Covid-19-Information

Program

Speakers

• 
  Dr. Annabella Bassler CFO Ringier AG

  Annabella Bassler (*1977) has been CFO of Ringier AG since June 2012. She began her career at Ringier in 2007, working in a number of financial roles. In addition she has also been responsible for Ringier’s activities in Romania since mid-2014. She is a member of the Board of Directors of Ticketcorner AG and Ringier Digital Ventures AG, and is also on the board of the child welfare organisation Plan International Switzerland. She studied economics at the European Business School in Oestrich-Winkel, Buenos Aires and Los Angeles, subsequently completing a doctorate. After gaining practical experience in consulting, Annabella Bassler worked from 2004 to 2007 in various financial roles for Hamburg Süd, formerly the Oetker Group’s shipping company, in Hamburg.

  Learn more
• 
  Dr. Markus Braun Senior Lecturer in International Management ZHAW School of Management and Law

  Markus Braun is a Lecturer in International Management at the ZHAW School of Management and Law. His research focuses on international management, crossborder mergers & acquisitions and business in emerging markets with a focus on China. He teaches in undergraduate and graduate education as well as executive management courses. Prior to joining ZHAW, he served as Head of Corporate Office at Diethelm Keller Holding AG in Zurich (Switzerland) from 2004 to 2013. Previously, he served as CFO and Deputy CEO of the Nuance Group in Zurich (Switzerland) and in international financial positions at Novartis / Ciba-Geigy in the US, Singapore and Switzerland. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich and a member of the Advisory Board of the Center for Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability CCRS. Markus Braun studied Business Administration at the Universities of St. Gallen and Basel. He has a doctorate in Business Administration from the University of Basel. His publications include “Globalization and Digitalization” (2020), “Renminbi-Hub Switzerland: Disappointed Hopes?” (2019), “Banking Transactions in Switzerland and China” (2018) and “M & A: Success through Integration Management” (English edition 2018, German edition 2015).

  Learn more
• 
  Patrik Hoffmann Executive Vice President Watchbox Ltd.

  Following a dynamic three-decade career in the watch industry, most recently as CEO of Ulysse Nardin, Patrik Hoffmann brings a global perspective and charismatic style of leadership to his role as Executive Vice President of WatchBox Switzerland. Charged with steering the next phase of growth for the pre-owned platform, Patrik’s appointment reinforces WatchBox’s commitment to elevating the pre-owned luxury watch category across the world. In addition to establishing WatchBox’s presence in the heart of Switzerland, Patrik will identify and implement business opportunities across key global markets. His 20+ year tenure with Ulysse Nardin, and prior roles with Oris SA and the watch distribution company Swiss Prestige Ltd., granted him extensive experience in the Americas, Asia and other major markets for the luxury watch industry. He oversaw global sales and marketing efforts and steered Ulysse Nardin through continuous innovation, without losing sight of the brand’s rich heritage or long-term objectives. Patrik powerfully communicated a narrative of tradition, design, and technology that propelled both his career and the global profile of Ulysse Nardin, ultimately overseeing the acquisition by the Kering Group and a successful transition. He brings to WatchBox a constant drive for innovation, relishes disruption and communicates his vision for the evolution of the watch category with passion and purpose. “The pre-owned timepiece segment has been long neglected and it is our vision to provide a professional service in pioneering change in the luxury watch industry,” stated Patrik. “We are embracing technological tools, fulfilling the needs of today’s informed consumer and visionary retailers.“

  Learn more
• 
  Timo Ihamuotila CFO ABB Ltd.

  Vincent Thiebaud is a Managing Director and Head of Investment Banking Switzerland and joined Bank of America in Zurich in 2021. Prior to his current role, Vincent was responsible for the Rothschild & Co advisory business in Switzerland and also worked at J.P. Morgan and Credit Suisse. Vincent has over 20 years of experience in Investment Banking with extensive involvement in crossborder, defense and public M&A as well as capital markets transactions.

  Learn more
• 
  Johannes Läderach CEO and President of the Board Läderach Gruppe

  Johannes Läderach, geboren 1986, ist seit 2018 CEO und seit Dezember 2021 Verwaltungsratspräsident der Läderach-Gruppe. Der älteste Sohn der international bekannten Chocolatier-Familie studierte Betriebswirtschaft an der Universität St. Gallen (HSG). 2011 schloss er dieses mit einem Marketing-Master sowie einer Zusatzausbildung in Wirtschaftspädagogik ab. In den vergangenen Jahren trieb Johannes die Internationalisierung des Unternehmens voran und eröffnete neue Chocolaterien unter anderem in London, Wien, Shanghai, Toronto sowie New York, New Jersey und Washington. Durch die Übernahme von 34 Filialen von Godiva in Nordamerika ist Läderach im vergangenen Jahr vor allem in den USA stark gewachsen. Neben seiner Verantwortung als Verwaltungsratspräsident und CEO setzt sich Johannes Läderach im Vorstand der Glarner Handelskammer sowie seit Ende 2020 auch als Vorstandsmitglied der Handelskammer Deutschland-Schweiz für ein erfolgreiches Miteinander zwischen Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft ein. Zudem vertritt er das Glarnerland als Honorary Ambassador für die «Greater Zurich Area» und ist ein «young leader» der American Swiss Foundation.

