Markus Wolf

Dr. Markus Wolf

Partner
Baker McKenzie Switzerland AG

Biography

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: "I appreciate working with Markus Wolf very much. His assessments are of very high quality and equally practical. He is also a very reliable contact, especially for time-critical enquiries." (Chambers Global, 2023).

Markus is a lecturer on private law at the University of St. Gallen (HSG).

Practice Focus

Markus advises on all aspects of banking and finance and restructuring and insolvency. He has extensive experience advising lenders, borrowers and sponsors on complex, multijurisdictional leveraged acquisition, corporate, project, export and property financing transactions. He also has experience in public sector (sovereign) financing. He regularly acts for Swiss and foreign creditors and debtors in domestic and cross-border financial restructurings and formal insolvency procedures.

Markus has published numerous articles on banking and finance and restructuring and insolvency topics in Swiss and international journals (including the Journal of International Banking and Financial Law, the International Financial Law Review and the Norton Journal of Bankruptcy Law and Practice).

Representative Legal Matters

  • Advised UBS on a CHF 9 billion Loss Protection Agreement with the Swiss Confederation in the context of the merger between UBS and Credit Suisse.

  • Advised UBS Switzerland AG, Credit Suisse (Switzerland) Ltd. and a syndicate of banks in CHF 1.5 billion revolving credit financing for Swiss International Air Lines AG and Edelweiss Air AG partially secured by the Swiss Confederation.

  • Advised BNP Paribas and Deutsche Bank on CHF 19 billion bridge financing for Roche Holding Ltd.

  • Advised Georg Fischer in connection with the bank financing of its EUR 2.1 billion voluntary public cash tender offer for all shares in Uponor.

  • Advised Feintool on its EUR 25 million Schuldscheindarlehen (promissory note loans) with Landesbank Baden-Württemberg acting as arranger.

  • Advised UBS-led bank syndicate on the financing of Ardian's acquisition of a stake in the Mimacom Flowable Group.

  • Advised VAT Group on CHF 450 million term and multicurrency revolving credit facilities agreement.

  • Advised Feintool on CHF 100 million revolving credit facility agreement.

  • Co-led the Baker McKenzie team that advised UBS Switzerland AG as sole Swiss legal counsel on the switch from LIBOR to risk-free rates in their Swiss-law-governed syndicated credit facility agreements with UBS Switzerland AG acting as agent.

  • Advised Zürcher Kantonalbank and Credit Suisse (Switzerland) Ltd. on CHF 900 million refinancing to Viseca. 

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • International Bar Association (Banking Law Committee and Insolvency Section) - Member
  • Australian Swiss Chamber of Commerce and Industry - Member
  • Swiss Bar Association - Member
  • Zurich Bar Association - Member
  • HSG Alumni - Member
  • ISC Alumni - Member

Admissions

  • Switzerland (2014)

Education

  • Loan Market Association (Syndicated Loans Course of Lawyers) (2017)
  • University of Sydney (LL.M.) (2017)
  • University of St. Gallen (Dr. iur. HSG) (2012)
  • University of St. Gallen (M.A. HSG in Law & Economics) (2010)
  • University of St. Gallen (B.A. HSG in Law & Economics) (2008)
  • Singapore Management University (Exchange Student) (2006)

Languages

  • English
  • German

Previous Offices

  • Sydney

Publications

Co-author, "Acquisition Financing," in: Ueli Studer, Kelsang Tsün and Joanna Long (ed.), Swiss M&A Practice Guide, Fourth Edition, London 2023

Co-author, "Distressed M&A in Switzerland," in: Ueli Studer, Kelsang Tsün and Joanna Long (ed.), Swiss M&A Practice Guide, Fourth Edition, London 2023

Co-author, "Lending to a Company in Switzerland: Legal and Documentation Issues," (2023) Practical Law Practice Note

Co-author, "Acquisition Financing," in: Ueli Studer, Kelsang Tsün and Sophie Stähli (ed.), Swiss M&A Practice Guide, Third Edition, London 2022

Co-author, "Lending to a Company in Switzerland: Structuring the Transaction," (2023) Practical Law Practice Note

Co-author, "Lending to a Company in Switzerland: Signing and Closing a Corporate Loan Transaction," (2023) Practical Law Practice Note