Switzerland

Bank Vontobel AG has successfully issued CHF 250 million senior bonds. Zürcher Kantonalbank and Bank Vontobel acted as Joint Lead Managers. The bonds will be listed and traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange. Bär & Karrer acted as legal advisor to Vontobel. The team was led by Lukas Roesler and included Nikolaus Lange (both Capital Markets). For further information please contact: Media Relations, Eric Stupp Tel: +41 58 261 50 00 Email: [email protected] Bär & Karrer is a leading Swiss law firm with more than 200 lawyers, providing customized legal advice in complex transactions and litigation. Clients range from multinational corporations to private individuals in Switzerland and abroad. Bär & Karrer is present with offices in all main language regions in Switzerland and operates globally via an international network of leading law firms. For further information please visit baerkarrer.ch.

On April 8, 2026, Landis+Gyr Group AG, a global energy technology leader driving intelligent innovation across the grid, announced the successful completion of the divestiture of its Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) business to AURELIUS, a global private equity investor.  The transaction, which was announced in September 2025, has closed with economic effect as of March 31, 2026, following the satisfaction of customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions. As a result of the transaction, AURELIUS has acquired Landis+Gyr’s EMEA operations, encompassing the full metering portfolio for residential electricity, ICG electricity, gas, thermal and water, as well as the related integrated software and services solutions, together with five production sites and approximately 2,800 employees across the region. The Homburger team is led by Daniel Hasler (Corporate / M&A) and includes Anna Peter, Patrick Schmidt, Nicola Togni, Luc Huber and Fabia Starkermann (all Corporate / M&A), Gregor Bühler, Philippe Baumann and Joel Fink (all IP / IT), Reto Heuberger, Philippe Weber and Juliette Buob (all Tax), Peter Müller (Pension), Richard Stäuber (Competition), as well as Jürg Frick and Stefan Bindschedler (both Financing). Contact Johanna Schmid / Marketing / [email protected]

On May 13, 2026, Novartis Finance S.A. successfully completed its issuance of EUR 600 m 3.100 per cent.  Fixed Rate Notes due January 13, 2032, EUR 600 m 3.500 per cent. Fixed Rate Notes due May 13, 2035 and EUR 500 m 4.000 per cent. Fixed Rate Notes due May 13, 2041. The Notes are unconditionally and irrevocably guaranteed by Novartis AG. The Homburger team was led by Benjamin Leisinger (Capital Markets) and Frank Gerhard (Corporate/M&A, Capital Markets) and included Eduard De Zordi (Capital Markets), Daniel Junginger and Yulia Shaburnykova (both Capital Markets, Financing) as well as Stefan Oesterhelt (Tax). Contact Wanda Schweda / Marketing / [email protected]

Inspired Education, a leading global premium school operator serving 95'000 students in 125 schools on 6 continents, has acquired the Geneva English School (GES). GES, founded in 1961, is a leading international school in Switzerland located outside of Geneva. Bär & Karrer advises Inspired Education in this transaction. The team is co-led by Christoph Neeracher and Luca Jagmetti and further includes Ronny Schmid, Thomas Rohde and Teymour Bakhtiar (all M&A), Corrado Rampini and Fanny Cattaneo (both Real Estate), Laura Widmer and Nicola Schön (both Employment), and Susanne Schreiber and Donjeta Beka (both Tax). For further information please contact: Media Relations, Eric Stupp Tel: +41 58 261 50 00 Email: [email protected] Bär & Karrer is a leading Swiss law firm with more than 200 lawyers, providing customized legal advice in complex transactions and litigation. Clients range from multinational corporations to private individuals in Switzerland and abroad. Bär & Karrer is present with offices in all main language regions in Switzerland and operates globally via an international network of leading law firms. For further information please visit baerkarrer.ch.