CEO Holger Laubenthal looks back on a year of disciplined strategy execution, digital progress and partnerships that make financing and everyday payments easier and more intuitive for customers.

How has Cembra progressed on its strategy?

We continued to make tangible progress in our strategic transformation and further strengthened our performance. We pursued our strategy with discipline and a clear focus on customer value, efficiency and portfolio quality. Over the past year, new platforms and increased automation have made our business more scalable, improved productivity and service times and enhanced the customer experience. These investments are now generating benefits.

What kind of benefits?

A major focus throughout the year was accelerating digitalisation and driving operational excellence across the organisation. This has enabled us to reduce costs, increase efficiency and deliver greater value to our customers and partners. For example, our auto leasing platform allows car dealers and customers to receive credit decisions more quickly and consistently. Furthermore, we have onboarded personal loan and leasing customers to the Cembra app and introduced new self-service features, which give users secure and convenient access to all relevant information, whenever and wherever they want.

How is Cembra improving and simplifying the customer experience?

We aim to be present everywhere our customers are, and we consistently tailor our products and services to their needs. Our goal is to provide user-friendly and secure consumer finance solutions that integrate seamlessly into everyday life. To that end, we launched convenient app features such as Scan2Pay, Instalment Pay and insurance add-ons. We also introduced an innovative cashback programme for our Certo! credit card, which is unique in Switzerland. That said, personal interaction remains important to us at Cembra, and our five regional hubs ensure customers receive comprehensive support across all our channels.

Partnerships are an integral part of Cembra’s business model. What advances have you made on this front?

In 2025, we continued to build on long-standing collaborations with credit card partners such as IKEA, TCS and Conforama, while also expanding our reach through new partnerships, such as Zalando and Globus. In addition, we ramped up our embedded‑finance offering. By integrating financing and payment solutions directly into the customer journey – whether at a dealership, during online checkout or at a physical point of sale – we make purchasing simpler, faster and more seamless. Examples include digital leasing options at car dealerships and the “pay later” feature in the TWINT app.

What are Cembra’s core strengths and how do you build on them?

Two of our core strengths are risk management and governance. We have a solid ESG foundation and foster a corporate culture that lets our employees thrive. Our track record as a regulated Swiss bank with strong credit ratings gives customers and partners the confidence that we act with integrity and take a long-term view. With the appointment of a Chief Customer & Growth Officer in 2025, we are further improving our ability to bring innovation, customer insights and product development closer together. At the same time, our collaborative, diverse and learning-oriented culture remains a defining advantage. Cembra has been repeatedly recognised by Great Place to Work as one of Switzerland’s best workplaces, which underscores our efforts in this area. This is something I am personally very proud of.

What is your outlook for 2026?

We are entering a new phase of our business development. In 2026, we will complete our current strategic cycle and prepare for the next one. Our priorities are clear: strengthening our partnerships, supporting customers responsibly and investing further in our people and capabilities. Cembra has delivered consistent dividend growth since the IPO, and our aim is to continue creating long-term value for shareholders while providing an excellent customer experience.