VP Bank's annual kick-off event with Patrick Fischer
SRF presenter Rainer Maria Salzgeber opened the evening and recalled how this format has developed over the past few years: three years ago, VP Bank welcomed ski star Aksel Lund Svindal to the stage, followed by extreme mountaineer Karl Egloff, another impressive personality from the world of top-class sport. This year's guest also fitted perfectly into this series: Patrick Fischer, head coach of the Swiss national ice hockey team.
At the beginning of the evening, Adrian Schneider, Head of Region Liechtenstein & BVI, explained in conversation with Rainer Maria Salzgeber why strong personalities are so important in sport and in the financial world today. In fast-paced times, they create trust and maintain focus even in challenging moments. He emphasised that discipline is necessary for sustainable success. Adrian Schneider also quoted Wayne Gretzky in his welcome speech: "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" – a quote whose message applies equally to sport, life and investing.
Keynote speech by Felix Brill: Outlook for the 2026 investment year
In his keynote speech, Felix Brill, Head of International Locations and Chief Investment Officer, built a bridge between the worlds of finance and sport. He looked ahead to the coming investment year and explained the opportunities and risks that are emerging from an investor's perspective. He reminded his audience that although stock markets tend to trend upwards rather than downwards in the long term, the risk remains. So how can this be dealt with sensibly? For Felix Brill, the key lies in broad diversification. Equally important is a change of perspective, which helps to identify opportunities at an early stage and to classify challenges in a differentiated manner.
Special guest of the evening: Patrick Fischer
The appearance of Patrick Fischer, professional ice hockey player and head coach of the Swiss national team, was particularly impressive. Under his leadership, the Swiss team has developed into one of the strongest teams in the world over the last ten years. The motto of the evening, "Game Time", which is also the title of his book, runs like a thread through his work. His philosophy is to promote talent in a targeted manner, combine strengths intelligently and form a team that functions like a carefully curated portfolio: balanced, powerful and future-oriented. In an interview with Rainer Maria Salzgeber, Patrick Fischer provided insights into his life, his career path and his understanding of team leadership. In the subsequent discussion with Felix Brill and Rainer Maria Salzgeber, parallels between top-level sport and the financial world became apparent: motivation, trust and strategic thinking are factors for success in both worlds.
