Citywealth Leaders List, 60 second interview – Maria Pia Buchi, Harneys Fiduciary
This week’s 60 seconds Citywealth Leaders List interview is dedicated to Maria Pia Buchi, Chief Commercial Officer, Harneys Fiduciary, Deputy Chief Commercial Officer, Ascentium.
Tell Citywealth readers a bit about your role.
As Chief Commercial Officer of Harneys Fiduciary, I am responsible for setting and executing our global commercial strategy, coordinating teams across Asia, EMEA, and the Americas. My role involves anticipating market trends and changes whilst remaining agile enough to react to our fast-changing world and ensuring we remain client-centric in everything we do.
This is an exciting moment for us. In 2024, Harneys Fiduciary joined forces with Ascentium, and my role has expanded significantly as a result. I now also serve as Deputy Chief Commercial Officer at Ascentium, which means I interact with new markets, products, and business units. As we approach our rebrand, this represents a significant milestone for our organisation.
What does a typical day look like for you?
I work with diverse teams across our global offices, and whilst we maintain best practices and try to be as harmonious as possible, there are always regional demands requiring regional solutions.
No two days are the same-which is precisely what I love about this role. I work across vastly different markets, each with its own culture, client expectations, and commercial dynamics. From Asia to EMEA to the Americas, I collaborate with diverse teams who bring regional expertise, whilst we strive to maintain a unified approach to best practices.
Much of my day involves orchestrating the exchange of market intelligence with colleagues, anticipating trends, and ensuring we can react swiftly when the landscape shifts. Regional demands require regional solutions, and my role is to ensure our teams have the support and strategic direction they need, wherever they are in the world.
What challenges do your clients face and how are you helping your clients to overcome them?
Honestly, the biggest challenge I see is that clients struggle to find advisers who understand the full picture. Our clients are increasingly international, with interests and families spread across multiple jurisdictions. That complexity can be overwhelming, and too often, they go to one professional for one issue, another for another, and nobody connects the dots. They end up with fragmented advice and more questions than answers.
What clients really want is certainty. At Harneys Fiduciary, we aim to be the provider who can look at a client’s situation and say: “Here’s what I see, here’s how we can help, and where we can’t do it ourselves, we’ll bring in the right people from our network.” It’s about seeing the whole person, not just one piece of the puzzle.
What is your proudest professional achievement?
My proudest professional achievement is not a single accomplishment; it is all the people I have seen mature and grow alongside me throughout my career. Having been at this institution for 15 years, I have watched people grow, develop into their own persons, and build their own teams.
When you hear that you were part of someone’s journey and an enabler in some way, that is incredibly meaningful. To me, if you have not done anything else right, but you have done that part right, that matters.
What do you consider to be the most important attributes for a leader?
I think it comes down to showing up-and showing up in every sense of the word. It is not just about being physically present; it is about being there mentally and psychologically, understanding the people around you, and ensuring they know they can count on you.
It is about trust and true presence. Not showing up just to be there and smile but being that silent force that people know they can rely on when it matters.
Who do you most admire and why?
I would not be able to put a single person because it truly is a combination of people. There are powerful women within my family who made me who I am today – many generations came before me. There are people I work with who have taught me a lot and continue to teach me, both within my organisation and peers from across the industry. There are also external leaders I continue to look up to.
It is this combination of people, across different parts of my life, who have shaped me.
Where was the last place you travelled to for work or pleasure?
For work, I recently travelled to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and for pleasure, I visited Japan. I had a fantastic time in both.
If you weren’t in this industry, what else might you be doing?
Something in hospitality. I love having people over, decorating, and the small touches that make gatherings special. My dream is to have a high-end but intimate bed and breakfast-perhaps a chateau-style property in Tuscany, as it consolidates many of my interests: architecture, gathering people together, and creating beautiful experiences.
How do you relax after a long day?
I love reading and taking long walks.
Harneys Fiduciary’s Citywealth Leaders List profile
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