After an introduction by the Head of Investment Management in Switzerland, Markus Schunk, Marcel Lötscher, Head of the Securities Department and member of the Executive Board of FMA Liechtenstein, held a speech on the implementation of AIFMD in Liechtenstein. Darina Barrett, Head of Investment Management for KPMG Ireland gave a lecture on the opportunities for Swiss Asset Managers in Ireland.
In the subsequent panel discussion, Charles Muller, Partner from KPMG Luxembourg and ex-Director of the Association of the Luxembourg Fund Industry, and Hannes Germann, Ständerat of the canton Schaffhausen were on board. The discussion was moderated by Raoul Würgler, Deputy to the Director of the Association for Foreign Banks in Switzerland. The question regarding the attractiveness of the Swiss fund center and what our politicians really do to support the Swiss financial center was subject to a great deal of discussion. Ultimately, investor protection is of central importance in Switzerland. The licensing procedures for launching new products as well as for institutions are comparatively time consuming - the hurdles are high. In conclusion, the Swiss regulatory environment in Switzerland should be improved in the future to ensure that Switzerland can continue to compete with the big fund centers like Luxembourg and Ireland. It is imperative that politics, the industry, and the regulator work together.
Further information and detailed statistics regarding Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Ireland can be found here.
