Baker McKenzie advised global investment house Vontobel in the acquisition of UBS Swiss Financial Advisers AG ("SFA"), a Zurich-based subsidiary of UBS AG.
With the takeover of SFA, Vontobel plans to further strengthen its position as a provider of regionally diversified strategies with a global approach. Vontobel, through Vontobel Swiss Wealth Advisors ("VSWA"), is already one of the leading Swiss providers of wealth management solutions for US clients and qualified Canadian investors and has been expanding its wealth management business with this client base for more than 10 years with teams in New York, Geneva and Zurich.
With this acquisition, Vontobel will combine SFA's and VSWA's existing business for North American wealth management clients. Preparations for this will begin after the closing of the transaction, probably in the third quarter of 2022. Once the transaction has closed, Vontobel is expected to become the largest Swiss wealth manager for North American clients seeking to diversify their assets into Switzerland.
An international Baker McKenzie team advised Vontobel in all legal aspects of the acquisition, covering mergers & acquisitions, wealth management, capital markets, employment, financial regulatory, as well as antitrust and tax.
The Baker McKenzie Switzerland team was led by partners Alexander Fischer and Marnin Michaels, and it included partners Alexander Blaeser, Peter Reinert and Gregory Walsh, senior associates Philippine Dalla Corte, Susanne Liebel-Kotz, Yves Mauchle and Roger Thomi, associates Bruna Barbosa, Sarah Poncini and Lisa Weinert as well as trainee lawyers Kristina Martinovic and Raphael Schneuwly.
Partners Kristin E. Rice-Gonzalez and Karl P. Egbert, along with senior counsel Mark D. Fitterman, took the lead on the US regulatory side. Their team included partners George M. Clarke and Teisha C. Johnson as well as associate Rebecca Matey.
With the takeover of SFA, Vontobel plans to further strengthen its position as a provider of regionally diversified strategies with a global approach. Vontobel, through Vontobel Swiss Wealth Advisors ("VSWA"), is already one of the leading Swiss providers of wealth management solutions for US clients and qualified Canadian investors and has been expanding its wealth management business with this client base for more than 10 years with teams in New York, Geneva and Zurich.
With this acquisition, Vontobel will combine SFA's and VSWA's existing business for North American wealth management clients. Preparations for this will begin after the closing of the transaction, probably in the third quarter of 2022. Once the transaction has closed, Vontobel is expected to become the largest Swiss wealth manager for North American clients seeking to diversify their assets into Switzerland.
An international Baker McKenzie team advised Vontobel in all legal aspects of the acquisition, covering mergers & acquisitions, wealth management, capital markets, employment, financial regulatory, as well as antitrust and tax.
The Baker McKenzie Switzerland team was led by partners Alexander Fischer and Marnin Michaels, and it included partners Alexander Blaeser, Peter Reinert and Gregory Walsh, senior associates Philippine Dalla Corte, Susanne Liebel-Kotz, Yves Mauchle and Roger Thomi, associates Bruna Barbosa, Sarah Poncini and Lisa Weinert as well as trainee lawyers Kristina Martinovic and Raphael Schneuwly.
Partners Kristin E. Rice-Gonzalez and Karl P. Egbert, along with senior counsel Mark D. Fitterman, took the lead on the US regulatory side. Their team included partners George M. Clarke and Teisha C. Johnson as well as associate Rebecca Matey.
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