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Swiss bankers on promotional visit to the USA
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Basel/New York, 26 February 2003 - A high-ranking delegation representing
the Swiss financial centre has been visiting Washington and New York. The delegation, led by Urs P.
Roth, Chief Executive Officer of the Swiss Bankers Association, has held various events to inform the
public about the strategic and regulatory strengths of Switzerland as a banking centre. The main speaker
at the „Swiss Plus - Financial Excellence“ event in New York was Mr. Pascal Couchepin, President of
the Swiss Confederation, who will also be launching the „swisspeaks“ festival organised by Presence
Switzerland in New York.
This year the Swiss Bankers Association
(SBA) is stepping up its activities in the United States. Chief Executive Officer Urs P. Roth is currently
leading a high-ranking delegation representing the Swiss financial centre. The delegation’s members
include Daniel Zuberbühler, Director of the Swiss Federal Banking Commission, and Pierre Mirabaud, senior
partner with Mirabaud & Cie., private bankers of Geneva. Two separate information events were held
in Washington and New York. On Tuesday, 25 February, the traditional „Staffers’ Seminar“ was held in
Washington. The aim of this seminar is to inform US congressional staffers as well as representatives
of U.S. financial regulatory bodies about financial regulation in Switzerland. On Wednesday, 26 February,
an information event was held under the „Swiss Plus - Financial Excellence“ banner on the theme „The
evolving role of Switzerland as a global financial centre“. This was the second Swiss Plus event to
be held in New York (the first event was held in March 2002).
Swiss participants in
a panel discussion presented a picture of Switzerland as a successful financial centre in the heart
of Europe which owes its excellent reputation not least to state-of-the-art financial regulation and
supervision.
On Wednesday evening the Swiss Plus delegation invited over 250 senior representatives
of New York’s financial community to a dinner at New York’s exclusive Metropolitan Club. The main speaker
was Mr. Pascal Couchepin, President of the Swiss Confederation. Mr. Couchepin was in New York to launch
the „swisspeaks“ festival, an information initiative organised by Presence Switzerland. In his speech
Mr. Couchepin discussed the relations between the USA and Switzerland, putting special emphasis on their
long-standing business relations and the excellent cooperation between the two countries in the field
of combating money laundering and terrorism. Another guest speaker was Phil Gramm, Vice Chairman of
UBS Warburg and a former senator from Texas. Amongst other things, Senator Gramm praised Switzerland
for its cooperation in the fight against the financing of terrorism.
Note
to journalists:
„Swiss Plus - Financial Excellence“ was established in 1999 with
the aim of representing and communicating to the outside world both the traditional and new strengths
of Switzerland as a financial centre. „Swiss Plus“ is a partnership consisting of the Swiss Bankers
Association, SWX Swiss Exchange, SIS Swiss Financial Services Group and the Telekurs Group. Its most
important activities are the so-called „roadshows“ which have so far been held in London, Frankfurt,
Paris, Milan, New York and Madrid.
Further information about the event
in New York can be found on:  www.swissplus.ch.
Although
this press release is written in the past tense, today’s event in New York begins at 4 pm New York time
(22h00 CET).
| Contacts |
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| Thomas Sutter |
James Nason |
| Head of Communications Switzerland |
Head of International Communications |
Swiss Bankers Association,
Basel |
Swiss Bankers Association,
Basel |
| Tel. +41 61 295 92 06 |
Tel. +41 61 295 92 15 |
| Fax +41 61 272 53 82 |
Fax +41 61 272 53 82 |
| www.swissbanking.org |
www.swissbanking.org |
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Junior
Bank
