Inside Vontobel’s Execution Platform: People, Technology & Partnerships Driving Performance
- Vontobel's cross-asset execution platform serves over 150 institutional clients globally as a pure agency broker, covering cash equities, ETFs, fixed income, structured products, ETDs, FX, money-market products, and funds.
- The platform differentiates through three pillars—Swiss-based location, open technology architecture built on Horizon Trading Solutions with proprietary logic, and a team culture centered on craftsmanship and ownership.
- Vontobel's partnership with Horizon enables 'mass customization' by allowing algorithmic trading changes to be deployed daily or even intraday without system restarts, ensuring rapid adaptation to market conditions.
- The Electronic Sales Trading team, led by Andreas Otth, conducts regular algo workshops and pilot initiatives with clients and internal users, embedding continuous feedback into the platform's evolution.
- The Vontobel-Horizon partnership is sustained through quarterly alignment sessions, trust-based collaboration, and a shared commitment to building a hybrid execution model that is open, fast, and client-driven.
At the heart of Switzerland’s financial landscape, Vontobel has built a cross-asset execution platform designed for agility, precision, and long-term performance. Filmed during TradeTech 2025, this video features Roman Würsch, who has spent over seven years driving innovation within Vontobel offering a rare behind-the-scenes look at what makes their Execution Platform stand out in a highly competitive market.
“We connect internal and external clients to global markets, offering execution across all major asset classes—cash equities, ETFs, fixed income, structured products, ETDs, FX, money-market products, and funds,” explains Roman.
Their philosophy blends a DevOps culture with constant iteration. Built for scale but tailored for flexibility, the platform supports over 150 institutional clients globally, operating purely as an agency broker.
Three Pillars of Differentiation
Location
With its headquarters in Zurich, Vontobel delivers execution services directly from the heart of the Swiss financial center. Clients benefit from the hallmark Swiss quality and precision.
Technology
Rather than relying on out-of-the-box solutions, Vontobel opts for open platforms like Horizon Trading Solutions, layering proprietary logic on top. This approach gives them full ownership of their trading process and the ability to adapt instantly when market conditions change.
“With Horizon, we can deploy algorithmic trading changes daily—or even intraday—without a system restart,” says Roman. “This is critical for staying ahead.”
People
The team working on the Execution Platform is composed of experts who are not afraid to challenge the status quo. It’s a culture of craftsmanship, ownership, and going the extra mile for clients.
Mass customization as a Strategy
One of Vontobel’s defining goals is achieving “mass customization.” In Roman’s words:
“With Horizon, we can deploy algorithmic trading changes daily—or even intraday—without a system restart,” says Roman. “This is critical for staying ahead.”
By customizing workflows and continuously testing innovations, Vontobel can respond to change with precision and speed.
Listening, Testing, Adapting
A key differentiator in Vontobel’s approach is how closely it listens to clients.
Led by Andreas Otth, the Electronic Sales Trading team runs regular algo workshops, gathering feedback and running pilot initiatives with internal users and key accounts.
“We engage deeply with our clients and infrastructure providers,” Roman notes. “This constant dialogue helps us fine-tune our services and stay relevant.”
Trust, Partnership & Shared Growth
Behind every strong technology is a strong relationship. Vontobel’s partnership with Horizon is rooted in trust, transparency, and mutual respect.
“We don’t rush—we move forward steadily. We understand that building real-time trading solutions takes time and close collaboration,” Roman reflects.
Quarterly alignment sessions help both teams stay on the same course. Communication is more than a process—it’s the foundation for sustainable growth.
Horizon’s Role
Horizon Trading Solutions plays a key part in enabling Vontobel’s agility. Their platform supports:
Buy-side algorithmic trading in cash equities and ETDs
Sell-side quoting for Structured Products
Seamless integration with Vontobel’s proprietary enhancements
Together, Vontobel and Horizon deliver a hybrid model—open, fast, and client-driven.
Frequently Asked Questions
Vontobel's Execution Platform is a cross-asset agency brokerage platform designed for agility, precision, and long-term performance. It offers execution across cash equities, ETFs, fixed income, structured products, ETDs, FX, money-market products, and funds, serving over 150 institutional clients globally.
Horizon Trading Solutions provides an open platform on which Vontobel layers its proprietary logic, enabling algorithmic trading changes to be deployed daily or even intraday without a system restart. This flexibility is critical for Vontobel to adapt quickly to changing market conditions and maintain a competitive edge.
Mass customization refers to Vontobel's ability to tailor workflows and trading algorithms at scale for individual client needs while maintaining operational efficiency. By leveraging Horizon's open platform and continuously testing innovations, Vontobel can deliver personalized execution services with precision and speed.
Vontobel differentiates through three pillars: its location in Zurich offering Swiss-quality execution, its technology approach using open platforms like Horizon with proprietary enhancements rather than out-of-the-box solutions, and its people who foster a culture of craftsmanship and client-centric innovation.
The partnership is built on trust, transparency, and close collaboration, with quarterly alignment sessions ensuring both teams remain strategically aligned. Vontobel's Electronic Sales Trading team also runs regular algo workshops and pilot initiatives, feeding client insights back into the platform development process.
