UBS Likely To Cut Workforce By 20-30% After Credit Suisse Takeover

By Bastian Benrath

UBS Group AG will cut its workforce by between 20% and 30% after completing its takeover of Credit Suisse Group AG, slashing as many as 36,000 jobs worldwide, SonntagsZeitung reported, citing a senior manager at UBS. 

 

As many as 11,000 employees will be laid off in Switzerland, the Swiss newspaper said. The two lenders together employed almost 125,000 people at the end of 2022, with about 30% of the total in Switzerland. 

UBS didn’t immediately respond to a call outside of normal business hours seeking comment. 

Publicly, UBS has said it will give clarity on job cuts as soon as it can. While it was clear that major layoffs were coming, the lender sees retention of talent as a significant part of the takeover’s execution risk.

 

The emergency takeover of Credit Suisse by its larger Swiss competitor in a $3.3 billion deal was announced by the Swiss government on March 19 after five days of talks brokered by officials.

 

Years of scandals at Credit Suisse culminated in massive deposit outflows which would have seen it collapse the following Monday had action not been taken, according to Switzerland’s finance minister.

The government resorted to emergency law to push through the deal without having to seek shareholder approval. So while the annual general meetings of the two lenders — coming up this week — are expected to hear many angry voices, shareholder impact will be limited.

 

Important shareholder Norges Bank Investment Management, the sovereign wealth fund of Norway, has announced it will vote against the reelection of several Credit Suisse directors, including chair Axel Lehmann.

Separately, the Financial Times reported on Saturday that UBS has a short list of four management consultants to advise on integrating Credit Suisse.  

 

It’s expected to be one of the most lucrative contracts in years for dispensing financial services advice due to the complex, years-long process needed to meld the banks, according to the report.

 

UBS, Bain, BCG, McKinsey and Oliver Wyman didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment outside of ordinary office hours.

Crisis 2.0 

The takeover by UBS of Credit Suisse took place on March 19 to prevent a global financial meltdown

Before the merger, UBS and Credit Suisse had employed more than 72,000 and 50,000 people, respectively 

Up to 11,000 jobs could be cut in Switzerland alone