Baron Jean-Conrad Hottinguer

This resulted in a number of fruitful commercial and business relationships, including the Bishop of Autun, Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord.

Hottinger & Cie became intimately involved in financial and trade industries in France, Switzerland and many other areas of the world thanks to the work of Hottinguer.

In the late 18th century, Hottinguer was one of the French agents involved in the XYZ Affair, a much-publicized diplomatic scandal between France and the United States.

In the beginning 19th century, a family friend and associate, Henri Escher, established the first Hottinger representative office in America.

His son, Alfred Escher, founded Credit Suisse, the École Polytechnique of Zurich, and Gotthard Rail Company before being made President of the national council.