Switzerland: Autumn Seminar 2022: The New Company Law – What Does it Mean for You

Dr. Alexander Blaeser is a partner in Baker McKenzie's Zurich office and a member of the Firm's Mergers & Acquisition and Banking & Finance practice groups. Before joining the Firm in April 2013 as an associate, he worked for two years as a law clerk in another major Zurich law firm and was admitted to the Zurich bar in 2013. Dr. Blaeser graduated from the University of St. Gallen law school in 2008 and obtained a doctoral degree (Dr. iur.) from the University of St. Gallen in 2011 for his doctorate thesis on the rules regarding interest in the Swiss Code of Obligations. Together with Lukas Glanzmann, Alexander Blaeser wrote a commentary on the rules regarding the approval of executive compensation (articles 18, 19 and 31, para. 2 and 3) of the Swiss ordinance against excessive compensation in listed companies

Dr. Matthias Courvoisier is a partner in Baker McKenzie's Zurich office and the head of the Firm's Capital Markets Practice Group. He is also a member of the Firm's European Capital Markets Steering Committee. For more than 20 years, Matthias has worked on legal matters relating to capital markets law, mergers and acquisitions, as well as litigation in these fields. He is a co-editor of the commentary on the listing rules of SIX Swiss Exchange and he has written various articles on capital markets law-related topics. Matthias served as a member of the committee tasked with drafting the standards for auditing public takeover offers and the rules of the SIX Swiss Exchange on the listing of SPACs. He is a regular speaker at the Zurich capital markets' events and webinars and other seminars.

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Martin Furrer is a member of the Management Committee of the Zurich office. He co-heads the Firm’s Real Estate Transaction and Banking & Finance practice groups in Zurich. He is a member of the Europe Real Estate Steering Committee and a former member of the European Regional Council and the Policy Committee of Baker McKenzie International. He is ranked among the leading lawyers in his areas of practice by various publications, including Legal 500 and Chambers Europe. Before joining Baker McKenzie, Mr. Furrer worked for McKinsey & Company as a management consultant. He currently serves as a member of the board of directors of publicly listed and non-listed companies.

Prof. Lukas Glanzmann heads the Firm's European Restructuring & Insolvency Steering Committee and is a member of the European Banking & Finance Steering Committee. He further co-heads the Swiss Banking & Finance as well as the Restructuring & Insolvency practice groups. He is ranked among the leading lawyers in his areas of practice by various publications, including Chambers. Lukas Glanzmann graduated from the University of St. Gallen law school and obtained a doctoral degree in the field of corporate law from the University of St. Gallen and a LL.M. degree from Harvard Law School. In 2006, Lukas Glanzmann finished his habilitation and today, he holds the position of a titular professor of business law at the University of St. Gallen. Lukas Glanzmann has published various articles and books in the fields of corporate, finance, accounting, restructuring and insolvency law. Since 2012 he has been a member of the Swiss Federal Commission of Experts for the Commercial Register.

Dr. Valentina Hirsiger is senior associate in Baker McKenzie’s Arbitration and Litigation Group in Zurich. Prior to joining the Firm as an associate in 2016, Valentina was an associate lecturer and research assistant at the University of Zurich and was awarded the Walter Hug Prize for her doctoral thesis on arbitration clauses in articles of association of Swiss corporations. Since 2023, Valentina has acted as a part-time judge at the Princely Supreme Court in Liechtenstein.

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Susanne Liebel-Kotz is a member of the Firm’s Global Tax and Real Estate practice groups in Zurich. She has almost 10 years of broad international tax planning and M&A experience. Before joining Baker McKenzie, she worked in another major law firm in Munich. Susanne Liebel-Kotz was admitted to practice as an Attorney-at-Law in Germany in 2012, and earned additional qualification in 2015 as a Certified Tax Adviser and a Specialist Lawyer for Tax Law (Fachanwältin für Steuerrecht). In 2019, she qualified as a Swiss Certified Tax Expert and was awarded for outstanding academic achievements ("Best 3" Swiss Certified Tax Experts graduates award). Susanne is a frequent speaker on seminars and other events regarding various taxation issues, in particular with respect to international taxation.

Yves Mauchle is a partner in Baker McKenzie’s Corporate Finance Practice Area in Zurich. He practices in capital markets and financial regulation and is ranked by Chambers Europe. Yves joined the Firm in 2011 as a trainee lawyer, rejoined as an associate in 2016 and became a partner in 2023. He regularly publishes in the fields of capital markets, financial services regulation and digital transformation.

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Dr. Manuel Meyer joined Baker McKenzie Zurich in 2005 as a law clerk and re-joined in 2008 as a lawyer. Dr. Meyer is a member of the global Innovation Committee and of the Practice Groups Global Reorganizations and Mergers & Acquisitions. He is a German and French native speaker with an excellent command of English.

Dr. Markus Wolf is a partner in the Zurich office of Baker McKenzie. He is co-head of the Swiss Banking & Finance Practice Group and member of the Swiss Restructuring & Insolvency team. He has previously worked in the Firm's Sydney office and he was seconded to the legal team of one of Switzerland's leading banks. Prior to joining Baker McKenzie in 2012, he worked as a visiting associate with The Boston Consulting Group. Clients say, 'Markus Wolf provides fast and professional services and is very pleasant to work with.' (Legal 500, 2020). Markus is a lecturer on private law at the University of St. Gallen (HSG).