Credit Suisse bankers denied bonuses after UBS takeover
by@FT
Summary
Former Credit Suisse bankers have denied receiving bonuses that were stripped following the bank's takeover by UBS. This development comes after Switzerland's Supreme Court ruled that the reductions were lawful, emphasizing the public interest in limiting variable compensation in light of the state aid provided during the crisis. Under Swiss banking law, authorities have the power to order the reduction or cancellation of unpaid bonuses for systemically important banks that receive government support.
Analysis
UBS: UBS is a leading Swiss global financial services firm that completed the acquisition of Credit Suisse in 2023. In relation to this news, UBS is positioned as the acquiring entity and has participated in legal efforts to uphold the bonus reductions ordered by Swiss authorities during the takeover. The company continues to be referenced in ongoing disputes over compensation tied to the integration of the former rival. Credit Suisse: Credit Suisse was a major Swiss bank acquired by UBS in 2023 after facing severe financial challenges. In this news, it refers to the institution whose senior employees had outstanding bonuses subject to government-mandated cuts as part of the rescue process, sparking prolonged legal challenges. Recent Swiss court rulings have addressed the validity of those cuts in the context of state support during the acquisition. Legal Outcome: Switzerland's Supreme Court ruled that the bonus reductions for former Credit Suisse employees were lawful due to the public interest in limiting variable compensation following state aid. Regulatory Basis: Swiss banking law provides authority for authorities to order reductions or cancellations of unpaid bonuses when a systemically important bank receives government support during a crisis.
Categories
macropolitics
Related sources
- https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-04-27/credit-suisse-employee-bonuses-tied-to-at1-bonds-also-wiped-out
- https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/bundesgericht-cs-kader-verlieren-boni-klage-171955441700
- https://latele.ch/articles/le-tf-confirme-la-suppression-des-bonus-chez-credit-suisse
- https://www.srf.ch/news/schweiz/nach-cs-untergang-bundesgericht-doch-keine-boni-fuer-cs-kader
- https://www.ft.com/content/e7a2582f-77b5-4e14-9113-e474b2e84a53
- https://www.ft.com/content/86311558-6118-421b-9034-334ae96146a2
- https://www.blick.ch/politik/bundesgericht-streichung-der-boni-von-cs-bankern-war-rechtens/1l3nprq
- https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/credit-suisse-bankers-lose-final-bid-to-win-back-bonuses-at-swiss-top-court/92221182
- https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-14/credit-suisse-bankers-shouldn-t-have-been-stripped-of-bonuses-court-says