Recently highlighted in an Immoday article, BN Conseils is establishing itself as a key player in real estate consultancy in French-speaking Switzerland. In an ever-changing market, marked by increasing regulatory complexity and heightened sustainability requirements, professionals and private owners alike are looking for expert, personalized support. This is exactly what BN Conseils, the branch of Groupe Bernard Nicod launched 18 months ago by Emanuel von Graffenried and Romain Nicod, offers. Their interview, published by Immoday, highlights a promising start and a success that has already been noticed.
A dazzling growth that exceeds all expectations
What was initially intended to be a service aimed primarily at private owners with a few buildings quickly became an indispensable partner for many institutional players. "In our business plan, we thought we'd be at break even after 3 years, and we were after 8 months!" confide the directors of BN Conseils. This success testifies to the perfect match between the company's offering and the real needs of the market.
Today, the team, which at the outset occupied "almost empty" offices, brings together a dozen highly qualified employees - urban planners, property developers, architects, thermal engineers, real estate experts and economists - and plans to soon reach its ideal size of around fifteen people. "We want to remain agile, flexible and efficient, and above all close to our business and our customers," Emanuel von Graffenried and Romain Nicod point out.
A comprehensive, strategic service offering
BN Conseils defines itself as a veritable "multidisciplinary toolbox" built around three main service categories:
Expert consultancy: technical, economic, legal, administrative and environmental (energy) appraisals of properties or entire portfolios, with particularly valued 360° strategic support.
Project management: from project management assistance (AMO) to complete real estate development.
Property prospecting and transactions: analysis of land for development, sale of investment properties, and identification of investment opportunities.
What sets BN Conseils apart is its ability to mobilize not only its own experts, but also all the resources of the 300 employees of the Bernard Nicod Group. "Our strength lies in being able to call on the Group's various departments to add an extra dimension to our advice," stress the directors.
A response to the challenges faced by real estate professionals
One of the keys to BN Conseils' success lies in its understanding of the challenges faced by asset managers and property managers. "You have to understand that asset managers or property managers and their teams are overwhelmed today," stress Emanuel von Graffenried and Romain Nicod. "They really use us as a toolbox, an additional injection of vital forces to advise them, analyze properties, make strategic recommendations and steer the execution of decisions."
This expertise is reflected in concrete projects throughout French-speaking Switzerland: building refurbishments and conversions in Geneva, Yverdon, Martigny, Lausanne and Prangins, real estate developments in Pully and Cheseaux, for private clients as well as German-speaking pension funds.
Sustainability as a driver of innovation
While sustainability is not the sole focus of BN Conseils, it is nevertheless a central pillar. "We are truly a 360° real estate consultancy, whose services are driven by the 'dynamics of sustainability'," they point out. Faced with the growing complexity of energy regulations, BN Conseils supports its customers in the sustainable optimization of their real estate assets, integrating these issues into a coherent global strategy.
A strategic role within the Bernard Nicod Group
BN Conseils also plays a central role in the development of the Bernard Nicod Group. "BN Conseils acts like a staff within the Group, we are the only cross-functional department," explain Emanuel von Graffenried and Romain Nicod. The team steers business development at Group level, while ensuring representation, branding, digital marketing and communication.
This strategic position fosters valuable synergies between the Group's different entities and opens up new business perspectives. Bernard Nicod himself is actively involved in this dynamic, acting as mentor and coach to the BN Conseils team.
A bridge between French- and German-speaking Switzerland
Bolstered by its solid roots in French-speaking Switzerland, with a network of 11 local agencies, the Bernard Nicod Group now intends, via BN Conseils, to strengthen its links with German-speaking Switzerland. "We see German-speaking Switzerland as a great opportunity for synergies," says Emanuel von Graffenried, whose family roots naturally facilitate connections with this region.
This strategic orientation responds to a growing demand from German-speaking Swiss customers wishing to invest in French-speaking Switzerland, and vice versa. To realize this vision, BN Conseils intends to develop targeted partnerships, notably with the von Graffenried Group.
A trusted partner for all your real estate projects
In just 18 months of existence, BN Conseils has established itself as a key player in real estate consulting in French-speaking Switzerland. Thanks to its multidisciplinary expertise, agility and integration within the Bernard Nicod Group, this innovative entity offers tailor-made solutions to the increasingly complex challenges of the real estate market.
Whether you're a private owner or an institutional investor, the BN Conseils team is with you every step of the way, from strategic analysis to realization.