SAQ CWMA certification with full training

Category
Private Banking & Asset Management
Level
Expertise
Format
Presential
Duration
10 non-consecutive days
Language
French
English
Location
ISFB Geneva premises
Director
Thierry Lacraz
Manager
Lionel Blanc
Type
SAQ Certifications
Description
Prices & Admission
Content

Context

The SAQ Client Advisor Bank certification system was developed in close collaboration with the Swiss banking industry, and is recommended by Swiss Banking (SBA) to its members. The SAQ certificate is a guarantee of quality, attesting that the holder has the skills and is familiar with the rules of conduct defined for the client advisor profession.



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Key objectives

- Prepare for the exams in a structured and comprehensive way, with face-to-face training and comprehensive, constantly updated learning materials.
- Pass the SAQ and CWMA exams, with the option of individual SAQ preparation coaching. You must obtain a minimum score of 70% in each of the two written exams, with no average being calculated between the two tests. Once you have passed both written tests, you can register for the oral exam. A score of at least 70% is also required to pass. Passing all three tests (A, B, oral) awards SAQ CWMA certification. Make-up exams, if any, will be invoiced.
- As an accredited external SAQ examination institute, we handle the organizational and administrative aspects of registration and follow-up in the SAQ register.

Target audience

The SAQ Wealth Management Advisor CWMA certificate is intended for client advisors who assume responsibility for clients in one of the following segments or a related segment with a FINMA-approved bank or an independent asset manager (affiliated to a self-regulatory organization or authorized by FINMA):
- Wealth Management
- Wealth Management
- Specialized wealth management for ultra-high-net-worth clients (UHNWI & Family Offices)

The advisor has:

The required technical knowledge of products and services in accordance with the scope and terms of the Wealth Management Advisor program;

Demonstrable skills and competence in advising clients in one of the indicated segments;

Sufficient knowledge of the rules of conduct defined in the legal provisions to be able to advise clients in the segment concerned.

Holders of a CWMA Wealth Management Advisor certificate may use the title "Certified Wealth Management Advisor" or "Certified SAQ Client Advisor".

Stakeholders

ISFB lecturers have been working in the banking and financial world for many years, and are recognized as some of the leading experts in our ecosystem in French-speaking Switzerland.

Practical information

A preparatory program tailored to your needs
For asset managers who wish to review all the material and benefit from collective support. At the end of the program, participants will be awarded the CWMA SAQ Certification.

10days of training covering the entire SAQ body of knowledge:
- Administration and reporting with SAQ
- Full administrative and reporting follow-up with SAQ
- Registration fee for the SAQ Certificate included in the package
- 2 positioning tests (part A & part B)
- 2 written exams (part A & part B)
- 2 half-days of group revision
- 1 day of group oral preparation
- 1 final oral exam

Key stages

A global positioning test is offered at the start of the program, to enable participants to quickly identify their weaknesses. Based on their needs assessment, participants can then focus their learning on the training days offered and the self-study materials available.

It is still possible to take the exams without any initial preparation.

At each stage, participants can request individualized preparation sessions (technical coaching), particularly if they fail to pass the exams.

At the end of the program, once all exams have been passed, participants eligible for Certification are awarded their CWMA SAQ Certificate.

Participants who only partially meet the eligibility criteria for Certification are issued a CWMA SAQ Attestation.

Participants who do not meet any of the eligibility criteria for Certification can take specific exams to obtain the ISFB Private Banking Advanced Certificate.

