The economics of a working language

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From an economic point of view, English lowers the costs of doing business across borders. A company that can recruit staff worldwide without requiring knowledge of the local language has access to a larger labour market. A client who can deal with lawyers, banks and authorities in English faces lower transaction costs. A location in which English is widely used therefore has a competitive advantage in attracting international companies. The availability of English-speaking professionals is therefore an asset for any international financial centre.

Zug's advantage in this respect is relative. English is widely spoken in Zurich, Geneva, Basel and other Swiss cities as well, with which the canton competes for the same companies. Its advantage lies in the combination of English with low taxes, a small and responsive administration and a concentration of international companies that creates its own English-speaking environment. Compared with Singapore, Hong Kong, London or Dubai, where English is an official language or the dominant language of business, Zug has a disadvantage: its authorities, courts and public schools operate in German. Chapter II examines how far this disadvantage has been reduced.

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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