Checklist: positioning a Geneva institution against competing financial centres

Identify the markets in which Geneva retains an advantage of its own, European and French-speaking clients, complex families and commodity trading, and those in which a local presence is necessary, namely Asia and the Gulf.
Assess the opening of an office or a subsidiary in Dubai, Singapore or Hong Kong in the light of the target clientele, the cost of local compliance and the reputational risks.
Use the Berne Financial Services Agreement to serve wealthy British clients from Switzerland, after notification to FINMA and entry in the British register.
Domicile funds intended for European clients in a jurisdiction that has the European passport and keep the management in Geneva.
Compare Geneva’s costs, lead times and regulatory requirements regularly with those of competing centres, and document the trade-offs.
Take part, through the umbrella organisations, in the federal debate on the proportionality of regulation and on the capital requirements of the large banks.
Make stability, compliance, competence and language explicit arguments in the value proposition, towards clients and talent alike.
Monitor the development of global wealth by region and adjust the allocation of commercial resources accordingly.

For general information only. This article does not constitute legal or tax advice, does not replace advice on an individual case and creates no lawyer-client relationship. It reflects the legal position as of September 2025.

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Dr Alexander Ressos, TEP

Rechtsanwalt/Attorney-at-Law

I am a Swiss attorney-at-law and also admitted as a solicitor in Hong Kong and in England & Wales, with almost 25 years of experience.

Together with my multilingual team, including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Ukrainian and French native speakers, I advise companies and their owners from around the world on the full range of banking, corporate, commercial and tax law matters in Switzerland, including international tax planning, fiduciary services, and legal family office services including immigration & relocation or real estate investments. My practice has a particular focus on clients from growth and frontier markets in Greater China, Central Asia and the Caucasus, the rest of Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America, and I equally advise clients from Europe and North America. Through an affiliated Swiss trust company, we also take care of the incorporation and ongoing administration of their companies and other structures, including accounting, tax returns and corporate secretarial services, and I serve as a professional director where required. With the support of a network of first-class cooperation partners, I also implement solutions worldwide.

My approach is to act as a trusted advisor who works directly with decision-makers, on an equal footing: I start from what you want to achieve and shape every structure, contract and tax decision around your commercial goals and how it improves your after-tax return. As “lawyers who make it happen”, my team and I stay involved until your company is set up, your structure is in place and your transaction has closed, and we remain available for any follow-on work that may be required. You benefit from bespoke solutions and personal attention, and sound, friendly and practical advice. We are not the lowest-cost provider in the market, nor do we intend to be; our aim is to deliver well-founded, proper solutions and excellent value for money.

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