A Geneva comparison

Read the PDF edition (2 pages)

The Geneva book in this series also closes with a look ahead. Although Geneva faces some of the same forces, among them the minimum tax, geopolitical fragmentation, the energy transition and the pressure on housing, its position differs in important ways. Its economy is larger and more diversified, with international organisations, private banks, commodity traders, multinational headquarters, luxury watchmaking and a university. Its international organisations give it a role that does not depend on taxes or markets, although they too face pressures from budget cuts and geopolitical conflicts.¹ Its political culture is more left-leaning than that of Zug, with higher taxes.

In the four scenarios of this chapter, Geneva would probably be more resilient than Zug in the retreat and the squeeze, since its international organisations and diversified economy provide a floor. It would benefit less in the adaptive hub, since its higher taxes and costs limit its attractiveness for mobile companies. The two cantons are complementary in many respects: Geneva as the diplomatic and financial centre of French-speaking Switzerland, Zug as the business centre of central Switzerland. Their futures are linked through the national framework of taxation, immigration and relations with Europe.

Notes

swissinfo.ch, Dorian Burkhalter, "What lies ahead for International Geneva in 2026", 27 December 2025: the US withdrawal from the WHO and the Human Rights Council and the dismantling of USAID hit agencies that depended on the United States for up to 40 per cent of their funding; UNHCR, IOM, the Human Rights Office, ILO, UNICEF and UNAIDS announced hundreds of redundancies and relocations; the UN80 reform brought budget cuts and transfers of posts to lower-cost locations. ↩

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.

Get in touch →

A Geneva comparison

Notes

Setting up or expanding in Switzerland?