The international community's voice

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The international community has found indirect ways of making its voice heard. The companies speak through their business associations, which are consulted on legislation and have influence in cantonal politics. The Zug Chamber of Commerce and the associations of the commodity traders, the crypto industry and the holding companies represent the interests of their members, most of which are international.¹ Expatriate associations organise events with local politicians and authorities. Integration bodies at cantonal and municipal level offer further channels for the concerns of foreign residents.

These channels are useful but limited. They give the international community a say in questions that concern it directly, such as the quality of the international schools, the availability of housing or the conditions for work permits. They do not give it a vote on taxes, public expenditure, planning or the many other questions that the citizens of Zug decide at the ballot box. The situation is accepted by most expatriates, who see themselves as guests, and by most citizens, who see the political community as theirs. It becomes a source of tension when the interests of the two groups diverge, as in the debates on immigration and housing.

Notes

Zuger Wirtschaftskammer, zwk.ch: independent representative of the Zug economy, advocating members' economic interests before authorities, politics and society, with more than 600 members including Novartis, AstraZeneca and UBS. Zug Commodity Association, zugcommodity.ch: founded in 2012, among other things as a source of information for the public, the administration and politicians. Crypto Valley Association, cryptovalley.swiss: independent association based in Zug, founded in 2017. ↩

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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The international community's voice

Notes

Setting up or expanding in Switzerland?