Profile: Martin Hess

Banking

Biography: Banking

Martin Hess, born in 1954, is a partner and co-head of the financial services group of Wenger & Vieli. His practice focuses on financial services, corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, and information technology law issues. He advises Swiss and foreign financial institutions such as banks, securities dealers, asset managers, stock exchanges, clearing houses and central securities depositories in all matters related to financial services and capital markets, under both regulatory as well as private law.

Martin Hess is recognised by the Swiss Exchange as a representative of issuers. He represents his clients before courts as well as supervisory authorities. He has been involved in the setting up of systems for electronic funds transfer and for securities settlement, as well as of central counterparties for stock exchange transactions. He further contributed as an expert to the legislation in Switzerland on securities law and netting.

Martin Hess obtained his doctorate degree in law from the University of Zurich in 1984. He passed his bar finals in 1987. Before joining private practice in 1994, he was research assistant at the law faculty of the University of Zurich and legal counsel of the Swiss National Bank (Central Bank). In 1994 and 1997 he was a member of International Monetary Fund Missions to countries in eastern Europe. He regularly publishes articles on the topics of his practice and contributed to one of the leading commentaries on Swiss banking law.