Hans-Joachim Jaeger, tax partner at EY’s Zurich office (Photo: EY)
Zurich – Idyllically nestled on the shores of Lake Geneva, the Hotel President Wilson hosted the third edition of the WealthBriefing Swiss Awards on Thursday evening, 18 February. The audit and advisory firm EY took top honors at the awards ceremony for its outstanding contribution to wealth management thought leadership. Among the professionals honored for demonstrating excellence in the sector was Hans-Joachim Jaeger, tax partner at EY’s Zurich office.
Over 300 senior banking and wealth management professionals attended the prestigious gala event to celebrate the industry’s greatest achievements in the past year. A panel of experts drawn from both private banks and advisors judged the nominees in a range of categories. EY’s Hans-Joachim Jaeger received the award for “Leading Individual” in the “Experts” category. “This award means a great deal to me because it expresses recognition and appreciation from our peers and clients, not just for my contribution, but essentially also for the fine work of my colleagues across EY’s global financial services network, to whom I’m indebted for their support,” said Jaeger after the ceremony.
Advisor in the negotiations between the United States and Switzerland for the implementation of FATCA
Hans-Joachim Jaeger played a crucial role in the introduction and implementation of the Qualified Intermediary regulations and the EU Savings Tax Directive in the early 2000s, quickly earning a standing in the industry as trusted advisor in one of the early cornerstones of the move toward tax transparency. He was also one of the advisors in the negotiations between the United States and Switzerland for implementation of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA). His ongoing contributions to OECD initiatives and the implementation of the upcoming automatic exchange of information are proving vital for the positive evolution of the banking sector in Switzerland.
“Hans-Joachim, or ‘Jochen’, as we know him, is an exemplary reminder of our purpose: building a better working world, for our people at EY, for our clients and for our communities,” says Bruno Patusi, Leader Wealth and Asset Management at EY Switzerland. “In controversial debates, he has the strength of character to defend his views with integrity and, faced with complex problems, he has the gift of finding the best solution for everybody involved. That makes him an exceptional professional in a thorny field where interests are frequently difficult to reconcile. We are very proud to have him on our team.”
“Outstanding Contribution to Wealth Management Thought Leadership”
EY was also awarded top honors in the category “Outstanding Contribution to Wealth Management Thought Leadership”. “I expect the judges valued our commitment and passion to explore and validate the key wealth management trends, and deliver actionable advice in areas we consider critical for our clients, and indeed, the industry as a whole,” said Patusi. “Our experts were quick to anticipate key challenges facing the industry, producing more than ten thought leadership contributions last year that provided unique insights into and solutions for the wealth management sector.”
For years, EY has been one of the driving forces behind the progress made in tax transparency. The past year was no exception. The audit and advisory firm supported policymakers and institutions in finalizing the details of the automatic exchange of information, setting new standards for the Swiss banking industry in general, and wealth managers in particular. Only last year, EY produced what many tout as one of the most valuable works available at the moment on tax transparency with its concise and accessible “Tax Transparency – Switzerland”, which currently has a circulation of 60,000 copies in 5 languages.
“The dedication of our subject matter experts, combined with our good working relationship with regulators, governments and the wealth management industry as a whole, has proven pivotal for our ability to deliver what is quite simply some of the best thought leadership work in the sector today,” Patusi concludes. (EY/mc/hfu)
About the WealthBriefing Swiss Awards
The prestigious WealthBriefing Swiss Awards recognize excellence in the wealth management sector. The third edition of the awards assessed innovation and excellence achieved in 2015, as recognized by the wealth management industry, and focused on three main categories: experts (individuals and teams), products and services. With the support of relevant independent organizations, specially convened expert panels, drawn from both private banks and advisors, judged the nominees based on the watchwords, “independence, integrity and genuine insight.”