Price

  • Public: CHF 10,570
  • Member: CHF 7'950.00
CWP1

Kick-off session

Content: Brief introduction to certification and introduction to the process and next steps
Duration: 1h00
Format: Online
Possible contributors: GABBAY Maryse, BLANC Lionel
CWP2

Positioning test A

Duration: 2h30
Format: In-person
CWP3

Positioning test B

Duration: 2h30
Format: In-person
CWP4

Financial assets

Contents: This chapter describes the main classes of financial assets, in particular equities and bonds. It describes the organization of these markets and the different ways of investing in them. The chapter also describes the valuation mechanisms of these asset classes, their sensitivity to the economic and financial environment, and the risks associated with their use. The chapter also describes the organization and operation of alternative asset classes such as hedge funds, commodities and real estate.
Duration: 4h00
Format: In-person
Possible contributors: FROIDEVAUX Julien
CWP5

Financial markets

Contents: The chapter is devoted to describing financial markets and how they operate, both from the investor's point of view and from that of the regulatory authorities. The functioning of the economy is also outlined, given the close interconnection between monetary and fiscal policies and the performance of financial assets. Finally, this chapter looks at the foreign exchange market, which is of major importance to all multinational and export-oriented companies.
Duration: 4h00
Format: In-person
Possible speakers: MAEDER Yves
CWP6

Portfolio management

Contents: The chapter is devoted to the investment process and portfolio construction. It explains the notion of market efficiency and the central principle that higher returns can only be achieved by taking greater risks. This chapter describes the mechanisms used to build portfolios, as well as the ratios used to measure performance.
Duration: 6h00
Format: In-person
Possible contributors: SERBIT Julien
CWP7

Basic products

Content: Payment transactions have always been at the heart of banking. For customers, basic products such as savings books and credit cards are important for two reasons: good asset management can slightly improve returns, while minimizing the amount of money spent on pure payment transactions. This chapter reviews the banks' product offering, and in particular the development of more innovative products (credit cards, applications available on smartphones, etc.).
Duration: 2h00
Format: In-person
Possible contributors: SERBIT Julien
CWP8

Derivatives

Contents: This chapter examines options, which have the advantage over other traditional assets of taking into account the volatility of the underlying assets. The options market is relatively old, but has grown considerably in recent decades. After describing the main families of options (calls/puts) and their investment methods (long buy/short sell), the chapter goes on to analyze the most common investment strategies using options (portfolio hedging, short put or covered call strategies).
Duration: 8h00
Format: In-person
Possible contributors: PATRY Anais
CWP9

Structured Products

Content: Structured products are an extension of the use of options in an investment portfolio. Generally made up of a fixed-income instrument and options, structured products offer a wide range of payoff possibilities, enabling real customization for clients. This chapter examines the various components of pricing, as well as the four main families of structured products. The sales and customer communication process is particularly important for structured products, which often have low liquidity and are sensitive to sharp market reversals.
Duration: 4h00
Format: In-person
Possible contributors: PATRY Anais
CWP10

Behavioural Finance

Content: Financial theory assumes that all investors are rational in their choices, given optimal market information. In practice, however, this model has its shortcomings, and fails to take into account the different biases in investor behavior. This chapter takes stock of the recent discipline of behavioral finance and identifies the main cognitive or emotional biases in investor behavior. It concludes with an important chapter on the possible interaction between client and advisor in the event of the discovery of one or more of these biases.
Duration: 4h00
Format: In-person
Possible speakers: MAEDER Yves
CWP11

Investment Funds

Contents: Investment funds are very popular with investors because of the instant diversification they bring to portfolios. This chapter looks at the main families of investment funds, as well as the structure of an investment fund, its regulation and the different orders that can be placed. Investment funds provide an introduction to the more general issue of the respective merits - and costs - of active and passive management, and more generally to the notion of open-architecture portfolio construction.
Duration: 6h45
Format: In-person
Possible contributors: GROSSEN Jan
CWP12

Mock exam A

Duration: 2h30
Format: In-person
CWP13

General overhaul A

Content: Structured review of all Part A modules, accompanied by an interactive question-and-answer session to consolidate acquired knowledge.
Duration: 4h00
Format: In-person
Possible speakers: VIALIS Nicolas
CWP14

