Zurich

Dr. Olivier Favre, LL.M.

Partner

+41 44 215 3426 olivier.favre@swlegal.ch

Alessandro Ciminelli

Assistant

Olivier Favre is a Partner in our Banking and Finance Group in Zurich. He focuses on capital markets, derivatives and structured finance transactions and advises clients on financial services, securities, commodities, fund and insurance regulation. Olivier also advises clients on fintech solutions and legal aspects of asset management activities.

Expertise

Banking & Finance Capital Markets Insurance

Blockchain-Technologies & FinTech Financial Services ESG

Experience

Acted as legal counsel to a working group of industry association in charge of preparing a Swiss law governed master agreement for derivatives transactions and related documentation (e.g. agreement to exchange variation margin, PRDR agreement, resolution stay acknowledgment, revised documentation for interest rate products)
Advised clients on programs for the issuance of structured products in the Swiss market and their approval by a Swiss prospectus office
Advised on initial margin documentation for OTC derivatives
Advised on regulatory requirements for providing brokerage and custody services regarding crypto-assets
Advised foreign insurance companies on Swiss licensing requirements for cross-border activity into Switzerland
Prepared for the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. (ISDA) the netting and collateral enforceability opinion for international financial organizations established in Switzerland
Advised on the implementation of the Financial Services Act (FinSA) and the Financial Institutions Act (FinIA)

Career

Professional Experience

2016

Partner at Schellenberg Wittmer

2009

Associate at Schellenberg Wittmer

2007-2009

Legal Counsel at Goldman Sachs International in London

2004-2007

Associate at Allen & Overy LLP in London

Education and Admission

2005

Bar Admission in New York

2005

Admission as Solicitor in England

2004

LL.M., Harvard University

2003

Dr. iur., University of Zurich

2000

Bar Admission in Switzerland

Additional Professional Activities

Authorized representative at the SIX Swiss Exchange

Recognitions

Chambers and Partners Global/Europe: Capital Markets since 2013
Chambers and Partners FinTech Legal: Blockchain & Cryptocurrencies
The Legal 500: Hall of Fame in Banking and Finance since 2024; Leading Individual in Insurance since 2024; Next Generation Partner in Capital Markets since 2017
Who's Who Legal: Thought Leader in Banking since 2023; Recommended in Fintech since 2021; Recommended in Capital Markets since 2018
LMG Expert Guides: Rising Star (Banking and Finance, Insurance and Reinsurance) from 2017 to 2020
IFLR 1000: Highly Regarded, Financial services regulatory

Languages

German
English
French
Italian

Selected Publications

Virtual Currency Regulation: Switzerland Equity Derivates, Switzerland, 2024 Edition International Handbook of Blockchain Law: A Guide to Navigating Legal and Regulatory Challenges of Blockchain Technology and Crypto Assets, Second Edition Blockchain 2024, Trends and Developments Capital Markets: Derivatives, Switzerland 2024 Edition

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Speaking Engagements

Olivier Favre: Speaker on LIBOR Transition – What to Expect for Derivatives Transactions Olivier Favre: Speaker at AFBS event on the topic "Away from LIBOR – Where we are today?" Olivier Favre: Speaker on Swiss Regulation of Digital Assets at FuW Conference on "Blockchain in Financial Services"