Interview with Bruno Laurent, Pension Board member since February 2025

Bruno was a runner-up in the latest AVENA Pension Board election and stepped into his role as board member last year. A banker trained in risk management and handling major regulatory changes, he says he’s now embarking on a journey into the world of occupational pensions – and so far, the view has been surprisingly good.

How did you become a member of the AVENA Pension Board?
I’m the administrative and financial director of Banque du Léman, which has been a client of AVENA since our bank was founded in 2014. One day I was speaking with Francis Bouvier, and he told me that the Swiss pension environment was becoming more complex and pension funds needed more people with a background in finance, banking regulations, working with FINMA, etc. That conversation got me thinking: what if I could serve on the Pension Board alongside my current job and use my 20 years of experience to help AVENA? I ran as a candidate in the last election and was one of the runners-up. And in February 2025, I began serving on the board.

What made you decide to run?
The main reason was that I wanted to apply my experience in banking, risk management, and navigating the changing regulatory landscape. I’ve learned a lot from others, and I felt like the time had come to pass that along. The second reason was more personal: I love to learn and explore new things. There’s a lot of overlap between occupational pensions and banking, but there are differences, too. So I can bring my experience to bear, but I’m also learning a lot about a field I thought I knew well. I’m really enjoying taking part in the board meetings and sitting on the audit, investment, and governance committees. I feel very lucky to be able to have this experience with AVENA.

Tell us about your career so far.
I started out as an auditor at EY specialized in banking. Then my career took an unexpected turn when I was asked to serve as the CFO of a totally new bank. It seemed like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so I accepted and helped build QNB Bank in its early years. Crazily enough, the same opportunity came around again, and in 2014, I helped found another bank, Banque du Léman. We’re uniquely positioned as a small retail bank operating on both the Swiss and French sides of Lake Geneva that caters to cross-border workers. It’s a wonderful success story that I’m proud to be part of. My work is highly varied and I have a very dedicated team, which keeps me motivated.

Swiss occupational pensions are becoming more complex. Should Pension Boards be more specialized as a result?
The regulatory environment for occupational pensions has become very complex, which is driving market consolidation. This increases the responsibilities placed on board members – and mind you, we’re already personally liable for life for board decisions! AVENA manages the pensions of close to 18,000 fund members who placed their trust in us when they elected us. We have to be up to the job. We don’t get a salary for what we do at AVENA, so in that sense we’re not professionals, but we each have professional expertise in our respective fields.

What has surprised you in your first year on the Board?
I was struck by how respectful and open everyone is at board meetings, even though we all come from such different backgrounds. We may argue and disagree, but we Always listen to one another and try to reach a consensus. And even if we can’t get there, all our decisions are fully informed and well thought out. I was also impressed by how committed the board members are – they all come prepared, they’re all highly motivated. We’re all aware that we’re here to serve the best interests of our fund members. There’s grea chemistry among the board members. There’s a real willingness to work together.

How do you see the pension system evolving?
I can’t help noticing how hard it is for young people to think about retirement, at a time when the working population is shrinking and AI is upending the job market. Those trends are there regardless of the pension system in place. I’m French by birth, so I’m familiar with the situation in both France and Switzerland. But since I started getting an inside view of these issues, part of me feels reassured. Yes, we should be concerned, but not overly so: managing occupational pensions has always been complicated and the system continues to work. The quality of our discussions at board meetings also makes me feel more confident. We don’t make rash decisions. AVENA may not be the most exciting pension fund, but it’s managed with the lon term in mind, and that’s what’s important.

What do you do in your free time?
Other than spending time with my family (I’m married and have three adopted children) I enjoy running, especially trail running. It’s a time-consuming hobby, but it’s very rewarding. Both in my work and my personal life, I only do things I enjoy – and I have a lot of fun! I don’t run against the clock; my goal is just to finish. Each race is a race against myself. I’m working up to entering a major event one day. The ultimate event for trail runners is the Diagonale des Fous on La Réunion Island. Like with my work and with AVENA, I put a lot of time into it, but I get a lot out of it, too. It’s all about balance.

What are your expectations for the rest of your term?
I’m just starting out on this journey and I’m excited to see what comes next, especially because the pension system is at a turning point. I still have a lot to offer and to learn. I hope it’s only the beginning of a long and wonderful adventure.