In a bid to support Swiss companies, entrepreneurs and individuals considering relocating to the UAE, the UAE-headquartered business management and legal consultancy Swiss Group is opening a Liaison Office in Zurich at Limmatquai 70. The Liaison Office, set to open its doors in January 2023, will act as a representative office of Swiss Group in Switzerland.

Michael Lane, Managing Director at Swiss Group, says: “Our new office in the heart of Zurich is a convenient new contact point for queries coming from Switzerland and the DACH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) region relating to any UAE matters and services that Swiss Group in the UAE offers.”

Headed by senior advisor Julia Seebacher, the office will advise and assist those looking for UAE-related business information and opportunities including relocation, setting-up a business or a subsidiary as well as residency options, for example the Golden Visa.

Julia Seebacher has extensive experience in international corporate management, wealth planning solutions, trust and international financial consulting and relocation consulting for businesses and international families. Previously she worked for Swiss and international trust and financial companies.

Seebacher says: “Combining our expertise of the UAE business landscape with our deep roots in Switzerland means we can offer a truly bespoke, well-informed and appropriate level of service, whether to an individual looking to move to the UAE or Swiss companies eyeing opportunities to explore opportunities across the entire Middle East. I look forward to meeting a variety of businesspeople, entrepreneurs and individuals in our new Zurich office.”

Swiss Group has had a presence in the UAE since the mid-1970s, growing alongside the nation. Under Swiss management, Swiss Group Advisory DMCC, the headquarters of Swiss Group operations, is located in Swiss Tower, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai, home to multiple Swiss and Swiss-related companies. Swiss Group is also an active member of the Swiss Business Council and in the expert team of Switzerland Global Enterprise in the United Arab Emirates.

“Every day, we help businesses, entrepreneurs and investors understand how they can become part of the UAE’s journey to becoming one of the world’s leading business hubs,” adds Lane, “and now we are extending our bespoke consultancy services to our Swiss counterparts directly in Switzerland.”

The free trade agreement between the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) continues to give Swiss companies a comparative advantage in their trade relations. A mid-2022 report from the Embassy of Switzerland in the United Arab Emirates suggests a surge in UAE opportunities for Swiss companies, especially in clean tech, hi-tech, fintech, health and education, especially given the raft of recent reforms in the Emirate’s economic and immigration areas.