History​

​

BCO LYON and its relationship with the Pagani family.​

In 1989, Mr. Carlo Pagani, a banker from Lugano, acquired the BANCO LYON, a historic commercial bank established in Costa Rica, with the immediate goal of transfroming it into a universal bank. Banco Lyon then opened its European branch, BCO LYON SA, headquartered in Lugano, Switzerland
In 1996, Mr. Pagani sold BANCO LYON Costa Rica to an international banking group while retaining the Swiss entity, BCO LYON SA.
BCO LYON SA the evolved into the Family Office of the Pagani family and a select group of clients, focusing on wealth management and traditional family office services. Over the years, the Family Office extended its wealth management and administration services to additional clients, ultimately transfroming into a multi-family office boutique.​

​

Since 1843, the beginnings of BANCO LYON​

Captain William Le Lacheur first came to Costa Rica in 1843, where he played a key role in the economic development of the country. He arrived in Puntarenas and traveled to San José to meet with the coffee plantation owners. He convinced them in two important aspects, which are for the country to export coffee directly to Europe without passing through Valparaiso, Chile, and for parents to allow him to take 16 of their children to be educated at universities in England. These young Costa Ricans all eventually returned home as professionals and introduced the sport of soccer in the country. William focused his efforts and all his ships to engage in trade of Costa Rican coffee with Europe.

Le Lacheur had 5 children, his youngest daughter, Louisa Maria Le Lacheur, married Benjamin Abbot Lyon. When William died in 1863, his son John Allez Le Lacheur and his son-in-law Benjamin Lyon continued the coffee export activity and associated with Costa Rican families and created the first coffee exporting company called Le Lacheur, Dent & Company.

William's grandson, George Lyon, founded BANCO LYON in 1944.