Rolf W. Schneebeli

Rolf is an internationally experienced economist with a wealth of experience in banking, investment, precious metals, trading and marketing.

He graduated from the University of Zurich, Switzerland with a Master’s degree (lic.oec.publ.) in economics, business administration, banking and law. Rolf joined Citibank and held various positions, mainly in investment management and private banking in Switzerland and Hong Kong. Among other roles he headed the Middle East wealth management division in Zurich, Switzerland, was global market manager for Citibank’s private bank in a particular region and introduced the “modern portfolio theory” approach to Citibank’s Hong Kong operations. Rolf’s investment approach was shaped by his first experience of a stock market crash in 1987, which ended the bloated bull market of the 1980s.

After working for a private bank in Switzerland, where he extended his client knowledge to include Latin American clients and was responsible for the bank’s gold funds, he moved to the World Gold Council to set up its Regional Head Office (Middle East and Indian Subcontinent) in Dubai. He was the founder of the Gold and Jewellery Group in Dubai and similar organisations in the region. Together with his team he set up the “Dubai, City of Gold” programme, launched the first new coin/medal in Dubai during the first shopping festival and initiated a comprehensive branding exercise in the industry. On the subcontinent he led his team’s efforts to introduce gold on the Ogl and liberalise the gold industry in India. On a personal level he was a founding member of the Swiss Business Council in Dubai.

In 2000 he left Dubai to manage a Swiss bank in Luxembourg as the holder of a banking licence. Rolf managed the business in the difficult period following 11 September 2001 and the reorganisation of the EU tax system, which was particularly challenging for Luxembourg. Nevertheless, his bank was one of the top performers in that country.

After several assignments in private equity and finance in Switzerland and Europe, Rolf advised various companies and individuals in Dubai and Switzerland in the areas of finance, marketing and PR.

In 2016 he accepted the challenge of becoming CEO of Silk Road Bank in North Macedonia, which had made losses in all but one of eight consecutive years under a Greek owner and a different name. The bank achieved an impressive turnaround and has been profitable since 2016. He left the bank in February 2020, before the coronavirus pandemic hit the western world.