Event information
The Legal 500 proudly presents the Diversity & Inclusion Forum Switzerland 2024, in collaboration with key partner Schellenberg Wittmer, scheduled for September 24th, 2024, in the picturesque city of Zurich.
Join us for a day of unparalleled learning and networking as we explore the themes of diversity and inclusion. This event is specifically designed to equip general counsel and senior in-house legal professionals with the tools and strategies needed to overcome legal challenges and foster a culture of inclusion, ensuring that their companies not only meet legal standards but also thrive in a diverse global market.
Guided by an expert panel of speakers, the Diversity & Inclusion Forum Switzerland 2024 will provide actionable insights and practical solutions to help you lead the charge for positive change within the legal industry.
Don’t miss this opportunity to participate in a conference tailored for Switzerland-based in-house counsel eager to elevate their professional growth and drive transformative change within their organisations.
Agenda
5.00pm – 5.30pm Arrival and Registration
5.30pm – 5.35pm Welcome Address
- Sara Maggi, deputy editor GC Powerlist Series, Legal 500
- Philippe Bärtsch, managing partner, Schellenberg Wittmer
5.35pm – 6.25pm Unlocking talent and innovation through diversity and inclusion: strategies and best practices in legal departments
In this rapid-fire session, senior legal counsel will discuss ideas, strategies, and best practices to develop talent and promote innovation through diversity and inclusion, using concrete examples that have proven successful and have helped position their teams for the future.
- Anya George, partner, Schellenberg Wittmer
- Markus Lang, general counsel, Europe West, EY
- Valérie Collaudin, general counsel, head of sustainability, Gurit
- Aziz Aidaros, vice president, associate general counsel, Europe, Philip Morris International
- Nina Cronstedt, group chief legal and compliance officer and general counsel, Verisure
6.25pm – 7.15pm Bridging generations and cultures: the power of age and background in the legal teams of the future
This session focuses on the value diversity brings to the legal department. Different genders, upbringings, cultures, and age groups influence how we work together. Looking at things from different angles allows us to find solutions to problems that with more homogenous teams probably would not have been found. During this panel, legal professionals of different age and genders will discuss their experience on how diverse backgrounds positively influence the efficiency of their legal teams.
- George Ayoub, partner, Schellenberg Wittmer
- Cornelis (Kees) Van Ophem, executive vice president and global general counsel, Fresenius Medical Care
- Sarah Chevalley, associate general counsel, Lonza
- Cyrill Bachmann, general counsel and secretary to the board of directors, AMEOS Gruppe
- Marcella De Luca, senior counsel, Deutsche Bank
7.15pm – 7.20pm Closing Remarks
7.20pm – 9.00pm Drinks and canapes
Speakers
Sara Maggi, deputy editor GC Powerlist Series, Legal 500
Sara Maggi joined the Legal 500’s editorial team, specialising on the in-house legal community, in 2022; since then, she has led the research for several editions of the GC Powerlist Series, aimed at highlighting the expertise of in-house counsel worldwide.
In researching for the GC Powerlist Series, Sara has had the opportunity to interview a large number of globally acclaimed general counsel, chief legal officers, and heads of legal using English, Italian and Spanish. Sara’s passion and interest in corporate governance have allowed for conversations, reports and write-ups concerning hot topics in the area such as ESG, legal tech, diversity and inclusion and changes to the role of general counsel in years to come.
Sara holds a BA from the University of Westminster and an LLM in International Corporate Governance from the University of Law in the United Kingdom. She was a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in 2022.
Philippe Bärtsch, managing partner, Schellenberg Wittmer
Philippe Bärtsch is Schellenberg Wittmer’s current managing partner, a vice-chair of the International Arbitration Practice Group, and a co-head of the Sports Practice Group. He represents clients in complex international commercial, investment, and sports arbitration matters as well as in setting-aside proceedings before the Swiss Supreme Court.
Diversity & Inclusion has always been close to Philippe’s heart, being a strong supporter of Schellenberg Wittmer’s D&I Taskforce “SW IDEA”.
Anya George, partner, Schellenberg Wittmer
Anya George is a trilingual and dual qualified lawyer (Switzerland and England and Wales). She represents clients in complex international commercial and investment arbitration matters, as well as in enforcement and setting-aside proceedings before the Swiss Supreme Court. Her main areas of expertise are energy infrastructure, natural resources, insurance and reinsurance contracts, and manufacturing and sales agreements. She is ranked as one of the best of her generation worldwide in several legal directories.
Anya also advises clients on ESG-related disputes and co-heads Schellenberg Wittmer’s ESG practice group. As one of the firm’s four diversity officers and a member of the taskforce SW IDEA, Anya coordinates various initiatives to promote diversity, inclusion, equity and awareness within the firm and across its activities.
George Ayoub, partner, Schellenberg Wittmer
George Ayoub is a partner in Schellenberg Wittmer’s dispute resolution, white-collar crime and compliance, and internal corporate investigations groups in Geneva. His key areas of expertise and practice focus on white-collar crime, international mutual legal assistance, extradition, asset tracing and recovery, and internal corporate investigations. George is also specialised in regulatory and compliance issues as well as in matters of trade sanctions, embargoes and export controls.
