The Qualified Shareholder as a New Player in Public Takeover Bids Early Experiences with the Revision of 2009

In early 2009, the law of public takeover bids in Switzerland was considerably revised. The changes affect the regulatory bodies as well as bidders and target companies. The “qualified shareholder” newly enjoys the position of a party to the proceedings. Early experiences in practice confirm that a new player has entered the arena of public takeovers who should be taken seriously.