A Secure and Elegant Alternative to Traditional Trusts

Designed for families seeking privacy, control, and simplicity in wealth succession — without the complexity of offshore structures.

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A Modern Wealth Succession Structure

Designed for families who value permanence, discretion, and direct ownership.

  • A Swiss Solution

    A family-owned Société Anonyme (SA), governed by Swiss civil law. Fully onshore. Privately held. Globally respected.

    The Swiss Family Company is not a new legal entity. It applies established Swiss corporate mechanisms within a framework designed specifically for family wealth, governance and succession.

  • Built for Generational Wealth

    Designed to manage investments and preserve legacy. Structure and clarity across generations.

  • Trusts Are Being Reconsidered

    For some families, traditional trust structures can bring additional complexity, particularly across multiple jurisdictions. A Swiss corporate structure can offer an alternative based on direct ownership, clear governance and control.

  • Control Without Complexity

    No trustees. Direct corporate ownership. Ownership remains with the family.

How It Works

  1. Set Up the Company

    Designed for families who value permanence, discretion, and direct ownership.

  2. Appoint Shareholders & Directors

    Define ownership and control by selecting family members or trusted individuals as shareholders and directors.

  3. Transfer or Loan Assets

    Assets may be contributed or loaned to the company, allowing the funding structure to be adapted to the family’s circumstances and long-term objectives.

  4. Define Roles & Governance

    Shareholder agreements and other appropriate corporate arrangements can define governance, decision-making and the respective rights and responsibilities of family members. Succession to the shares can be planned in conjunction with the family’s estate arrangements and applicable succession law.

  5. Begin Operations

    The company is now ready to hold, manage, and grow wealth — with ongoing administration handled in a clear, structured way.

Advantages Over Trusts

Control and Privacy

Trust Structure

  • Assets are legally held by trustees
  • Control is exercised under the terms of the trust
  • Trust deed governs the structure
  • Additional governance roles may be required

Swiss Company

  • Family members can own the shares directly
  • Shareholders exercise defined ownership and voting rights
  • Governance is established through normal corporate arrangements
  • No trustee or trust protector required

Tax, Succession, and Flexibility

Trust Structure

  • Funding may involve an irrevocable transfer of assets
  • Tax treatment depends on the trust and jurisdictions involved
  • Distributions may have tax consequences
  • Succession is governed through the trust arrangements

Swiss Company

  • Shareholder loans can be repaid
  • Subject to the applicable Swiss corporate tax regime
  • Repayment of genuine shareholder loan principal is distinct from a dividend distribution
  • Succession to shares can be planned in advance

A Swiss Family Company does not remove the need for appropriate estate planning. On the death of a shareholder, the shares pass in accordance with the shareholder’s estate arrangements and applicable succession law. The underlying investments, however, remain owned by the company, providing continuity at the asset-holding level.

Why Switzerland?

  • Stable, civil law jurisdiction with deep legal traditions
  • Globally respected - not classified as offshore
  • Robust legal and banking infrastructure
  • Strong data privacy and confidentiality
  • Established corporate framework and straightforward administration

Who Should Consider This?

  • Families considering an alternative to an existing trust structure
  • Civil law residents in Europe, Latin America, or Asia
  • High-net-worth individuals seeking compliant privacy
  • Family offices, estate planners, and legal advisors

Strategic Features

  • Use shareholder loans as part of the company’s funding structure
  • Provide a corporate alternative when restructuring existing family wealth arrangements
  • Company secretary maintains share register
  • Share register is not publicly available
  • Separate governance, voting rights and economic participation where appropriate
  • Allow ownership to evolve between generations while underlying investments remain within the company

The appropriate corporate, tax and succession arrangements depend on the circumstances of each family and the jurisdictions concerned. Swiss Family Company structures should be established in conjunction with appropriate legal and tax advice. The information on this website is general in nature and does not constitute legal or tax advice.

Contact Us

The Swiss Family Company service is delivered exclusively through Dryden ICS SA, a Swiss firm of Chartered Accountants based in Geneva. We work with international families and their professional advisers to establish and administer Swiss corporate structures for the ownership, governance and succession of family wealth. Using the Swiss société anonyme as the core vehicle, the approach combines established Swiss corporate mechanisms with clear family governance and long-term succession planning.

Your First Point of Contact is Nick Dryden, Managing Partner, Dryden ICS SA, a British and Swiss Chartered Accountant, and Swiss resident for over 30 years.

Whether you are considering an alternative to an existing trust structure or establishing a new family wealth structure, Nick is your direct point of contact at Dryden ICS.

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