Simon Amrein

Simon Amrein is a Professor and Co-Head of the Master's Program in Banking and Finance at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Business, based at the Institute for Financial Services Zug (IFZ) in Rotkreuz, Switzerland. He has held this position since 2020 and maintains an active research and teaching profile in banking and finance.

Dr. Amrein earned his PhD in History and Civilization (Financial History) from the European University Institute in Florence, where he completed his dissertation "Capital in Banking: The Role of Capital in British and Swiss Banking, 1830-1990." His academic credentials also include an MSc in Economic History from LSE and an MSc in Banking and Finance from Lucerne University.

His research spans the Swiss banking sector, banking regulation, financial history, alternative finance including P2P lending and marketplace lending, crowdfunding, and retail banking. His work uniquely bridges historical perspectives with contemporary financial challenges, with particular focus on the Swiss financial landscape.

Amrein's publication record shows a strong emphasis on practical banking research, particularly through his annual reports including the Marketplace Lending Report Switzerland, Crowdfunding Monitor Switzerland, and the IFZ Retail Banking Study series. His recent work explores cryptocurrency adoption, capital regulation, and the implications of major banking developments like the UBS-Credit Suisse merger in Switzerland.

• 2016 Publication Award of the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Business, category "Public" for "Crowdfunding Monitoring Switzerland 2015"

Dr. Amrein teaches courses on financial sector regulation, strategic management in financial services, and banking modules at both undergraduate and graduate levels. His professional experience includes serving as General Secretary of the Swiss Marketplace Lending Association (2017-2022) and extensive research work at the IFZ since 2009.

His current research projects examine fintech developments, marketplace lending trends, investment behavior, benchmarking for Swiss regional banks, corporate financing with private debt, and studies on SME financing in Switzerland. He actively collaborates with industry partners and contributes to policy discussions on financial regulation in Switzerland.