The Federal Council today appointed Martin Suter as Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors of the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA. He will replace Marlene Amstad, who will take over the role of Chair of the Board of Directors from Thomas Bauer with effect from 1 January 2021. At the same time, the Federal Council elected Susan Emmenegger, professor of private and banking law at the University of Bern, as a new member of the Board of Directors. Renate Schwob will step down from the Board at the end of 2020.
At its meeting today, the Federal Council elected Martin Suter (59) as the new Vice-Chair of the FINMA Board of Directors for the next two years. The independent strategy and financial management consultant has been a member of the FINMA Board of Directors since 2018. He was Chief Financial Officer of Swiss Life Switzerland from 2006 to 2016. A graduate in mathematics from ETH Zurich, he previously held various managerial posts at Swiss Life. “Martin Suter actively contributes his valuable knowledge of the insurance sector and of financial market and management matters to the Board of Directors. I am delighted that he is now also taking on the role of Vice-Chair,” says Marlene Amstad, the future Chair of the Board of Directors.
Susan Emmenegger to succeed Renate Schwob on Board of Directors
The Federal Council also elected Susan Emmenegger (53) as a new member of the FINMA Board of Directors effective 1 January 2021. Susan Emmenegger is a professor of private law and banking law at the University of Bern. Her teaching focuses on contract law and national and international financial market law. She is the organiser of the Swiss Banking Days conferences, the editor of a series of publications under the same name, and the author of numerous specialist publications. She was previously a member of the Advisory Board for the Future of the Financial Centre, as well as a member and Vice-Chair of the Swiss Takeover Board.
Renate Schwob, who has been a member of the FINMA Board of Directors since 2016, will resign her mandate and thus also her role as Chair of the Takeover and State Liability Committee at the end of 2020. Thomas Bauer says: “I would like to thank Renate Schwob for her great commitment to the FINMA Board of Directors, which she has enriched with her proven expertise and experience.” And Marlene Amstad adds: “I am delighted that in Susan Emmenegger we are gaining a recognised expert in banking law with an understanding of economic interrelationships and strategic issues for our Board.”
Changes to FINMA Board of Directors effective 2021
In March 2020 the Federal Council elected former Vice-Chair Marlene Amstad as Chair of the FINMA Board of Directors with effect from 1 January 2021 (press release). She succeeds Thomas Bauer, who will step down from the Board at this point in time. The FINMA Board of Directors will therefore be comprised of the following eight members with effect from 1 January 2021 (2020-23 term of office).
- Prof. Dr Marlene Amstad (Chair)
- Martin Suter (Vice-Chair)
- Prof. Dr Ursula Cassani Bossy
- Prof. Dr Susan Emmenegger
- Benjamin Gentsch
- Bernard Keller
- Dr Andreas Schlatter
- Franz Wipfli
The Board of Directors is FINMA’s strategic management body. According to the Financial Market Supervision Act, the Board of Directors notably defines strategic goals, decides on matters of substantial importance, issues circulars and ordinances delegated to FINMA and appoints and supervises the Executive Board.
Contact
Tobias Lux, Media Spokesperson
Tel. +41 31 327 91 71
tobias.lux@finma.ch