Heini Rüdisühli

Lenz & Staehelin

Zurich www.lenzstaehelin.com

heini.ruedisuehli@lenzstaehelin.com Tel: +41 58 450 80 00

Biography

Heini Rüdisühli is a partner in the Zurich office, where he leads the private clients practice group. As a certified tax expert his main field of activity is national and international tax planning for private individuals as well as taxation of corporate reorganisations and acquisitions. In addition, Heini Rüdisühli is a certified specialist in inheritance law with a focus on succession planning as well as executorship of estates. He is a TEP with a broad knowledge of trusts.

Describe your career to date.

After successfully passing the bar exam in 1988, I started working for a large accounting firm as an auditor and later transferred to the tax team. I still benefit from my experience as an auditor to this day. In 1992, I obtained the diploma as Swiss certified tax expert and was promoted to tax manager. In 1996, I joined Lenz & Staehelin with the task of building up a tax team. In 2001 I was admitted to the partnership of Lenz & Staehelin. After many years as a corporate tax partner, my interests have expanded over time to include private clients. I have now been leading this practice group for several years. My interest in inheritance law and the desire to learn something new led me to complete the Certified Specialist SBA Inheritance Law course in 2016.

What qualities make for a successful career as an adviser in corporate tax?

In addition to a firm grasp of tax law, a good understanding of economic relationships and the accounting implications of proposed reorganisation steps are key.

How do you ensure you are well equipped to handle crossborder transactions?

On the one hand, it requires an understanding of the systematics of foreign national tax laws and, on the other hand, a good know-how of international double taxation law. These basics are important in order to be able to correctly classify the expert advice of foreign colleagues and to adjust one's own planning accordingly. However, it is essential to have a well-rehearsed cooperation with foreign colleagues.

What do you enjoy the most about having an international practice?

The international situations we encounter are always a challenge, as it is necessary to reconcile their different tax assessments. Nevertheless, what I value most is the opportunity to maintain a friendly relationship with my foreign colleagues, also in human terms.

How are initiatives to tax the digital economy affecting your clients, and how are you adapting your practice accordingly?

We closely follow developments in international tax law. In practice, however, the effects have so far been relatively minor. Thanks to our constant efforts to exchange know-how within our team, we are well positioned to meet our clients' consulting needs and to actively propose meaningful reorganisations.

How do you see your practice developing over the next five years?

We assume that Switzerland will continue to be an attractive location for international corporations. In this respect, we expect constant growth in the demand for first-class consulting. In addition to specialist knowledge, knowledge of our clients' industries is becoming increasingly important.

You have enjoyed a very distinguished career so far. What would you like to achieve that you have not yet accomplished?

I am grateful for all that I have been able to accomplish so far with the team at our firm. Thanks to the fact that we have many young talents in the team, I can say that my succession is assured and therefore my unrealised goals are more in the private sphere. I would like to develop myself as a photographer.

What advice would you give to younger practitioners hoping to one day be in your position?

A professional career is a marathon, not a sprint! You have to manage your energy well and keep your professional and private life in balance. This and the interest in always learning new things is the key to a satisfying career – the rest comes naturally.

WWL says: Heini Rüdisühli earns praise as “a very active and effective tax lawyer” with “a very strong standing in the market”.