Final exam A

Duration: 2h30
Format: In-person
CWP15

Investment solutions

Contents: This chapter deals with the very important stage of advising bank customers on financial products, and in particular the types of mandate that can be offered to customers. Regulatory developments mean that a customer's risk profile must be taken into account, and how it may change over time. It also examines the solutions offered by the contribution of alternative assets or socially responsible investments to portfolio construction, as well as products linked to liquidity management.
Duration: 8h00
Format: In-person
Possible contributors: LEUTWYLER Sébastien
CWP16

Wealth planning

Content: This chapter examines investment from the broader perspective of planning for all client assets, including real estate and industrial holdings. The chapter includes elements relating to Swiss legislation and, more generally, to the planning of international clients. It examines the concepts of estate planning, private and occupational pension provision in Switzerland, and generic elements of taxation. Finally, it covers the essential concepts of international planning in relation to the establishment of foundations, trusts and life insurance.
Duration: 8h00
Format: In-person
Possible speakers: GALLEGOS Albert
CWP17

Financial Advisor

Contents: This chapter is a kind of end point and summary of all the previous chapters. It describes the specific activity of the client advisor, and the role and added value he can bring to his client, particularly in the case of UHNWI clients, for whom aspects such as the transfer of the business within the family or legal advice can take on great importance. It also takes stock of all the innovations in the banking sector, mainly digital, and the offer that banks intend to develop.
Duration: 8h00
Format: In-person
Possible speakers: AMICHIA Alexandre
CWP18

Compliance

Content: Customer relations regulations have evolved enormously over the last few decades, to the point of forming an impressive corpus that every relationship manager needs to master. This relatively long chapter covers all regulatory aspects, from the very organization of risk control within banks to the practical aspects and best practices to be acquired by all Front Office staff in their day-to-day work.
Duration: 8h00
Format: In-person
Possible speakers: DE BOCCARD Guillaume
CWP19

Mortgages

Contents: The level of mortgage indebtedness is high in Switzerland, and it is rare to see a property purchase without financing through one or more mortgages. This chapter, devoted exclusively to mortgages in Switzerland, explains the mortgage market, its players and how it works. It describes the main factors that can influence the pricing of a mortgage.
Duration: 2h00
Format: In-person
Possible speakers: GIROD Philippe
CWP20

Credit solutions

Content: Loans are a means of introducing leverage into a customer's portfolio performance. As with companies, individuals can seek to take advantage of favorable interest-rate market conditions to increase the return on their portfolio. This chapter reviews the process by which banks decide whether or not to grant credit to their customers, and explains the extremely important notion of risk management for both the customer and the bank, through the mechanism of margin calls. This activity requires a clear understanding of potential risks on the part of both the advisor and the customer.
Running time: 3h45
Format: In-person
Possible speakers: GIROD Philippe
CWP21

Mock exam B

Duration: 2h30
Format: In-person
CWP22

General overhaul B

Content: Structured review of all Part B modules, accompanied by an interactive question-and-answer session to consolidate acquired knowledge.
Duration: 4h00
Format: In-person
Possible speakers: AMICHIA Alexandre
CWP23

Final exam B

Duration: 2h30
Format: In-person
CWP24

Preparing to speak

Content: Practical exercise and role-play of a customer meeting in preparation for the oral exam.
Duration: 8h00
Format: In-person
Possible speakers: MERINO Juan
CWP25

Oral examination

Format: In-person

Information

A question about this service? Our manager is at your disposal
Lionel Blanc
Lionel Blanc
Product Manager
Category
Private Banking & Asset Management
Level
Expertise
Format
Presential
Duration
10 non-consecutive days
Language
French
English
Location
ISFB Geneva premises
Director
Thierry Lacraz
Manager
Lionel Blanc
Type
SAQ Certifications

Information

A question about this service? Our manager is at your disposal
Lionel Blanc
Lionel Blanc
Product Manager
Registration
Spring 2026
Available