Confidentiality and Data Protection

Data privacy and data protection laws and regulations help protect your right to privacy. It is therefore vital that you know how we process your data at Forest Wealth SA.

Forest Wealth SA is committed to protecting the privacy and security of our clients’ personal data. This Data Privacy Notice section outlines our practices in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

Forest Wealth SA is registered in Switzerland, Company No. CHE-335.995.515, and affiliated with SO-FIT (Organisme de Surveillance pour Intermédiaires Financiers & Trustees), Affiliate No. 1260. We operate in compliance with the following data protection frameworks:

The Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (revFADP), effective 1 September 2023
The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), where applicable
The UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), where applicable

We act as a data controller for personal data relating to clients and advisers. In some circumstances, Independent Financial Advisers (IFAs) operating under our structure may also be considered joint controllers when determining the means and purposes of data processing.

At Forest Wealth SA, we take the appropriate steps to prevent:

Unauthorised processing of personal data
Any processing that is not in adherence with applicable laws and regulations

We are committed to maintaining the confidentiality of the information you provide to us, sharing it only with your permission under this agreement and as necessary to provide or enhance our services.

Your personal information will always be treated as private and confidential, even after you are no longer a client. Exceptions to this confidentiality will only be made when disclosure is at your request, with your explicit consent, or when mandated by legal requirements. We will retain your details in line with FRSA and revFADP requirements.

Collection of Personal Data

We collect and process various types of personal data that are necessary for providing our financial advice and investment services in line with the regulatory landscape in the jurisdictions of our operation. This may include, but is not limited to:

Contact details (name, address, phone number, email)
Identification information (ID number, passport details)
Financial information (bank account details, investment portfolio)
Transactional data (details of transactions and investments)
Compliance/KYC documentation
Communication records

Purpose of Data Collection

The personal data we collect is used for the following purposes:

Providing financial, insurance and investment advice
Managing and administering client accounts
Compliance with legal and regulatory obligations
Processing transactions and maintaining financial and compliance records
Communicating with clients, regulators, and service providers
Ensuring system integrity and data security
Improving our services and customer experience

Legal Basis for Processing

Forest Wealth processes your personal data based on the following legal grounds:

The performance of a contract
Compliance with legal obligations (e.g., SO-FIT, FINMA)
Your consent, where applicable (e.g., marketing communications)
Our legitimate interests (e.g., fraud prevention, service improvement)

We do not process special categories of sensitive personal data unless required by law or with your explicit consent.

Data Retention

We retain data securely and only for as long as necessary for the purpose it was collected, in accordance with legal requirements:

Client records: retained for 10 years following the end of the relationship
Compliance documents: retained as required by applicable laws and regulations

We delete or anonymise data when it is no longer needed.

Data Sharing

Forest Wealth SA may share your personal data with Forest Wealth associated companies. This sharing may be necessary to implement advice provided to you and to enhance your overall client experience.

We ensure that all Forest Wealth associated companies adhere to strict data protection standards, which comply with the relevant privacy laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions.

These privacy laws and regulations may differ depending on the jurisdiction of operation.

We reserve the right to share personal data with third parties in the following cases:

With regulatory authorities and law enforcement agencies, when required
With service providers who assist us in delivering our services
With product providers and insurance companies
With external IT support
With external compliance and audit companies
With Forest Wealth associated entities for record-keeping and administrative purposes
With external companies as necessary to provide our services

International Data Transfers

Where personal data is transferred outside Switzerland or the EEA, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, including:

Adequacy decisions recognised by the relevant supervisory authority
Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) or equivalent mechanisms
Binding corporate rules where applicable

Third Parties

Forest Wealth uses third-party service providers to provide our services. By agreeing to these Client Terms, you consent to Forest Wealth SA sharing information you have provided to us with third-party service providers to obtain quotes and facilitate the execution of your contract with your chosen product provider on your behalf.

All third-party processors are subject to formal Data Processing Agreements (DPAs) to ensure adequate levels of protection.

Security Measures

We apply a combination of technical and organisational security measures to safeguard personal data, including:

Role-based access controls
Encryption of data in transit and at rest
Secure backups and disaster recovery protocols
Staff and adviser data protection training
Internal monitoring and breach response procedures

Breach Notification

In the event of a personal data breach, we will:

Assess the nature and severity of the breach
Notify the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC) or relevant EU/UK authority within 72 hours, if required
Inform affected individuals where there is a high risk to their rights

In cases where profiling is used (e.g., investment suitability assessments), individuals are informed and have the right to request a manual review.

Automated Decisions and Profiling

Forest Wealth does not engage in automated decision-making that produces legal effects without human involvement. Where profiling is used (e.g., investment suitability assessments), individuals will be notified and may request a human review.

Marketing

Forest Wealth may occasionally send you information about new products or services that could interest you. You can opt out of these communications anytime by contacting us at info@forestwealth.com.

You may also opt out by using the ‘unsubscribe’ link in our emails.

The data provided may be used for the following marketing purposes:

To send newsletters, promotional offers, and special discounts
To inform you about upcoming events, products, or services
To deliver personalised marketing content based on your preferences

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Swiss Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC) if you believe your data is being processed in violation of applicable laws.

Client Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

The right to access personal data
The right to rectification of inaccurate or incomplete data
The right to erasure of personal data (where lawful)
The right to restrict or object to data processing
The right to data portability (under GDPR)
The right to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent

Requests will be acknowledged within 5 working days and completed within 30 calendar days, unless legal constraints apply.

Contact

Data Protection Officer (DPO)
Forest Wealth SA
Rue Neuve du Molard 19, 1204 Genève, Switzerland
Email: info@forestwealth.com