whilst at SGPB Hambros Nass has been a CRM and before taking on the role of Head of International Private Banking he was the Front Office Risk and Control Director.  Prior to joining SG Nass was with HSBC Private Banking for almost 10 years where he undertook a number of roles including that of a Client Relationship Manager and Deputy Head of European Private Banking at HSBC Private Banking.  Nass has a degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Masters in Gas Turbine Technology.

John joined SGPB Hambros in May 2011 from Barings. John was previously Head of Private Clients at Barings where he was responsible for the development of both the onshore and offshore private client business.  John joined Baring Asset Management in 2002 from Merrill Lynch, where he worked in the International Private Client Group and held the position of Managing Director for the United Kingdom and Ireland.  His fourteen year tenure at Merrill Lynch included running both offshore and onshore private client business in the UK as well as managing the Merrill Lynch offices in Geneva and Dubai.  Prior to Merrill Lynch John worked at Schroders in the Institutional Equity Division.  John received a BA from Durham University and spent three years in the Army.

Eric Verleyen, CFA, joined Societe Generale Bank & Trust Luxembourg in 2005 as Head of Discretionary Management for the private bank. During his time in Luxembourg, he has contributed to the development of tailor-made portfolio management dedicated to Ultra High Net Worth Individuals. In 2009, his responsibilities were enlarged to include Advisory Managed activities before becoming Chief Investment Officer, in charge of Discretionary Management and Advisory Management teams, as well as Products Offering in Luxembourg.

Previously, Eric Verleyen worked for KBL Luxembourg where he headed a portfolio managers team and for Sakura Bank Luxembourg.

He holds a degree from the Institut d’Administration et de Gestion of Louvain (Belgium) and was recently rewarded with the title of Outstanding Young Private Banker 2011 by Private Banker International.

Jon joined the SG Group in late 2005 as Head of Private Client Trust for the Channel Islands. In 2008 he was appointed as Group Head of Private Trust for the SG Hambros Group which expanded his responsibilities to include the Bahamas, London and Gibraltar in addition to the Channel Islands.

In 2010 Jon was appointed as Group Head of Wealth Planning & Fiduciary Services for the SG Hambros Group which further expanded his responsibilities to include the Institutional Fiduciary Services and Funds Services as well as the Wealth and Financial Planning. In March 2011 Jon was appointed as Global Head of Fiduciary Services for Societe Generale Private Banking which added the fiduciary businesses in Luxembourg, Singapore and Switzerland. 

Based in Jersey since 1996 Jon has built a career in private client wealth management spanning more than 25 years and has worked in Spain, London and the Channel Islands.

Jon has written for a number of industry journals and in 2012 was shortlisted for the Citywealth Awards Trustee of the Year and appears in the Citywealth Leaders list for 2012.

Jon continues to actively work with ultra high net worth families and specialises in matters of family governance. Jon is a member of the Chartered Institute of Securities & Investment and a member of the Institute of Directors.

Jon is married, keeps himself fit and enjoys golf and motorsport.

Christine Ross has been Group Head of  Wealth Planning at Societe Generale Private Banking Hambros (SGPB Hambros) since April 2001. Her responsibilities include expanding and developing the bespoke financial planning operation ensuring the provision of an integrated wealth management service.

She is a qualified Certified Financial Planner and an associate of the Institute of Financial Planning.

Christine is a regular guest BBC 1 Breakfast News and BBC 2 Working Lunch, as well as the BBC Radio 4 Today programme and Radio 5 Live.  Christine also features regularly in the money sections of the Sunday Times and Daily Telegraph.

Paul Wiltshire started his career at Société Générale in 1981 and held a number of positions on the trading floor in London. Paul then moved to Montreal in 1993 to manage the bank’s market activities in Canada.

In 1998 he moved to Paris where he was responsible for the banks trading floors in Central and Eastern Europe.

In 2000 he returned to London where he was appointed Managing Director of the London Treasury for SG Corporate and Investment Banking before becoming Deputy Chief Operating Officer of the Debt Finance division in Paris.

He returned to London in December 2004 as Head of Hedge Fund Relations team becoming Global Head in 2007.

Paul joined SGPB Hambros in April 2011 as Group Head of Market Solutions.