Trustee Services
Swiss trustee and fiduciary
administration in Zug.
Switzerland recognises foreign trusts under the Hague Convention (SR 0.221.371, in force since 2007) and administers domestic equivalents through foundations (Stiftung) and holding structures. Goldblum & Partner AG provides trustee services, corporate governance, foundation board membership, and registered office in Zug — fully GwG compliant since 2007.
2007
Operating since
Hague Conv.
CH since 2007
GwG
Compliant
Zug
Domicile
Service Scope
Trustee and fiduciary services
from Zug
Registered office and domiciliation
Provision of a Zug address as the registered domicile (Sitz) of the company or structure. Includes mail handling, forwarding, and reception of official correspondence from cantonal authorities, ESTV, and commercial register.
Corporate governance and minutes
Preparation of board meeting minutes, written resolutions, and annual general meeting documentation. Maintenance of the statutory minute book (Protokollbuch). Coordination with the Zug Commercial Register for mandatory filings.
Professional board membership
Acting as an independent professional board member (Verwaltungsrat) for Swiss AG structures requiring a Swiss-resident signatory under OR Art. 718(4). Engagement is for genuine corporate governance — not nominee services designed to conceal the beneficial owner.
Foreign trust administration
Administration of foreign common-law trusts (English, Jersey, Cayman, BVI, Guernsey) from Switzerland. Switzerland recognises foreign trusts under the Hague Trust Convention (SR 0.221.371, in force in Switzerland since 1 July 2007) and IPRG Art. 149a–149e. The governing law of the trust is applied by Swiss courts and authorities.
Foundation board membership
Serving as a member of the Stiftungsrat (foundation board) of a Swiss foundation (Stiftung, ZGB Art. 80–89a). The foundation board exercises fiduciary oversight of the foundation’s assets in accordance with the foundation charter and the supervision of the relevant cantonal or federal foundation authority.
Annual report and accounts
Compilation of the annual report and statutory financial statements for holding companies, foundations, and special-purpose vehicles. Coordination with statutory auditors where an ordinary or limited audit is required under OR Art. 727/727a.
Liquidation management
Managed liquidation of Swiss AG or GmbH structures, including creditor notification, asset realisation, final accounts, and de-registration from the Zug Commercial Register. Board resolution preparation and liquidator appointment.
Regulatory compliance monitoring
Ongoing monitoring of OR, GwG, and FINMA regulatory changes affecting the client's Swiss structures. Annual compliance review and identification of required updates to corporate documents, UBO declarations (OR Art. 697j), and SRO membership obligations.
Key Data
Swiss Trustee Services — Key Facts
Fiduciary arrangements under Swiss law
CO/OR
Legal basis
Swiss trustee arrangements governed by the Code of Obligations (fiduciary mandate).
Fiduciary
Duty of care
Trustee must act in the best interest of the beneficiary with full fiduciary duty.
No FINMA
Oversight (if non-licensed)
Standard fiduciary trustees are not FINMA-regulated unless conducting regulated activities.
Beneficiaries
Reports to
Trustee renders regular accounts and reports directly to the beneficiary.
Legal Framework
Swiss trustee law and
the Hague Convention
Swiss trust and fiduciary law — key provisions
In force for Switzerland since 1 July 2007. Swiss courts recognise foreign trusts and apply the trust's governing law. Trust property is treated as separate from the trustee's personal estate.
Federal Act on Private International Law governs recognition and effects of foreign trusts in Switzerland. Art. 149b: recognition conditions. Art. 149e: effects on Swiss public registers.
Fiduciaries exercising discretionary control over client assets are classified as financial intermediaries. Consequence: mandatory SRO membership (GwG Art. 24), CDD/KYC obligations, UBO identification, suspicious-activity reporting.
Swiss law's closest domestic analogue to a common-law trust. Irrevocable endowment of assets to a defined purpose. Stiftungsrat exercises fiduciary oversight. Requires supervisory authority registration.
A Treuhänder acts under a mandate (Auftrag) pursuant to OR Art. 394. Fiduciary agent performs services on behalf of a principal. Not a trust in the common-law sense, but functionally analogous for administration purposes.
Any person holding 25%+ of a Swiss legal entity must be declared as ultimate beneficial owner. Fiduciaries acting as financial intermediaries must independently verify and document the UBO under GwG Art. 4 and CDB 20.
Swiss trustee services: genuine governance, not beneficial owner concealment
Switzerland does not have a domestic Trust Act creating Swiss-law trusts. The Hague Convention on the Law Applicable to Trusts (SR 0.221.371), in force for Switzerland since 1 July 2007, fills this gap: Swiss courts recognise foreign trusts as legal structures and apply the trust's governing law. A Swiss fiduciary (Treuhänder) acting in trustee capacity is classified as a financial intermediary under GwG Art. 2(3) and must be a member of a FINMA-recognised SRO, maintain CDD/KYC records, and identify all ultimate beneficial owners.
Goldblum & Partner AG provides board membership and trustee services for genuine corporate governance: holding structures, foundation boards, and foreign trust administration. Professional board membership under OR Art. 718(4) satisfies the Swiss-resident director requirement for Swiss AG companies. This service is designed for operational compliance, not to conceal the beneficial ownership of assets.
FAQ
Frequently asked
questions
Precise answers to the most common questions about forming a company in Switzerland. For specific advice on your structure, book a free consultation.
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Baarerstrasse 25 · 6300 Zug · Switzerland · Est. 2007