He is young, it is smart and at first glance it radiates expertise, high standards and trust. And it is the latter that forms one of the key pillars in its business, which completely revolves around the wishes and requirements of its clients. Stefan Schöning offers Private Office services in a league of their own.
The 31-year-old attends to all the tasks his discerning clientele direct at him, however complex they may be. It doesn’t matter if it concerns difficult contractual matters or fiduciary transactions, if his clients need travel, events or hospitality organising, or someone to coordinate the management of properties or a second home, Stefan Schöning offers solutions that are well-considered, to the point and tailored to the needs of the client. His success, he explains, is based on the philosophy of not just meeting expectations but exceeding them. He also looks for challenges in his private life: He is currently training to be a helicopter pilot in order to obtain one of the coveted private pilot licences. Learning to fly an Airbus H120 has been one of the biggest challenges in his life so far. His experiences as a concierge in the Swiss luxury hotel industry and as a private secretary and butler in several private households laid the foundation for his owner-managed company. These activities created the essential awareness of precision and perfection in practice and – even more importantly – of clients as people and personalities. His guiding principle is to make people happy and fulfil the desires they perhaps don’t even know they have. He is successfully putting this into practice – for hand-picked clients whose mandate is accepted by invitation only, i.e. only after an extensive period of getting to know each other. Because for Schöning, the conditions for collaboration must be right too. It is important to examine all the parameters for a long-standing client relationship, into which he then puts in all his expertise, a lot of time, extensive responsibility and a reliable professional network partner. Of course, it goes without saying that every collaboration is based on maximum discretion and strict ethical principles. The exceptional thing about Schöning is that he is a contact partner who thinks creatively, opens up new perspectives, highlights the alternatives. He is an accomplished and independent sparring partner for whom one thing comes first: finding the optimum, sustainable solution.
Stefan Schöning has associated with Switzerland since his youth: For the passionate skier and mountaineer the Swiss Alps are where he can strike the perfect balance and it is its landscape that grounds him. When climbing, he points out, he finds many parallels to his job: You are faced with challenges and risks; you need courage and discipline to get to your goal. At the same time, it’s about being responsible for the person or people in the rope team so that you can all make it to the summit together. The fact that he achieves this on the right track professionally and in such an outstanding way is endorsed by his discerning clientele. And they happily do that, which you can see by the enquiries he gets, all of which are as a result of recommendations. But I want to know what clients value the most about him. Complete and utter trust, answers Schöning. The fact that they know they can have frank and open conversations that will always remain private is not something personalities whose lives are exposed take for granted. Having the support of someone who you can share quite personal desires or problems with and who has a practicable solution suggestion, then they are an invaluable partner. Clients also particularly value the independence. Because out of that comes the security of an objective judgement – and a result that is not tied to other partners in the background or to obligations to third parties. This independence is also of crucial importance for the success of the Family Office, which supplements the Private Office services of Schöning & Partners. Here, the company headquartered in Zurich is dedicated to business issues – from classic wealth management to investment and asset strategies. The company philosophy is integral to these tasks: A balance between courage and prudence, with a focus on the individual best solution for the clients, operating at eye level with transparency and responsibility. That also means getting expert knowledge if it is useful. Or changing a route if it is in the interests of the client. Just like on a mountain hike where the focus is reaching the summit. I must say, Stefan Schöning has impressed me. He is both clear-sighted and long-sighted, considerate and courageous, grounded and visionary. Someone who knows what to do in any life situation. Tailor-made, of course.
The Private Office
Real estate, health, travel or lifestyle: Schöning & Partners sees itself as a complete Private Office, supporting its clients with a first-class service and sound expertise in all aspects of life. The owner-managed company works as a key contact taking on all individual client tasks and coordinating all services. Strategic advice, well-thought-out concepts, comprehensive communication and efficient management: Together with a broad network of reliable partners, Schöning & Partners offer the comfort of a Private Office at the highest level.
The Family Office
The perfect addition: As a supplement to the Private Office, Schöning & Partners offers professional services in the area of Family Office and combines all services related to comprehensive asset management with the aim of sustainable optimisation of corporate values. Clients are supported by specialists with extensive expertise, who advise on financial, legal, tax and management issues, develop investment strategies and take on active portfolio and wealth management in order to meet the challenges of dynamic markets and political changes whilst maintaining maximum calm.
