Programme
8:30 AM | Welcome coffee
9:00 AM | Welcome address
- Aurélie Conrad Hari
Partner, Bär &Karrer
Vice‑President GILA - Herminie Simonetta
Senior Corporate Gorvernance Officer, Richemont
Member of GILA’s In-house counsel commission
- Jean-René Oettli
Partner, Borel & Barbey
Co-chair of GILA’s In-house counsel commission
9:15 AM | International transport and inspection
Moderator
- Prof. Sylvain Marchand
Professor at the University of Geneva
Counsel, CMS
Speakers
- Stephen Baird
Associate General Counsel & Head of Europe, Legal, SITA - Julien Raynaut
VP Legal & Compliance General Counsel and Compliance Officer, Bureau Veritas - Patrick Jourdain
VP Business Development, Cargill - Charles C. Adams Jr.
General Manager, Five Diamonds Arbitration Chambers
10:00 AM | Bridging science and law: contracts, IP, and compliance in pharma & chemicals
This panel will explore the key legal challenges shaping the pharmaceutical and chemical sectors in Switzerland. Experts will discuss trends in contracts, intellectual property, and regulatory compliance, focusing on how law can drive innovation and collaboration. Topics include protecting inventions, structuring strategic partnerships, and navigating global regulatory requirements, with practical insights on managing risk and optimizing R&D agreements in a complex legal landscape.
Moderator
- Sevan Antreasyan
Partner, Lenz & Staehelin
Speakers
- Luisa Amate
Lead Counsel, Corteva Agriscience - Matthieu Destribois
Head Legal & Compliance, OM Pharma - Gavin Pope
Head of R&D Legal, Global Clinical Development, Operations & Regulatory, Novartis - Laetitia Pictet
Chief Legal, Risk and Compliance Officer, DSM-Firmenich
10:45 AM | Coffee break
11:15 AM | Risk management from the boardroom to the courtroom: the art of in‑house legal strategy
In‑house counsel play a discreet yet pivotal role in managing corporate risk. This panel explores the tension between legal and business imperatives, the link between governance and legal strategy, and the evolving place of the legal function within corporate structures. Topics include dispute and crisis management, reputational risk, and professional secrecy – all central to the modern counsel’s mandate.
Moderator
- Jean-Philippe Nerfin
Group General Counsel, Pictet
Speakers
- Isabelle Berger
Chief Investment Officer & Partner, Nivalion - Xavier Dedullen
Managing Director, Kroll - Nicolas Grégoire
Head of Compliance, Richemont International SA
12:00 PM | Closing remarks
- Herminie Simonetta
Senior Corporate Gorvernance Officer, Richemont
Member of GILA’s In-house counsel commission - Jean-René Oettli
Partner, Borel & Barbey
Co-chair of GILA’s In-house counsel commission