Jérôme Desponds

Jérôme Desponds is the Partner for Risk Management and Regulatory & Compliance services in the Financial Services department of KPMG in Western Switzerland.

Jérôme has both a very strong technical expertise and in-depth experience in the market, both as a consultant and a “doer” inside a bank. He is highly experienced in delivering tailor-made risk management and regulatory solutions to his financial clients as well in supporting them in their journey of developing and reshaping their business, operating entities and services.

After obtaining his Master’s in law from the University of Lausanne, Jérôme joined the Banking Audit Services at one of the big four company in Geneva in 1997, where he progressed from the ranks of Assistant to Manager. In 2003, he took over the role of Compliance Officer for trade finance and corporate credit activities at a cantonal bank, before returning to the the big four company in Geneva as Senior Manager in 2004. He got promoted to the role of Partner EMEIA within the Financial Service Organization in 2008 and Managing Partner in charge of Audit Services for Western Switzerland and Ticino markets while also being a member of the Swiss FSO Leadership team. In February 2013 he joined a well know Swiss private bank in Geneva as Head of Risk & Compliance Group. From 2020, Jérôme was the Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee.

Concurrent with his professional activities, he has been a lecturer at HEC Lausanne in charge of the Audit Course within the Master in Accounting, Control & Finance from 2008 to 2013, a member of the Audit Commission and of the Banking Audit Commission at EXPERTSuisse from 2008 to 2011 and 2013, respectively. From 2013 to 2022, he has been member of the Task force of the Association of Swiss Private Banks in charge of identifying and assessing the evolution of the legal and regulatory framework.