Baker McKenzie with Sauter Bachmann on sustainable succession solution  

Baker McKenzie Switzerland advised the shareholders of Sauter, Bachmann (“Sauter Bachmann”) with regard to the succession solution for shareholder Martin Sauter, who will retire on 1 January 2023. 

SIC Group is taking over Martin Sauter’s share package as a shareholder and is committed to the successful continuation of Sauter Bachmann’s business activities. The SIC Group is backed by the regionally anchored multifamily office Swiss KMU Partners. Reto Crestas and Philippe Jaques are each taking a minority stake in Sauter Bachmann.  

Max Bachmann will remain in the company as co-owner and shareholder. As of January 1, 2022, he has also taken over the operational responsibility as Co-Managing Director from Andrea Girola and will continue to lead the industrial company in the spirit of the Sauter and Bachmann families. 

The company was founded in 1922 in Netstal, Glarus. Martin Sauter and Max Bachmann are the third- and fourth–generation members of the family to run the company, which employs 120 people. Sauter Bachmann produces gears, gearboxes and entire drive systems of the highest quality and supplies customers in industry, aerospace and aeronautics worldwide. 

Baker McKenzie advised the existing shareholders, consisting of Max Bachmann and Martin Sauter, on all legal aspects of the succession. The team was led by Alexander Fischer (partner, m&a, pictured) and included Matthias Trautmann (counsel, m&a), Cathrin Marxer (associate, m&a), Susanne Liebel–Kotz (senior associate, tax), Andrea Bolliger (counsel, tax) and Tiziana Hongler (trainee lawyer).