Event information
Legal 500 is proud to present the Diversity & Inclusion Forum Switzerland 2025, in partnership with Schellenberg Wittmer AG. This event, tailored specifically for in-house counsel, will take place on 16 September 2025 in Zurich.
Through topical panels and insightful discussions, the forum will explore the themes of diversity and inclusion from a legal perspective. Attendees will gain practical insights into how legal departments can lead, implement and benefit from effective diversity and inclusion initiatives.
At a time when diversity and inclusion efforts are facing political and regulatory scrutiny on a global scale, it is more important than ever for in-house teams to remain informed and equip themselves with the necessary tools to adapt to these challenges.
Expert panellists will discuss practical strategies and real-world solutions for fostering an inclusive culture in today’s fast-changing market, and how to balance company ethics and values with compliance and business strategy.
In addition to sharing knowledge, the event offers valuable opportunities to network with peers in the legal and the diversity and inclusion spaces.
Agenda
5.00pm – 5.30pm Registration
5.30pm – 5.35pm Opening remarks
- Isabel Caine, event content editor, Legal 500
5.35pm – 5.50pm Keynote speech
5.50pm – 6.30pm AI in hiring: reducing or reinforcing bias?
Many HR departments are turning to AI to support recruitment. But the increased use of these tools presents challenges around bias and compliance, from data protection laws to ethical implementation. This panel will explore the legal implications of using AI in hiring and discuss potential frameworks that in-house departments can use to assess and mitigate risk.
- Caroline Clemetson, partner, Schellenberg Wittmer
- Nora Rümbeli, group head legal & compliance tech, data & AI and group DPO, VONTOBEL
- Renate Lichtenegger, chief legal and compliance officer, Pocket App
- Liliana Correia, legal counsel & HR head, Swiss AI AG
- Thomas Schönholzer, group general counsel, The Swiss Post Ltd
6.30pm – 7.15pm Growing pressure on diversity and inclusion programs: balancing company values with compliance
With increasing challenges to diversity and inclusion programs worldwide, both national and international companies are left with various questions in the face of these political and regulatory shifts. In-house counsel are being called upon to advise organisations on how to balance company values with compliance and risk management. This panel will discuss how to navigate this changing landscape: should companies revise or reinforce their original diversity and inclusion position and strategies? And, with external stakeholders, consumers and employees in mind, what are the best long-term approaches to consider from both a legal and business perspective?
- George Ayoub, partner, Schellenberg Wittmer
- Sandrine Wait, VP head legal global M&A and finance, Adecco Group AG
- Ingrid Sollerer, general counsel and chief compliance officer, executive committee member, Sandoz
- Rita Portmann Witmer, head legal WM Zurich, BNP Paribas, Paris, Zurich Branch
7.15pm – 7.20pm Closing remarks
7.20pm Drinks and canapes
9.00pm Event concludes
Speakers
Nora Rümbeli, group head legal & compliance tech, data & AI and group DPO, VONTOBEL
As Group Head Legal and Compliance Tech, Data and AI as well as a Group DPO – with a robust background in law, technology, digitalisation, data & AI, outsourcing, sustainability, negotiation, project management, and regulatory framework, I bring a unique blend of expertise to the table. My journey, enriched by the discipline of a former professional boxer, shapes my dynamic, precise and open-minded leadership style, driving me to advise, motivate, and support international companies, financial institutions, and startups to compliantly reach their goals/visions.
With a strategic mindset, I adeptly merge extensive legal and compliance knowledge with practical application, ensuring regulatory requirements are seamlessly translated into actionable terms for diverse audiences. In an era of rapid technological advancements and shifting regulatory landscapes, I envision a future where legal frameworks not only adapt but also proactively foster innovation and sustainability.
Renate Lichtenegger, chief legal and compliance officer, Pocket App
Renate Lichtenegger MLAW, LL.M., is a Chief Legal & Compliance Counsel of Pocket App AG, a Swiss CASP for Bitcoin exchange services, and with plans to extend its business across the European Union, where she also serves as Corporate Secretary and Executive Board Member. With 18+ years of international experience, she is a trusted C-suite legal and compliance strategist, specializing in Swiss/EU financial regulation, digital assets, and emerging technologies. Renate is known for her strong expertise in AI-related legal and compliance frameworks, cross-border operations, governance, labor law- and business solutions. A Legal 500 panel contributor, she combines legal precision with tech-forward thinking to drive business innovation and regulatory excellence.
Liliana Correia, legal counsel & HR head, Swiss AI AG
Liliana Correia is an accomplished legal and compliance professional with international experience across Switzerland, France, Latin America and the United States. As Legal Counsel & Head of Human Resources at Swiss AI AG, she provides strategic legal and compliance guidance while overseeing the HR function, including talent acquisition and performance management.
