Private Banking for Entrepreneurs: What to Expect and How to Choose

Entrepreneurs and business owners occupy a unique position in the world of wealth management. Their assets are typically less liquid, more concentrated, and more complex than those of inherited wealth or salaried professionals. The business itself — potentially worth many times more than all personal assets combined — is illiquid, cyclical, and interwoven with personal financial decisions in ways that a standard private banking model struggles to accommodate.

The best private banks understand this. The worst treat entrepreneurs like any other wealthy client, ignoring the complexity of business ownership and the very different financial journey that founders experience. Knowing the difference — and knowing when and how to engage with private banking — is genuinely valuable for business owners.

Why entrepreneur private banking is different

Illiquid wealth. The majority of an entrepreneur's net worth may be locked in the business. A founder with a company worth £10m on paper may have very limited liquidity — perhaps a modest salary and some dividend income — and no conventional bank would lend against the business equity in the way they would against a property or investment portfolio. Private banks that understand entrepreneur clients can provide credit facilities secured against business equity, expected future cash flows, or a combination of assets.

Intertwined personal and business finances. Entrepreneurs regularly mix personal and business financial decisions in ways that professional employees do not: reinvesting personal savings into the business, using personal property as security for a business loan, taking variable income according to business performance. A private banker who treats the personal and business dimensions in isolation will give incomplete advice.

Exit planning. For a business owner, the most significant financial event of their life is typically the sale of their business. The proceeds of a business exit — potentially millions of pounds — need to be invested, managed, and structured for tax efficiency in a relatively short window. The relationship between the private bank and the entrepreneur matters most in the months before and after exit.

Volatility of income. Entrepreneurs often have highly variable income: strong in good years, minimal in lean years. Traditional credit scoring and affordability assessment do not handle this well. Private banks offering bespoke credit facilities understand the difference between a founder with temporarily low drawings and an employee with low income.

What private banks offer entrepreneurs

Bespoke credit facilities. Beyond standard mortgages and overdrafts, private banks can structure credit facilities tailored to entrepreneur circumstances: Lombard loans (secured against an investment portfolio), loans against the value of a minority business stake, short-term bridging facilities, and portfolio mortgages that assess serviceability across the total wealth picture rather than just salary income.

Investment management integrated with business planning. The best private banks offer investment management that considers the overall balance of the client's wealth — including the business as a major asset. If 80% of your net worth is in a single private company, a private bank should be building an investment portfolio that diversifies away from that concentration, not simply investing the small amount of liquid capital in equities.

FX and treasury services. Entrepreneurs with international business revenues have FX needs that go beyond personal banking. Private banks with corporate treasury experience can provide currency hedging, multi-currency facilities, and efficient international payment services.

Pre- and post-exit management. Leading private banks for entrepreneurs engage proactively in the pre-exit period to prepare the investment infrastructure, tax structure, and relationship for the receipt of substantial liquidity. Post-exit, they provide portfolio construction, tax planning support (in conjunction with accountants), philanthropy planning, and succession planning.

Trust and estate planning coordination. Business owners often have complex estate planning needs — whether to pass the business to family members, protect assets from business risks, or plan for a sale. Private banks with trust and estate planning capability (in-house or through introduced specialists) can help structure appropriate arrangements.

Leading private banks for entrepreneurs

The private banking market ranges from global institutions with minimum thresholds of millions, to regional or specialist providers accessible at lower levels of investable assets.

Coutts — one of the UK's oldest and most established private banks, serving entrepreneurs, founders, and inherited wealth clients. From November 2025 it raised its minimum for new clients to around £3m in investable assets (up from £1m), refocusing on the ultra-high-net-worth segment. A strong UK focus, with integration into the NatWest Group for business banking relationships.

Barclays Wealth & Investments — accessible at lower thresholds than some private banks, with good integration between Barclays' business banking and private banking. Well-suited for entrepreneurs who are existing Barclays business banking clients and want to consolidate the relationship as personal wealth grows.

HSBC Private Banking — global reach is HSBC Private Banking's primary strength. For entrepreneurs with international business interests, HSBC's international network and capability in multiple currencies and jurisdictions is a meaningful advantage. Minimum thresholds vary by market.

Rothschild & Co — historically associated with ultra-high-net-worth and institutional clients; their wealth management division is highly regarded for sophisticated investment management but typically requires significant minimum assets.

Julius Baer — a Swiss-based international private bank with strong capabilities in investment management and servicing internationally mobile clients. Accessible to clients with typically £1m+ in investable assets; known for strong service at the high end of the market.

Pictet — a Swiss partnership private bank with a strong investment management reputation. Focused on investment management and typically accessed by clients with £3m+ in investable assets.

Investec — provides private banking, lending, and investment management with a particular focus on entrepreneurs and professionals. Strong in the South African and UK markets.

C. Hoare & Co — one of the oldest private banks in England, family-owned, known for bespoke service and strong reputation in the UK.

Choosing between private banks: key questions

What are the actual minimum thresholds? Ask directly — published minimums are often guidelines rather than hard limits, and a high-earning entrepreneur approaching a liquidity event may be welcomed below the stated minimum.

Do you push in-house products? Some private banks primarily recommend their own investment funds, which creates a conflict of interest. Ask specifically how investment recommendations are made and whether the bank has open architecture (ability to invest across the market) or primarily uses proprietary products.

Who will my relationship manager be, and what is their background? In private banking, the quality of the individual relationship manager matters enormously. Ask to meet the person who would manage your relationship before committing.

What is the approach to business succession and exit planning? If a potential future business sale is relevant, ask how the bank has supported other entrepreneur clients through similar events. Specific experience matters more than general claims.

How does the banking integrate with investment management? Some private banks are primarily banks with investment bolted on; others are primarily investment managers who also provide banking. Know which you are dealing with.

The role of an independent wealth manager alongside a private bank

For many entrepreneurs, the optimal arrangement is:

• A private bank for banking services: credit facilities, mortgages, FX, day-to-day private banking
• An independent wealth manager for investment advice: genuinely independent advice across the full investment market, not limited to the private bank's own products or preferred funds

This separation avoids the conflict of interest inherent in a single institution providing both services, while still allowing the private bank to focus on what it does best.

How Global Investments can help

Global Investments has advised business owners and entrepreneurs on wealth management for over 32 years. We understand the unique financial position of business owners — the concentration of wealth in illiquid assets, the interaction between personal and business finances, and the critical importance of planning well before a liquidity event.

Our advisers can help you assess when and whether private banking is appropriate for your circumstances, assist with the selection of an appropriate institution, and provide independent wealth management alongside any private banking relationship you establish. We are not tied to any private bank, which means our guidance is genuinely independent. Contact us to discuss your situation.