Growing up on the left bank of Lake Zurich, Gottstein first played junior football for FC Zürich before embarking on a successful amateur golf career.
Gottstein was a member of the Swiss national team at five consecutive World Amateur Championships (Eisenhower Trophy) from 1984-1992 and was also a member of the continental European team at the 1988 St Andrews Trophy in St Andrews, Scotland.
[1][2] However, Thomas Gottstein decided against a career as a professional athlete and studied business administration and economics at the University of Zurich, graduating in 1989.
After 17 years in London, he moved to Zürich in January 2010 and became Head of Investment Banking Switzerland Coverage.
Due to a certified high risk of heart attack, Thomas Gottstein decided to step down as Group CEO in July 2022.