Profile

Philippe Weber regularly represents Swiss and international clients in some of the largest and most complex corporate/M&A, capital markets and banking transactions in Switzerland and counsels public companies on how to successfully navigate critical governance and compliance matters. Chambers Global and other legal directories distinguish him as a top tier lawyer in these fields.

Philippe Weber regularly receives national and international recognition of his work. Recent awards include Swiss Corporate and M&A Lawyer of the Year 2022 and Swiss Capital Markets Lawyer of the Years 2024 and 2022 by Legalcommunity, Swiss Capital Markets Lawyer of the Year 2021 by WWL and winner of the Lexology Client Choice Award 2021 for Capital Markets Switzerland.

Experience

Philippe Weber has vast experience in high profile corporate/M&A, capital markets and banking transactions. He also regularly advises companies, boards and other parties on takeover law, governance and compliance and represents clients in such matters before regulators, including the SIX Swiss Exchange, the Swiss Takeover Board, the Swiss Financial Markets Supervisory Authority FINMA and other Swiss and foreign regulators.

In addition, Philippe Weber serves on the board of directors of several publicly listed companies and as company secretary of the parent company of CLS Group, which operates the world’s largest foreign exchange settlement system and is a globally systemically important financial markets infrastructure with an average daily settlement volume of USD 6 trillion.

Highlights of transactional advice include:

  • Counsel on the largest Swiss IPO of the year in each of the past ten years, i.e. 2014 (SFS),
    2015 (Sunrise), 2016 (VAT), 2017 (Landis+Gyr), 2018 (SIG Combibloc), 2019 (Stadler Rail),
    2020 (Ina Invest), 2021 (PolyPeptide), 2022 (EPIC) and 2024 (Galderma)
  • Counsel to NEC Corporation in the CHF 2.05bn acquisition of Swiss Avaloq Group
  • Counsel to NYSE and Mexican Stock Exchange listed FEMSA in the CHF 1.14 billion public takeover of SIX listed Valora Holding
  • Counsel to Worldline (Atos) in the CHF 2.75 billion acquisition of SIX Payment Services
  • Swiss Counsel to KKR and Alliance Boots GmbH (Swiss ParentCo) in the USD multi billion acquisition of Alliance Boots by Walgreen Co.
  • Counsel to the Swiss Confederation in the recapitalization of UBS by way of a CHF 6 billion mandatory convertible bond
  • Counsel to Orange (France) in the CHF multi billion sale of Orange Switzerland to Apax
  • Swiss Counsel to the underwriters and other financing banks in the bank lending, bond and equity financings of SIX listed Dufry for the CHF multi-billion acquisitions of The NuanceGroup and World Duty Free
  • Swiss Counsel to GIC and Qatar Holding in their CHF multi-billion investments in equity linked securities of UBS (GIC) and hybrid securities of Credit Suisse Group (QH), respectively
  • Swiss counsel to BSI to reach an NPA with the U.S. DOJ under the “Program for Non-Prosecution Agreements or Non-Target Letters for Swiss Banks”. BSI was the first bank to reach a resolution under the Program
1996 Admitted to the Bar, Rechtsanwalt
1995 University of Zurich, PhD, summa cum laude, distinguished with the Wissenschaftspreis des Deutschen Bundestags 1996 and Walther Hug-Preis 1997
1994 European University Institute, Fiesole / Florence, Italy, LL.M., with distinction
Best Lawyers 2010 – 2025
Chambers Global 2017-2024 – Top Ranked Capital Markets and M&A
Chambers Europe 2017-2024 – Top Ranked Capital Markets and M&A
IFLR1000 2020 – 2024 – Market Leader
The Legal500 EMEA 2019 – 2024 – Hall of Fame
Legalcommunity Switzerland Awards 2022 – Lawyer of the Year: Capital Markets
Legalcommunity Switzerland Awards 2022 – Lawyer of the Year: Corporate / M&A
WHO’S WHO LEGAL: THOUGHT LEADERS GLOBAL ELITE 2020 – 2024
Lexology Client Choice Awards 2021 – Capital Markets Switzerland
Who’s Who Legal Switzerland Awards 2021 – Lawyer of the Year – Capital Markets
  • Swiss Bar Association
  • Zurich Bar Association
  • Europe Institute of Zurich
  • IBA International Bar Association
2002 Partner, Niederer Kraft Frey (2015-2021 Managing Partner)
2001 Secondment to a Magic Circle law firm in London
1994 Associate, Niederer Kraft Frey
1993 Clerk with the District Court of Zurich
1992 Legal advisor to the Foreign Affairs Committees of the Swiss National Council and the Swiss Council of States (Swiss Parliament)
1990 Assistant for European and International Public Law at University of Zurich

German

English

French

Italian

Deals & Cases

08.10.2024

Affiliates of Centre Lane Partners acquire substantially all assets of Hardinge Inc. and its Swiss sub…

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25.06.2024

SIX listed CPH [SIX:CPHN] successfully completes transformational spin-off of its paper manufacturing …

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21.06.2024

Warteck Invest successfully completes rights offering and listing of shares on SIX Swiss Exchange arra…

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Market Perception

«Philippe Weber is “the lawyer you want to have next to you in your most important transaction”.»
Chambers Global 2021
«Philippe Weber is a star lawyer in Swiss M&A and capital markets. The trusted advisor of many c-level managers and boards on legal matters.»
Legal 500 2020
«One client appreciates that “he responds quickly and comes up with practical solutions,” and adds: “Despite being in high demand, he is always available when we need him. We could not think of a better lawyer than him.” »
Chambers Global 2022
«The “excellent” Philippe Weber is a key name in the Swiss legal market on account of his extensive experience in high profile and high-value capital markets transactions. »
Who’s Who Legal 2022
«Philippe Weber is a top lawyer in the capital markets field in Switzerland, with a long track record of experience, an excellent reputation and a safe pair of hands.»
Chambers Global 2023
«Philippe always delivers to the highest standards. He is highly knowledgeable, sharp and quick-minded. He has a great sense of business. He is the best business partner we can wish for. He is highly sophisticated and always reachable, no matter the time of day or of the week. He is efficient and hands-on. »
Chambers 2024
«He is one of the top lawyers I have ever worked with.»
Chambers 2024

Awards & Rankings

19.09.2024

NKF ranked top-tier firm in six practice areas by IFLR1000 2024

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22.05.2024

Legalcommunity Switzerland Awards 2024: NKF recognised as multiple awards winner

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06.02.2024

Nineteen NKF lawyers listed as “Thought Leaders Switzerland 2023” by Who’s Who Legal

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Publications

27.06.2024

Panoramic: Financial Services M&A 2024 – Switzerland

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18.06.2024

Panoramic: Initial Public Offerings 2025 – Switzerland

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08.08.2023

LexGTDT: Swiss M&A – Pricing 2023

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Speaking Engagements

08.03.2023

The challenges, disclosure and statutory aspects of Board remuneration

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08.03.2022

Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) aus aktienrechtlicher Perspektive

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08.09.2021

W&I Insurance – Rechtliche & Taktische Aspekte

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