Europe - Switzerland

Schellenberg Wittmer Ltd

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Schellenberg Wittmer Ltd assists Swiss and foreign banks and other financial institutions, such as investment firms, insurance companies, fund management companies and asset managers, with a broad range of matters, including establishment and licensing, regulation of financial services, enforcement proceedings and internal investigations. The team is particularly strong on the transactional side – assisting clients with syndicated loan facilities and acquisition finance, structured finance transactions, derivatives, and asset management. The team is led by Grégoire Wuest, who has a special focus on multi-jurisdictional transactions involving non-standard and highly valuable assets securing borrowings as well as cross-border acquisitions, and Tarek Houdrouge, whose practice covers advising banks, financial institutions and financial intermediaries on regulatory matters, cross-border activities, lending transactions, distribution of financial products, and fintech. Caroline Clemetson handles requests with FINMA for securities firms, fintech banking licences, amendment of banks, and implementing new regulations such as ESG within banking institutions whilst Grégoire Tribolet advises numerous clients, both established banks and fintech start-ups, on their projects related to blockchain technology. Other key team members include Christoph Vonlanthen, Joane Etienne, Luc Thévenoz, and Edmond Kohler.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘They can anticipate the key challenges we could face in the banking industry so that we can manage them proactively. They demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of the legal aspect of our work, but also a good understanding of the cultural specificities of our firm.'

  • 'They are very innovative as they are also able to support us in legal aspects of new technologies such as blockchain or tokenization.’

  • ‘ Tarek Houdrouge demonstrates both a very strong in-depth legal knowledge in each specific banking topic I addressed with him, and very good strategy skills. ’

  • ‘The Schellenberg Wittmer team has very practicable solutions for business. They understand the market and the related risk areas. It is always a pleasure to discuss legal topics with the team. They provide very useful insights.’

  • ‘Tarek Houdrouge is knowledgeable, understands the issues and provides very clear solutions. It is always a pleasure to work with him.’

  • ‘ The team provides fast answers and efficient handling of requests.’

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Key clients

  • UBS
  • BNP Paribas
  • Raiffeisen Switzerland
  • Credit Suisse
  • Crypto Fund AG
  • Nord Anglia Education
  • Emeram
  • eny Finance AG
  • Bank Julius Baer
  • Futures Industry Association (FIA)
  • Swiss Bankers Association (SBA)
  • China Construction Bank
  • Reuss Private Group AG
  • Helvetische Bank AG
  • Bank Itau (Suisse) SA
  • Banco Santander
  • Banque Thaler
  • Bank Vontobel
  • Deutsche Bank SA
  • Diamond Capital Management (Switzerland) Ltd
  • EFG Bank
  • Mirabaud & Cie SA
  • UBP
  • Reichmuth Investment Management AG
  • CACEIS
  • Landolt Investment SICAV
  • Procimmo SA
  • Oxford Finance LLC
  • e-GTSA S. A
  • Standard Chartered
  • Leonteq
  • Barclays Bank PLC
  • International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA)
  • Schroder & Co Bank
  • Pierer Mobility AG
  • Alpian SA
  • Lennox International
  • Computershare / Equatex
  • Aldo Group
  • LokRoll3 AG
  • Arsenal Capital Partners
  • CAT Financial Products Ltd.
  • 1875 Finance

Work highlights

  • Advised Beaumier in connection with a €200m loan from Cheyne Capital.    
  • Assisted the founding partners of 1875 Finance on its strategic partnership with Reyl & Cie SA,  whereby Reyl has acquired a 40% interest in 1875 Finance.
  • Advised Swiss Start-up Swiss4.0 SA on obtaining its fintech license with the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA).    

Lawyers

Rising stars

Joane Etienne

Joane Etienne

Schellenberg Wittmer Ltd

Joane Etienne is a Counsel in our Banking & Finance Group. Her main areas of practice are asset management and collective investment schemes, financial market regulations, anti-money laundering, sustainable finance and corporate law. Based in Geneva and Zurich, she advises clients on structuring their business, implementing and complying with financial market regulations, setting up funds and distribution structures, financing transactions, investment projects as well as automatic exchange of information and FATCA.

Edmond Kohler

Edmond Kohler

Schellenberg Wittmer Ltd

Edmond Kohler is a Counsel in our Banking and Finance, Corporate & Commercial and Mergers & Acquisitions Group in Geneva. He specializes in banking and finance, in particular in the fields of financing, national and cross-border M&A, corporate law and commercial contracts.

Leading individuals

Tarek Houdrouge

Schellenberg Wittmer Ltd

Tarek Houdrouge is Co-Head of our Banking and Finance Group in Geneva and a Partner in our Mergers and Acquisitions Group. He specializes in banking and finance, national and cross-border M&A, corporate law and commercial contracts, including corporate restructurings, corporate governance matters, finance transactions, private equity and venture capital.Experience: Assisted banks and investors in acquisitions/disposals of banks and clients' portfolios and in merger projects in the banking sector Advises Swiss and foreign banks and financial institutions in all regulatory matters and in lending transactions Counsel to Swiss and foreign banks and financial institutions in cross-border activities, including distribution of financial products Swiss counsel to Procter & Gamble International Operations SA in the sales of Select Specialty P&G Beauty brands to Coty Inc. and of the Duracell business to Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Regular assistance to clients, including multinational groups of companies, on corporate law and corporate governance

Grégoire Wuest, LL.M.

Schellenberg Wittmer Ltd

Grégoire Wuest is a Partner in Schellenberg Wittmer's Geneva office and Co-Head of our Banking and Finance Group. His practice focuses on banking and finance, in particular in the fields of private banking, where he advises banks and financial institutions on regulatory and clients' matters, and complex finance transactions. He also advises private clients on all aspects of trusts and international estate planning.Experience: Advising international and Swiss banks, financial institutions and financial intermediaries and insurance companies on regulatory, business and legal matters, such as the implementation of new regulations  Counsel to banks and financial institutions on their restructuration and extension of services (e.g. sales and acquisitions of client portfolios, opening of branches or subsidiaries in Switzerland or abroad, development of new products and services offered to clients, digitalization), covering both the regulatory side (with FINMA approval) and the corporate/contractual aspects Advising banks on complex cross-border finance transactions, with a focus on transactions secured by unusual assets such as business jets, yachts, art, etc. Extensive experience in corporate and transactional matters, focus on the shipping and business aviation industries Advising private clients on all aspects of trusts and international estate planning

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Grégoire Wuest, Tarek Houdrouge

Other key lawyers

Caroline Clemetson, Grégoire Tribolet, Christoph Vonlanthen, Luc Thévenoz, Joane Etienne, Edmond Kohler