UBS: Building authority with thought leadership for more than 10 years

Need:

For the past 10 years, UBS’s wealth management business has set itself apart through thought leadership. What started almost by accident when UBS published its first Billionaire Report in Switzerland in 2015 has grown into a collection of three global reports. Back in 2015, UBS simply wanted a writer to pen the report. Over time, though, the relationship has evolved into one where the writer/editor works as part of a team on UBS’s three reports, helping to brainstorm key messages before finally turning to writing.

Approach:

Making a success of these reports takes the journalist’s nose for a story and the copywriter’s art of wordsmithing. The first step is working with the in-house team to distil key messages from survey data and analysis of relevant databases. UBS experts provide the knowledge that transforms survey data into topical stories. Importantly, interviews with clients provide anonymised quotes, adding further insight and colour. The writing process itself starts with an outline, progressing through a series of drafts until the writing is complete.

Outcome:

The Billionaire Report (now Billionaire Ambitions Report) is in its 11 th year. It was followed by the annual Global Family Office Report in 2020 and the Global Entrepreneur Report in 2025. The reports are benchmarks in their niches, with leading publications such as the Economist, Financial Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post often reporting their findings. They regularly generate hundreds of press articles, significant social media activity and are downloaded thousands of times.