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The 2026 edition of La Rentrée de la Prévoyance confirmed its role as a forum for reflection and dialogue in French-speaking Switzerland, dedicated to the major challenges facing pension provision. Organised by Point de mire with the support of its partners, this third edition brought together more than 150 representatives from pension institutions, public authorities, banks, asset managers, consultants, approved experts, companies and specialist providers around a shared ambition: to reflect collectively on the sustainable financing of the second pillar in the face of structural and demographic challenges.

Held under the theme “The financing of occupational pension provision in the face of structural and demographic challenges,” this edition followed on from Point de mire’s in-depth report, “Honouring the promises of the second pillar,” devoted to the issues that will shape the future of occupational pension provision in Switzerland.

By bringing together speakers from complementary backgrounds and stakeholders representing the entire pension ecosystem, La Rentrée de la Prévoyance reaffirms its purpose: to provide a space for reflection and dialogue where different perspectives can meet, experiences can be compared and avenues for change can emerge in response to the demographic, economic and financial shifts that are gradually reshaping the Swiss pension landscape.

More than 150 participants gathered in Lausanne, at Plateforme 10, at the invitation of Point de mire, with the support of BCV, Edmond de Rothschild (Suisse), lemania-pension, Mirabaud Asset Management, PensExpert, Realstone and Banque Syz.

At the opening of the event, Francis Bouvier, Head of Occupational Pension Provision at BCV, and Pablo Astengo, Head of Pension Solutions at Banque Syz, revisited the foundations of Switzerland’s three-pillar system and its evolution since its introduction. Their presentation underlined that pension provision remains above all a collective project whose balance must continually evolve to respond to demographic, economic and social change. “Occupational pension provision is not directly confronted with the demographic challenge in the same way as AHV. Its main challenge lies in continuously adapting its actuarial balance to longer life expectancy, more demanding financial markets and an economic environment in constant evolution. Preserving the level of benefits means anticipating these developments rather than absorbing them passively,” said Francis Bouvier. “The question is no longer whether occupational pension provision will continue to become more individualised. That shift is already underway. The real debate now concerns the limits to be set in order to preserve the solidaristic foundations of the second pillar,” added Pablo Astengo.

The event also welcomed François Braun, Division Head at the Substitute Occupational Benefit Institution LPP, whose presence reflects La Rentrée de la Prévoyance’s determination to bring together each year the institutions that play a decisive role in the functioning of Switzerland’s pension system. Occupying a unique position within the second pillar, the Substitute Occupational Benefit Institution LPP carries out the tasks assigned to it by law for employers without a pension solution, manages a significant number of vested benefits accounts and supports situations that fall outside the traditional market channels.

Discussion then turned to the role of real assets in pension institution portfolios. Julian Reymond, CEO of Realstone, presented the in-kind contribution mechanism (“swap”), which notably enables a pension fund to exchange a property for units in a real estate fund or real estate foundation, while maintaining exposure to the property market within a now diversified portfolio.

Moderated by Anne Gaudard (BCV), the panel brought together Aldo Ferrari (Ethos Foundation and Substitute Occupational Benefit Institution LPP), Vincent Kaufmann (Ethos Foundation), Sébastien Gyger (BCV) and Serge Ledermann (1959 Advisors). The discussions highlighted a widely shared conviction: securing the promises of the second pillar over the long term requires strengthening the financial resilience of pension institutions, adapting their governance and developing investment strategies capable of addressing long-term structural challenges.

Beyond the financial issues, the exchanges also stressed the importance of better supporting insured persons in understanding their pension coverage. “An informed insured person is also a more autonomous one, capable of making well-founded decisions throughout their career,” said Pasquale Zarra, CEO, lemania-pension.

Throughout the evening, Roxane Ecoffey, Vice-Chair of the lemania-pension Board, and Julia Gibert, Head of Pension Provision at Edmond de Rothschild (Suisse) SA, moderated the exchanges between the speakers and the audience.

In closing, Julia Gibert recalled that: “The pension system represents one of the major economic and social challenges of the coming decades. It concerns each and every one of us and determines a key part of our standard of living in retirement. To preserve its long-term viability, it must continue to adapt to demographic, economic and social developments. The richness of the exchanges at this edition shows that industry players share this common ambition: to move beyond observation and build concrete, sustainable and responsible solutions together.”

With this third edition, La Rentrée de la Prévoyance confirms its status as a benchmark event in French-speaking Switzerland dedicated to the major challenges of pension provision. After hosting, at previous editions, the president of compenswiss and then the director of the Occupational Pension Supervision Commission (CHS PP), it continues to grow this year by bringing together the Substitute Occupational Benefit Institution LPP alongside the industry’s leading players.

More than a technical gathering, La Rentrée de la Prévoyance has established itself as a space for reflection and dialogue where pension institutions, authorities, banks, asset managers, experts, consultants, companies and financial-market partners meet to foster a shared reflection on the future of occupational pension provision in Switzerland.

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