  Learn more
• 
  Andreas Schlenker Head of M&A, Partnering and Investing Axpo Group
• 
  Daniel Schmucki CFO SIX Group

  Daniel Schmucki took up his role as CFO of SIX on 1 March 2017. In his position at SIX, the Swiss citizen is responsible not only for the traditional financial functions, but also for Strategy and M&A as well as central (COO) functions such as Strategic Projects, Business Excellence, Real Estate Management, Procurement, Project Portfolio Management and SIX Fintech Venture Fund. In recent years he drove various large transformational M&A projects, such as the acquisition of the Spanish stock exchange BME in 2020 or the sale of the SIX credit card business to Worldline in 2018. Before joining SIX, he was CFO of the listed Flughafen Zürich Ltd. for many years, where he was awarded \\\"Switzerland\\\'s CFO of the Year\\\" in 2013. In this position, he assumed, among other things, responsibility for portfolio investments and the P&L in relation to all international airport activities. Moreover, he is Chairman of the Association of Swiss CFOs (VSF), Chairman Strategy & Investment-Committee of the BoD of Worldline and is part of the Board of Directors of Zurich Zoo.

  Learn more
• 
  Vincent Thiebaud Head of Investment Banking Bank of America Switzerland

  Vincent Thiebaud is a Managing Director and Head of Investment Banking Switzerland and joined Bank of America in Zurich in 2021. Vincent Thiebaud is a Managing Director and Head of Investment Banking Switzerland and joined Bank of America in Zurich in 2021. Prior to his current role, Vincent was responsible for the Rothschild & Co advisory business in Switzerland and also worked at J.P. Morgan and Credit Suisse. Vincent has over 20 years of experience in Investment Banking with extensive involvement in crossborder, defense and public M&A as well as capital markets transactions.

  Learn more
• 
  Pablo von Siebenthal Global Head of M&A Swissport International Ltd.

  Mr. von Siebenthal is the Global Head of M&A at Swissport, the world’s leading ground handling and cargo handling provider. Prior to his current role, he was the Global Head of M&A at Kuehne+Nagel, one of the leading logistics companies in the world with a market cap of approx. $35 billion. Mr. von Siebenthal has executed M&A deals on all continents and in 20 countries, with a deal value in excess of $2.5 billion. He has more than 13 years of experience in investment banking and corporate development. He is a CFA charterholder and a Chartered Post Merger Integration specialist. Mr. von Siebenthal holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration and a Bachelor’s degree in Banking & Finance, both completed at the University of Zurich, Switzerland.

  Learn more

Partner Speakers

• 
  Christophe Bourgoin Partner PwC Investor Reporting / Capital Markets & Accounting Advisory Services
• 
  Simon Bradford Partner PwC Transaction Services
• 
  Véronique Bruneau Bayard Counsel CMS France
• 
  Dr. Martin Frey Partner Corporate Finance / M&A PwC

  Martin Frey joined PwC in March 2005 and was Head of the Corporate Finance / M&A Team between 2014 and 2020. His current role is heading PwC’s M&A efforts in the Consumer, Healthcare and Life Science industries. Before joining PwC, he has gained over 15 years of corporate finance experience with UBS Investment Bank and Lehman Brothers in New York, Chicago and Zurich, focusing mainly on the consumer goods and healthcare industry. His positions during that time included Head Consumer and Retail Latin America at UBS and Head Consumer Goods Switzerland at Lehman Brothers. Martin has extensive transaction expertise in M&A, debt and equity capital markets in mature and emerging markets, advising companies such as Roche, Vifor, Nestlé, Emmi, Heinz, Nabisco and others. He is a Swiss citizen, educated at the Universities of Basel and Minneapolis where he earned his Master in Economics and Ph.D. in Management, respectively.

  Learn more
• 
  Michelle Kirkland Partner CMS UK

  Michelle’s focus is on the TMC, Consumer Products and Hotel & Leisure sectors. She advises clients on all aspects of, often multi-jurisdictional, matters including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, corporate governance matters and general corporate advisory work. She also advises Hotels (and other) clients on commercial arrangements in connection with management, franchise and asset management agreements. She advises a number of charities and not-for-profit organisations.

  Learn more
• 
  Dr. Stephan Werlen Partner CMS Switzerland

  Stephan Werlen is a partner with CMS in Zurich and focuses on M&A, joint ventures, MBOs, acquisition finance and venture capital transactions. He has broad experience both in domestic and international mergers and acquisitions (including auction processes), the structuring as well as the financing of such transactions. In addition, he is an expert in W&I insurance transactions (M&A insurance) with a long track record in this area, advising both insurance companies in the underwriting process as well as insured parties in the procurement of W&I insurance.

  Learn more

Moderation

• 
  Jan Schwalbe Editor-in-chief Finanz und Wirtschaft

  Jan Schwalbe is the Editor-In -Chief of the Swiss Business paper «Finanz und Wirtschaft». He has covered business and the economy for more than 20 years and has conducted countless interviews with international business leaders, economists and strategists. He has been published in Businessweek, Bloomberg News, “Finanz und Wirtschaft” and The Daily Telegraph. Before taking his role as Editor-in Chief he was the Head of the Zurich Bureau of Bloomberg News and was working for CNN Money. Jan Schwalbe was on the Board of the Foreign Press Association in New York and a correspondent in New York and London for over a decade.

  Learn more

Partner

Previous Editions

• Mergers & Acquisitions 2021

  FRESH OPPORTUNITIES

  25. August 2021

• Mergers & Acquisitions 2019

  Business Transformation – the new Normal

  27. August 2019

• Mergers & Acquisitions 2018

  Shape Your Business

  11. September 2018

• Mergers & Acquisitions 2017

  Managing Future Success

  28. September 2017

• Mergers & Acquisitions 2016

  Die Schweiz im internationalen Kontext

  15. September 2016