A New York-qualified attorney, she holds a J.D. from New York Law School, an LL.M. in French and European Law from the Sorbonne, and a Certificate of Advanced Studies in In-House Counsel from the University of Zurich. Drawing on cross-jurisdictional expertise from her legal education and practice, Liliana combines legal acumen with business pragmatism to enable sustainable international growth.
Thomas Schönholzer, group general counsel, The Swiss Post Ltd.
Sandrine Wait, VP head legal global M&A and finance, Adecco Group AG
Sandrine Wait is Head Legal Global M&A and Finance at the Adecco Group. A Swiss-qualified lawyer, she holds a bilingual Joint Master of Law from the Universities of Zurich and Lausanne and a bilingual Bachelor of Law from the University of Fribourg. She completed her legal internship in Geneva before starting her career at Bär & Karrer in Zurich, where she specialized in financing. In 2021, she joined the Adecco Group as M&A and finance lawyer, and since January 2025 she has been leading global legal support for the Group’s M&A and corporate finance activities.
Ingrid Sollerer, general counsel and chief compliance officer, executive committee member, Sandoz
Dr. Ingrid Sollerer is General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at Sandoz. She joined
Sandoz GmbH, Austria in April 1998 and moved on to Novartis International AG in Basel,
Switzerland, where she held the position of a Senior Corporate Counsel, Mergers & Acquisitions and Competition Law from 2001 to 2007. From 2008, she led the Legal Departments for Western Europe, Middle East/Africa, the global Business Units Oncology Injectables and Anti-Infectives and held the position of the Global Head Legal Biopharmaceuticals and Deputy General Counsel at Sandoz. In 2016, she joined Novartis Oncology as Global Head Legal Transactions and Cell&Gene in East Hanover, USA before rejoining Sandoz in 2019 in her current position. Ingrid holds a degree of law from the University of Innsbruck, a Diploma of international law at the University of Seville/Spain and obtained a doctorate in law (PhD) in 2001 at the University of Innsbruck
Rita Portmann Witmer, head legal WM Zurich, BNP Paribas, Paris, Zurich Branch
Rita Portmann Witmer is Head of Legal Wealth Management at BNP Paribas, Zurich Branch, and a member of the Legal Executive Management Committee Switzerland, as well as Diversity & Inclusion Lead for BNP Legal Switzerland. She brings 20+ years of experience as a Swiss-qualified lawyer in both private practice and in-house roles in Zurich and London. She has also served as Chair and Board Member of FINMA-regulated Swiss asset management companies. Rita is committed to fostering diversity and inclusion within the legal profession and combines deep technical expertise with a strong dedication to driving positive change
Caroline Clemetson, partner, Schellenberg Wittmer
Caroline Clemetson is a Partner in Schellenberg Wittmer’s Banking & Finance group in Geneva and in Zurich. She heads the Investment Management Practice of the firm and her focus is on banking and finance law, in particular financial services and financial regulation, asset management, collective investment schemes and other investment products, distribution of financial products, derivatives, trade finance, pension funds, as well as insurance and insurance brokerage regulation. Caroline was the first woman to be elected to the Management Committee of a larger Swiss law firm. She has played a key role in promoting gender diversity within the firm and introduced diversity initiatives and targets to foster a strong commitment to increasing female representation in leadership and strategic positions.
George Ayoub, partner, Schellenberg Wittmer
George Ayoub is a partner in Schellenberg Wittmer’s Dispute Resolution, White-Collar Crime and Compliance, and Internal Corporate Investigations groups in Geneva. His key areas of expertise and practice focus on white-collar crime, international mutual legal assistance, extradition, asset tracing and recovery, and internal corporate investigations. George is also specialised in regulatory and compliance issues as well as in matters of trade sanctions, embargoes and export controls.
As one of the firm’s four Diversity Officers, George coordinates various initiatives to promote diversity, inclusion, equity and awareness within the firm and across its activities.
In association with
Schellenberg Wittmer is a leading Swiss Business Law firm with offices in Geneva, Zurich, and Singapore. The firm has been practicing in its current form for 20 years. Schellenberg Wittmer is recognized and respected internationally for its legal excellence and its progressive stance in an otherwise conservative market.
Schellenberg Wittmer is the leading firm in Switzerland for diversity and inclusion, having one of the highest numbers of women in management positions, and in 2019 Caroline Clementson was elected to the Management Committee as the first female partner in Switzerland. Moreover, the firm is the first to promote specialized LGBTQI+ initiatives and has diverse representation at all levels, including within the firm’s Management Committee.
The SW IDEA task force – Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Awareness – aims to support the firm’s values that all LGBTQI+ individuals should feel accepted and valued, and grow within the Schellenberg Wittmer family and beyond, independently from their sexual orientation and gender identity; and translate those values into actions.
Schellenberg Wittmer has in recent years partnered with multiple organizations that promote diversity and inclusion, including non-profit associations: The Women in Business Society, Frauenarbeit, Le Refuge, and Regenbogen Familien.