History and institutions

French	English	Deutsch	Definition
Académie	Academy	Akademie	school founded by Calvin in 1559, forerunner of the University of Geneva
Banque protestante	Protestant banking network	Protestantische Bank	network of eighteenth-century Protestant bankers, as described by Herbert Lüthy
Banquier privé	private banker	Privatbankier	bank organised as a partnership whose partners bear unlimited liability
Combourgeoisie	co-citizenship treaty	Burgrecht	treaty of alliance between Geneva and Swiss cantons (1526)
Consistoire	Consistory	Konsistorium	institution of moral supervision created by the Ordinances of 1541
Fabrique	Geneva watchmaking industry	Genfer Fabrique	the Geneva watchmaking and jewellery trades taken as a whole
Foire	fair	Messe	periodic gathering for trade and payments
Franchises	charter of liberties	Freiheitsbrief	liberties granted to the citizens of Geneva in 1387
Lettre de change	bill of exchange	Wechsel	instrument combining transfer of funds, foreign exchange and credit
Neutralité	neutrality	Neutralität	international status of Switzerland, guaranteed in 1815
Refuge	Refuge (Huguenot exile)	Refuge	reception of Protestant refugees in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries
Rente viagère	life annuity	Leibrente	income paid until the death of a designated person
Restauration	Restoration	Restauration	re-establishment of the Republic in 1813–1815
Secret bancaire	banking secrecy	Bankgeheimnis	banker’s duty of discretion, protected by criminal law since 1934

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.

English

Contact

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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History and institutions

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