As one of the firm’s four Diversity Officers, George coordinates various initiatives to promote diversity, inclusion, equity and awareness within the firm and across its activities.
Markus Lang, general counsel, Europe West, EY
Valérie Collaudin, general counsel, head of sustainability, Gurit
Valérie Collaudin is general counsel and head of sustainability at Gurit, a leading Swiss manufacturer of advanced composite materials with a global presence in the wind and marine industries. In her role, she oversees the group’s legal, compliance and sustainability functions. Based in Zurich, she has been with Gurit since January 2022. Before this, Valérie was head of international affairs at Implenia, Switzerland’s leading construction and real estate services provider. She has also held various legal positions at Alstom and GE, handling major power infrastructure contracts, M&A, JVs, and corporate matters.
Aziz Aidaros, vice president, associate general counsel, Europe, Philip Morris International
Aziz Aidaros is the vice president and associate general counsel for the Europe region at PMI (Philip Morris International). He leads a team of 70 highly skilled lawyers who provide legal support to PMI’s business and functional leaders across Europe. This support ensures that legal and regulatory complexities are effectively managed while addressing the business’s needs, mitigating risks, and contributing to PMI’s vision of a Smoke-Free Future.
Aziz’s background is diverse, both academically and professionally. Originally from Egypt, he earned his Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from Cairo University. He furthered his education by obtaining two Masters of Laws (LL.M.) —one from the American University in Cairo and the other from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.. During his time at Georgetown, Aziz completed an externship at the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Office of International Affairs, marking a critical point in his early career.
Aziz started his legal career in private practice and has been with PMI since 2012. Over the years, he has held various leadership roles, particularly within the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region. He moved with his family to Lausanne in 2016 to assume his senior counsel role with PMI’s M&A and venture capital teams, where he was involved in major acquisitions and investments. Before taking on his current role in Europe, Aziz was the associate general counsel for the Middle East, Africa, and Duty-Free markets.
Nina Cronstedt, group chief legal and compliance officer and general counsel, Verisure
Cornelis (Kees) Van Ophem, executive vice president and global general counsel, Fresenius Medical Care
Kees van Ophem, originally from The Netherlands, joined Fresenius Medical Care on January
2015 as Executive Vice President & Global General Counsel.
Kees studied law at University of Amsterdam and New York University (LL.M; Fulbrightscholar).
He started his career at international law firms both in the USA and Europe. His in-house career
as General Counsel and head of Compliance led him through a complete cycle in the telecoms’
industry over a period of almost 15 years and since 2015 in various sectors in the life sciences
and healthcare markets.
He is married to Karina and has two sons, who share his passion for football, and he lives with
them in Switzerland.
Sarah Chevalley, associate general counsel, Lonza
Sarah Chevalley is associate general counsel, corporate and transactions, at Lonza. Prior to joining Lonza, Sarah worked at Homburger and other leading Swiss law firms, advising both Swiss and international clients on M&A transactions and general corporate matters, including corporate governance. She is a dual-qualified attorney (Switzerland and New York) and holds an LLM from Columbia Law School.
Cyrill Bachmann, general counsel and secretary to the board of directors, AMEOS Gruppe
Cyrill possesses over two decades of professional experience across multiple industries including consumer goods, logistics, and medical devices.
He has held leadership positions in several countries and provided advice to executives across Europe, the United States, Latin America and Asia.
Cyrill is a part of AMEOS’ extended management team, an international healthcare provider, where he is responsible for legal compliance, data protection and insurance.
Marcella De Luca, senior counsel, Deutsche Bank
Marcella De Luca is a member of the legal department of Deutsche Bank, an entity of Deutsche Bank. Marcella is a Swiss qualified lawyer and in her daily activities, she covers numerous legal topics with a focus on banking regulatory and civil law. Marcella is part of the Diversity and Inclusion EMEA Legal Council of Deutsche Bank.
In association with...
Schellenberg Wittmer is a leading Swiss Business Law firm with offices in Geneva, Zurich, and Singapore. The firm has been practicing in its current form for 20 years. Schellenberg Wittmer is recognized and respected internationally for its legal excellence and its progressive stance in an otherwise conservative market.
Schellenberg Wittmer is the leading firm in Switzerland for diversity and inclusion, having one of the highest numbers of women in management positions, and in 2019 Caroline Clementson was elected to the Management Committee as the first female partner in Switzerland. Moreover, the firm is the first to promote specialized LGBTQI+ initiatives and has diverse representation at all levels, including within the firm’s Management Committee.
The SW IDEA task force – Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Awareness – aims to support the firm’s values that all LGBTQI+ individuals should feel accepted and valued, and grow within the Schellenberg Wittmer family and beyond, independently from their sexual orientation and gender identity; and translate those values into actions.
Schellenberg Wittmer has in recent years partnered with multiple organizations that promote diversity and inclusion, including non-profit associations: The Women in Business Society, Frauenarbeit, Le Refuge, and Regenbogen Familien.