Ivo OTTAVIO FRANCESCON 

Of counsel

Ivo Ottavio FRANCESCON was born in Locarno (Ticino) on 27 July 1971. After obtaining a scientific high school diploma in Locarno in 1990, he studied law at the University of Lausanne. He obtained a law degree in 1993 and a master’s degree the following year. In 1995, he obtained certificates in forensic medicine, special criminal law, labour law and European law from the same university. He also serves as a member of several examination boards.

In 1996, he attended the Institut de Relations Internationales et Stratégiques in Paris for a post-graduate diploma in international relations and was admitted to the Geneva Bar in 1999 after completing his internship with the law firm Grosjean, Mégevand, Revaz & Associés. From 1999 to 2000, he was an associate at the law firm Velo Villa & Associés, working both in Geneva and in Ticino.

In 2000, he left the Geneva Bar and joined the Crédit Agricole Private Banking Group at CFM Monaco. As an executive, he was in charge of consulting and management assignments in the field of wealth engineering and external managers, and in 2004 he was appointed head of wealth planning. In 2004, he was appointed head of wealth planning activities. He is in charge of transversal actions implemented in Luxembourg, Switzerland and Monaco. He participates in the “Perspective International” programme for the Crédit Agricole Group’s senior executives.

In 2008, he left the banking sector to return to the Geneva Bar as an attorney with the law firm Schmidt, Jaton & Associés. Since then, he has been appointed director of several companies specialised in the field of asset and financial engineering. He is in charge of the interests of several family groups and advises real estate funds as well as luxury groups.

In 2019, he joins a newly established law firm, Schmidt & Associés, still as an attorney.

As a militia officer in the Swiss Air Force, with the rank of captain, he commanded an air transport unit before joining a staff. His last tour of duty was in 2004. He has published articles in the field of law enforcement and the illegal use of the internet. He is a regular lecturer. Since 2006, he has been a professional lecturer in the Master in International Finance and Banking Management at the University of Nice and has been president of the Law Students Association of the University of Lausanne and a member of the Swiss Officers Association. He is a member of the Geneva Bar Association and the Swiss Bar Association. He has been a member of the Club Suisse de Monaco since 2000 and is also a Rotarian.