Martin Ebner
Martin Ebner | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 12, 1945 Switzerland |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, investor |
| Years active | 1985–present |
| Known for | Founder of BZ Bank and BZ Group, major shareholder via Patinex |
Martin Ebner (born 12 August 1945) is a Swiss billionaire entrepreneur and investor based in Freienbach, canton of Schwyz. He is the founder of BZ Bank as well as the investment conglomerate BZ Group. Through his investment vehicle Patinex, Ebner holds major equity positions in companies such as the healthcare provider Vifor Pharma, the software firm Temenos AG, and the property investor Intershop.
Early life
Ebner was raised in Hurden, close to Pfäffikon SZ. He pursued legal studies at the University of Zurich, earning his lic.iur. degree with magna cum laude honors, followed by a doctorate in business administration from the University of Florida.
Career
Prior to establishing BZ Bank in 1985 and BZ Group in 1988, Ebner gained experience working at Credit Suisse and held a position on the executive board of private bank Vontobel.
He holds a significant ownership interest in Swiss budget airline Helvetic Airways. In 2018, he finalized a 600 million Swiss franc agreement with Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer for the acquisition of 12 new jets.
Rise
In 1988, Ebner launched BZ Gruppe Holding Aktiengesellschaft, which encompassed BZ Bank and BZ Trust Aktiengesellschaft (focused on asset management), along with controlling stakes in four publicly traded investment entities he created: BK Vision, Pharma Vision, Stillhalter Vision, and Spezialitäten Vision—collectively known as Ebner's "Visions." Over time, he accumulated substantial shares in companies such as Alusuisse, Lonza Group, Asea Brown Boveri, Credit Suisse Group, Roche Holding, Union Bank of Switzerland, Winterthur Group, and Intershop Holding. Ebner maintained a long-term equity investment strategy.
He aimed to influence corporate governance to maximize shareholder returns by promoting smaller supervisory boards and aligning executive remuneration with both profitability and risk management. Ebner also took legal measures to protect shareholder interests, notably challenging the Board of Directors at the former Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS). At its height, BZ Group's assets surpassed 30 billion Swiss francs but involved significant leverage.
Through targeted marketing efforts, Ebner attracted retail clients to BZ Bank by launching the BZ share account designed specifically for individual investors.
Crisis
The downturn for BZ Group Holding began amid the extended decline in share prices following the collapse of the Internet bubble in 2000/2001 and the September 11 attacks in 2001. Due to its concentrated portfolio, BZ Group and its affiliated companies were heavily impacted. A standstill agreement reached with creditor banks in 2002 enabled continued operations; however, Martin Ebner was compelled to divest or transfer most holdings to these banks. This included handing over controlling interests in the vision companies to Zürcher Kantonalbank.
The group's principal remaining asset became a controlling stake in the publicly traded real estate firm Intershop. In 2003, Ebner and his wife Rosmarie separated BZ Bank—the core entity of BZ Group—alongside key executives Alfred Böni and Ralph Stadler; since then, it has functioned independently.
Recovery
After terminating the lending banks' standstill agreement in July 2003, BZ Group Holding experienced a significant recovery. In 2005, the company underwent a rebranding to become Patinex AG. That same year, Patinex acquired a 12.5% share in the reinsurer Converium, playing a pivotal role in the initially hostile acquisition by the French corporation SCOR. Through Patinex, Ebner maintained approximately an 8% ownership in SCOR until divesting this stake in spring 2015. Currently, Patinex holds close to a one-third interest in Intershop.
Additional publicly disclosed investments include Swiss-listed firms such as Myriad, Temenos (since 2013), and Vifor Pharma. In private equity markets, Patinex possesses a significant holding in NovImmune, an immunology company based in Geneva. In 2008, Patinex broadened its portfolio into the aviation sector by acquiring Swiss airline Helvetic Airways along with its associated flight training institution, Horizon Swiss Flight Academy.
In July 2022, the Ebner family divested 70% of their shares in BZ Bank to Graubündner Kantonalbank. By January 2025, they completed the transfer of the remaining 30%, resulting in Graubündner Kantonalbank becoming the sole proprietor and finalizing the succession process. Martin Ebner maintains ongoing business collaborations with GKB through Patinex Management AG.
Assets
Based on Bilanz's ranking of Switzerland's wealthiest individuals, Martin Ebner's fortune was estimated between 3 and 3.5 billion Swiss francs in 2021. Projections for 2025 anticipate his net worth to reach around CHF 3.8 billion, securing his position among Switzerland’s richest.
Personal life
Ebner is married to Rosemarie and lives in Wilen, Switzerland.