Full Description

Credit Suisse Group AG (Credit Suisse) is a Switzerland-based global financial services company. The Company operates in three segments: Private Banking, Investment Banking and Asset Management. The three segments are complemented by Shared Services, which provides support in the areas of finance, operations, including human resources, legal and compliance, risk management and information technology. Private Banking offers advice and a range of wealth management solutions, including pension planning, life insurance products, tax planning and wealth and inheritance advice, which are tailored to the needs of high-net-worth individuals worldwide. Investment Banking offers investment banking and securities products and services to corporate, institutional and government clients around the world. Its products and services include debt and equity underwriting, sales and trading, mergers and acquisitions advice, divestitures, corporate sales, restructuring and investment research. Asset Management offers integrated investment solutions and services to institutions, governments and private clients. It provides access to a range of investment classes. During the year ended December 31, 2008, Company acquired over 80% of Asset Management Finance Corporation (AMF).

Private Banking

In Private Banking, the Company offers a range of banking solutions and advice to private, corporate and institutional clients. Private Banking comprises two businesses: Wealth Management and Corporate & Retail Banking. Wealth Management operates worldwide and serves approximately 0.7 million high-net-worth individuals with assets under management exceeding 0.25 million Swiss francs to 1 million Swiss francs, depending on the location. Corporate & Retail Banking serves approximately 1.7 million retail, corporate and institutional clients in Switzerland.

In Wealth Management, the Company provides customized solutions in protecting, optimizing and financing clients’ wealth. It serves its clients through two brands: Credit Suisse and Clariden Leu, Credit Suisse’s independent private bank. Clariden Leu is a provider of private banking services, mainly in Switzerland, with total assets under management of 94 billion Swiss francs, as of December 31, 2008. Credit Suisse serves its international clients through a global network of 3,500 dedicated relationship managers, organized by region, markets and client segment. During 2008, it had operations in almost 200 locations, with 123 offices outside Switzerland in 45 countries.

In Corporate & Retail Banking, Credit Suisse provides premium advice and solutions for financing, investment and retirement planning to private clients and a range of corporate banking services to corporate and institutional clients in Switzerland. It serves its clients through 220 branches in Switzerland, four regional contact centers and Direct Net, its online banking platform. Small and medium-sized enterprises are served by relationship managers based in 40 branches throughout Switzerland and a central business center. Its regional bank, Neue Aargauer Bank, serves clients in the Canton of Aargau. The consumer finance company, BANK-now, is a specialized supplier of private credit offerings and car leasing in the Swiss market through various distribution channels.

Investment Banking

Investment Banking provides a range of financial products and services, including global securities sales, trading and execution, prime brokerage and capital raising and advisory services, as well as investment research. Clients include corporations, governments and institutions around the world. Credit Suisse delivers its global investment banking capabilities through regional and local teams based in all developed and emerging market centers. Its activities are organized around two functional areas: investment banking and global securities. In investment banking, the Company works in industry, product and country groups. The industry groups include energy, financial institutions, financial sponsors, industrial and services, healthcare, media and telecom, real estate and technology. The product groups include mergers and acquisitions and financing products. In global securities, the Company is engaged in a range of activities across fixed income, currencies, commodities, derivatives and cash equities markets, including sales, structuring, trading, financing, prime brokerage, syndication and origination, with a focus on client-based and flow-based businesses, in line with growing client demand for less complex and more liquid products and structures.

Asset Management

With more than 200 investment professionals located in Zurich, New York, Los Angeles, London, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Singapore, Mumbai, Tokyo and Sydney, the Company focuses on providing maximum returns within the investors’ criteria. During 2008, it had 411.5 billion Swiss francs in assets under management. These assets under management include products, such as alternative investments and sophisticated products within traditional investment strategies. Alternative investment strategies include private equity, credit strategies, real estate, distressed debt and volatility management and hedge fund strategies, including quantitative strategies and fund of hedge funds. Traditional investment strategies include multi-asset class solutions and other traditional investment strategies, with assets under management of 265.2 billion Swiss francs.