Vontobel to acquire UBS’s Swiss Financial Advisers. The counselors

UBS has signed an agreement to sell UBS Swiss Financial Advisers (UBS SFA) to Vontobel, a global investment firm.

UBS SFA is a Swiss-based SEC-registered investment advisor and FINMA-licensed securities firm for US clients seeking an account in Switzerland for diversification purposes with approximately CHF 7.2 billion assets under management. Closing of the transaction, which is subject to regulatory approvals, is expected to occur in Q3 of 2022.

The transaction, which is subject to regulatory approvals, will be fully funded with cash from Vontobel’s balance sheet, covered by its robust CET1 and Tier 1 capital ratios. Additional financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.

Bär & Karrer acted as external Swiss legal and tax advisor to UBS in this transaction. The team included partner Urs Kägi (pictured), associates Linus Zweifel, Matthias Tanner, Rebecca Schori, Stefanie Walch and Nadina Duss (all m&a/corporate), partner Peter Hsu (banking/regulatory), partner Pascal Hachem and associate Martina Athanas (both banking/cross-border proceedings), partner Mani Reinert (competition), partner Susanne Schreiber and associate Hanna Brozzo (both tax), partner Ruth Bloch–Riemer (pensions) as well as partner Laura Widmer (employment).

An international Baker McKenzie team, both in Switzerland and the U.S., have  advised Vontobel in all legal aspects of the acquisition, covering mergers & acquisitions, wealth management, capital markets, employment, financial regulatory, as well as antitrust and tax. The Baker McKenzie Switzerland team was led by partners Alexander Fischer and Marnin Michaels, and it included partners Alexander Blaeser, Peter Reinert and Gregory Walsh, senior associates Philippine Dalla Corte, Susanne Liebel-Kotz, Yves Mauchle and Roger Thomi, associates Bruna Barbosa, Sarah Poncini and Lisa Weinert as well as trainee lawyers Kristina Martinovic and Raphael Schneuwly.