Today’s financial markets are full of surprises, and not always the good kind. In a world of political unpredictability, rising interest rates and growing client expectations, advisers and asset managers are having to think smarter and move faster. That’s where structured products and digital innovation can really make a difference. To get to grips with the latest thinking, IFA Magazine’s Senior Financial Journalist Jenny Hunter caught up with Yassine Bahemou, Head of Sales for UK and Ireland at Swiss FinTech company Leonteq.
Since joining Leonteq in early 2024, Yassine has been spearheading Leonteq’s expansion in the UK wealth market and is passionate about helping advisers access smarter, more tailored investment solutions.
Lorenzo Leccesi, Head of Investment Solutions at Leonteq shares Yassine’s enthusiasm for Leonteq’s ongoing expansion and said, “Our continued investment in the UK franchise reflects Leonteq’s firm commitment to this strategic market. Over the past year, we’ve significantly expanded our team and broadened our offering – particularly across AMCs, QIS, and funds – building on our core structured product expertise to support further growth and deepen client relationships in the region.”
In this exclusive interview, Yassine shares his take on market trends, the appeal of structured investments, and how Leonteq’s tech-driven platform is helping to solve real-world problems for financial professionals.
Leading from the front…
First things first: who is Leonteq and what’s their role in the advice space? Yassine explained: “Leonteq is a Swiss FinTech company with a leading marketplace for structured investment solutions. We also have our own proprietary modern technology, and we offer derivative instruments, products and services, as well as full life cycle for structured products for clients across Europe, the Middle East and Asia.”
In simple terms, Leonteq specialises in helping advisers and asset managers use structured products as part of a diversified portfolio – and crucially, they make it easier to do so. “We act as an independent, direct issuer of all our products. And we also partner with multiple banks and other financial institutions to help distribute their types of products,” Yassine added.
Are structured products still misunderstood?
Even among professionals, structured products can sometimes feel a bit complicated, opaque, or overly niche. But Yassine’s take is refreshingly clear.
“What I would classify as a structured product is a combination of two parts,” he said. “It’s a bond which is issued by an issuing entity, which is typically either a finance institution or a banking entity. There is then an added derivative to access some type of exposure, typically the most classic we see in the Wealth Manager or IFA space is equity index-linked products.”
These investments allow clients to take a view on markets like the S&P, Euro Stoxx, or FTSE 100 while adding an extra layer of risk management or return potential. They can offer either an alternative or a complement to traditional equity investments, depending on the client’s objectives.
Why advisers are turning to alternatives
One of the big reasons structured products are seeing a surge in interest. You guessed it: uncertainty. “It’s been a very big change year to date in terms of the discussions we’ve had with clients, obviously since Mr. Trump has come in,” Yassine said.
Whereas conversations used to be focused almost entirely on equity markets, advisers and clients are now looking further afield, to FX, fixed income and even precious metals. “We’re seeing a lot of clients looking for ways to continue getting a shorter dollar,” he noted, in response to shifts in US policy. Meanwhile, the rise in interest rates has made fixed income look more attractive again, particularly when balanced with equity allocations.
Add to that the impact of global headlines, tariffs, elections, and economic data and it’s no surprise that investors are seeking more tailored and protective strategies. “We’re seeing a lot of clients more actively involved in speculation and hedging instruments to overlay their portfolios, to mute down the risk and create more balanced returns versus the equity market.”
And when it comes to precious metals like gold? “It has been massively outperforming equities the last two years and has been a key fundamental thesis for the debasement of the dollar,” Yassine added.
Customised solutions and client control
One of the big themes coming through in the discussion with Yassine was the importance of personalisation. Every client is different, and structured products are especially effective when they’re designed to meet very specific objectives.
“We have, I would say, the commoditised business, which is where clients will RFQ that is very much a platform service,” he explained. “And then, our big strength is customising solutions, particularly for clients.”
For those comfortable managing their own portfolio, Leonteq supports the creation of multi-asset strategies known as QIS – Quantitative Investment Strategy – solutions. “Or if clients are happier to outsource, we’ll partner with them on their best-in-class third-party managers.”
Either way, it’s about giving clients options—whether they want to take the wheel or let someone else steer.
The platform that’s changing the game
One of the standout elements of Leonteq’s offering is their digital platform, called “LYNQS”. Built over 15 years and powered by a team where “nearly half of our employees are developers,” it’s designed to simplify the entire structured product journey, from idea generation to settlement and reporting.
This is a major selling point, particularly for UK advisers. “Typically, the UK has always been a bit archaic, particularly versus some of our colleagues and competing jurisdictions like Switzerland,” Yassine observed. “However, with our current growth in the UK market, the initial feedback from the Wealth Managers and the IFAs that we’ve brought into the platform has been overwhelmingly positive.”
Why does it matter? Because managing structured products manually, especially via something like Excel, is time-consuming, error-prone and just not scalable. “As portfolios grow, they typically have multiple line items. So, what this portal can do… allows clients to have all of that data accessible in one place, and allows them, really, to focus on the investment process rather than the more onerous tasks of just the admin.”
There’s also a white-label option, enabling firms to tailor the look and feel to match their own brand, a neat touch for those wanting to enhance their client-facing proposition.
Never standing still
The LYNQS platform isn’t just a fixed toolkit, it’s constantly evolving. Yassine explained: “We often have live feedback sessions with all of our main users, for them to pass back comments from the client’s perspective. So, we’re focusing our priorities and what to deliver next… rather than just building aimlessly into what we think they need.”
This responsiveness helps keep Leonteq at the front of the pack and ensures that the tech keeps solving real problems, not just ticking boxes.
Tailored support, local presence
What also sets Leonteq apart is its emphasis on human connection. With 13 offices globally and dedicated local teams, they ensure that support is never more than a phone call, or a time zone, away.
“It’s crucial that every single client receives personalised and local support from all of our team,” Yassine said. “Hence the 13 offices, so we’re close to our clients to ensure that we deliver this goal.”
That proximity is more than just a service perk; it’s about building trust and ensuring things get done. “If there’s a problem that you need to fix and you have to wait six hours to fix it, it’s not the best client service.”
Helping clients succeed
At the heart of everything Leonteq does is a drive to make things easier, smarter and more effective for its clients. Whether that’s enabling better risk-adjusted returns, streamlining workflows or giving portfolio managers back more time, the firm’s focus remains squarely on outcomes.
“What we really are here to do is allow clients to access and create products which are most suitable for their portfolios,” Yassine summed up. “As well as providing this LYNQS digitalisation platform which allows them the most efficient management of their portfolio, which will then hopefully feed back into the best returns for their clients.”
And while risk management and compliance might not sound exciting, they’re a big part of the Leonteq model too. “We obviously commit to a very strict risk management and compliance framework to ensure that we’re strengthening our systems, policy and governance so that clients can feel trusted to partner with us.”
Clarity in complexity
At a time when advisers are navigating more complexity than ever, from geopolitical shocks to rapidly shifting client expectations, it’s clear that platforms like Leonteq’s can offer something genuinely useful. Not just in terms of products, but in operational efficiency, customisation, and better control.
In a world of noise, it’s nice to know there are people and platforms focused on clarity, quality, and helping get better outcomes for clients.
About Yassine Bahemou
Yassine Bahemou is Head of Sales for the UK and Ireland at Leonteq, based in London. Prior to joining Leonteq in 2024, he spent nearly a decade at Citi and JP Morgan in various senior roles in UK Equity Derivative Sales. He holds a First Class Honours degree in Economics from University College London.
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