Christof Helbling has over 14 years experience in employee share plans and executive compensation. He is, based on his practical expertise and his long-standing experience, a renowned specialist on renumeration topics and compensation plans.
He is the author of the doctoral thesis about equity compensation plans in Switzerland “Mitarbeiteraktien und Mitarbeiteroptionen in der Schweiz”; published in the 2nd edition at Schulthess Verlag, 500 pages. With this publication he gained in-depth knowledge of employee equity ownership schemes.
He was in the last 7 years with UBS AG, in Group Legal, where he was responsible for UBS’s compensation plans as well as the employment agreements, termination agreements, loan agreements, award agreements, side letters, etc. for the senior executives, i.e. UBS’s executive board members and the board of directors.
Before, he was 6 years in the legal department of Ernst & Young AG, of which during 1 1/2 years he was based in New York as head of the Swiss legal desk where he gained his valuable practice and knowhow.
Christof Helbling published several articles about compensation issues and held different presentations and speeches, in particular at IFE (International Faculty for Executives) and IFZ (Institut für Finanzdienstleistungen Zug).
Education
1993 – MA (lic. iur) at University of Zurich
1998 – Dr. iur. at University of Zurich (doctoral thesis about equity compensation plans in Switzerland “Mitarbeiteraktien und Mitarbeiteroptionen in der Schweiz”), out of stock
1999 – Bar exam of canton of Zurich
2003 – Publication of 2nd edition of his book about employee share plans and stock option plans (“Mitarbeiteraktien und Mitarbeiteroptionen in der Schweiz”), 500 pages
Practice
1993 – 1994 – Legal trainee at Bär & Karrer Attorneys-at-Law, Zurich
1994 – 1995 – Auditor at district court of Zurich
1999 – 2000 – Attorney-at-law with Niedermann Attorneys-at-Law, Zurich
2000 – 2002 – Attorney-at-law with Ernst & Young Legal, Zurich
2002 – 2003 – Head of the Swiss Legal Desk of Donahue & Partners LLP, an independent Law Firm allied with Ernst & Young, in New York, USA
2003 – 2006 – Attorney-at-law with Ernst & Young Legal, Zurich, Senior Manager
2006 – 2013 – Attorney-at-law with UBS AG, Executive Director, Group Legal, Senior Executive Compensation
since 2013 – Partner at HELBLING Attorneys-at-Law, Zurich
Languages
German, English
Memberships
Member of the Zurich Bar Association, ZAV
Member of the Swiss Bar Association, SAV
Member of Global Equity Organisation, GEO
Member of ESOP Centre Organisation
Member of Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce
