Financial Intelligence Unit of Liechtenstein
2000 – 2004
In 2000, the government of Liechtenstein entrusted me with the task of laying the foundations for the FIU, the country’s first money laundering reporting office. I then took over both setup and management of the unit. This work contributed significantly to Liechtenstein’s removal from the blacklist of “non-cooperative countries and jurisdictions” in regard to money laundering, as maintained by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
I also linked Liechtenstein’s FIU with other money laundering reporting offices in the Egmont Group, a global network of financial intelligence units. As we implemented the new domestic money laundering regulations, I sought solutions together with the financial sector that respected the government’s zero-tolerance policy and its international obligations as well as being commercially viable and not further damaging to the reputation of the financial centre.
In addition, I was mandated to investigate old cases arising from Germany’s postwar economic diplomacy. I also served as a money laundering evaluator for Russia, Cyprus, Oman, Luxembourg and Monaco, and as an expert on white-collar crime, organised crime and money laundering, on various projects of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group in Central Asia.
Career
Attorney General of Switzerland
I was the first Attorney General of Switzerland to be elected by the Federal Parliament. At the Attorney General’s office, I introduced self-administration and strengthened the combat against white-collar crime with a focus on money laundering, corruption, organised crime and asset recovery. I also emphasised national and international cooperation.
Presidency of the Liechtenstein Financial Market Authority (FMA)
The Liechtenstein Parliament elected me Chairman of the Board of Directors of the country’s Financial Market Authority in 2010. I went on to reorganise the authority’s governance and to manage regulatory implementation of EU Directives in financial market law.
Director of the Liechtenstein Bankers Association (LBA)
As Chairman of the Liechtenstein Bankers Association, I played a key role in opening the Principality as a financial centre.
Director of PolyReg and legal practice
As part of the implementation of the Swiss Anti-Money Laundering Act, I established PolyReg, a self-regulatory organisation (SRO), and managed it alongside my activities as an independent lawyer.
Swiss Federal Office of Police fedpol
I set up the Central Office for Organised Crime at what is today the Swiss Federal Office of Police fedpol in 1995. In this role, I was responsible for planning and setting up the Money Laundering Reporting Office Switzerland (MROS).
Police force of the Canton of Bern (Switzerland), Criminal Investigation unit
In 1993, I took over as Head of the Special Investigations 1 section at the newly restructured Bernese cantonal police department.
Examining magistrate in the Bernese Oberland (Switzerland)
After studying law at the University of Bern (Switzerland) and being admitted to the bar, I joined the Bernese judiciary in 1992 as one of the canton’s newly created examining magistrates.