Our company
Team
Board of Directors
Management Board
Employees
Stefan D. Naegeli
Co-founder & President of the
Board of Directors
Elpida Tsecouras Fisch
Co-Founder, Member of the Board of Directors,
Member of the Managing Board
Prof. Dr. Dr. Markus Ruffner
Member of the Board of Directors
Studies in Zürich (lic. oec. 1979, lic. iur. 1984, Dr. oec. 1989, Dr. iur. 1990). Until 1990 reorganised the family enterprise, then working as an editor for economics at the Neue Zürcher Zeitung. Working as senior economist for several years at Credit Suisse. Since 1996 legal counsel with a major law firm in Zurich. 1999 head of asset management in a private bank. Founding partner and Chief Executive Officer of a private bank in Zurich (2001). Since 1998 lecturer at the University of St. Gallen. Since 2011 Member of the Board of Directors of FIRST INDEPENDENT FUND SERVICES LTD.
Jürg Alder
CEO
Law studies at the University of St. Gallen (lic.iur. HSG 1999) and postgraduate studies at the University of Cape Town UCT (LL.M. 2005). Several years working experience in the Swiss representative business (2005 – 2008) and as Deputy Managing Director of a Swiss fund management company (2008–2014). From 2014 until 2017 Legal & Compliance officer at FIRST INDEPENDENT FUND SERVICES LTD. Joining the Management Board in 2017 and CEO since 1 January 2019.
Matthias Lüdi
Member of the Management Board
Law studies at the University of Fribourg with European University exchange program at the University of Montpellier, France (MLaw 2007). Studies at the Fund Academy AG, Zurich (Dipl. Swiss Fund Officer FA/IAF 2013). Worked in a commercial law firm, at the District Court and for the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA (Markets Department / Asset Management). From 2009 until 2019 lecturer at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW). From 2012 until 2021 responsible for Legal & Compliance with FIRST INDEPENDENT FUND SERVICES LTD. Since 1 January 2022 member of the Management Board.
Simone Hirschmüller
Vice President, Client Services & Administration
Studies in Paralegalism at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW - Paralegal 2013). From 1995–1997 working for the Foreign Exchange Trading Team with UBS (formerly SBC Warburg). 1997–1999 working at the Admission Board of SIX Swiss Exchange. From 1999–2005 assistant to the Client Relationship Team UK at Société Générale Private Banking (formerly Rüegg Bank). Since 2005 responsible for Client Services & Administration with FIRST INDEPENDENT FUND SERVICES LTD.
Patrick De Rocco
Vice President, Compliance
1988–1991 commercial apprenticeship at Zürcher Kantonalbank, Zurich (ZKB). 1992–1996 securities dealer at various trading desks with ZKB. 1996 licensed as trader for Swiss Stock Exchange SWX. 1997 graduate as „International Securities Dealer“ with the International Securities Market Association (ISMA) in Lisbon. From 1997 – 2000 responsible head of trading for foreign securities at ZKB. 2001 further education as „Certified Financial Advisor IAF“ at IfFP Institute for Financial Planning, Zurich. Working from 2001 – 2006 as Team Head „Fund Service- and Order Desk“ with Dresdner Bank (Switzerland) Ltd. From 2007 – 2015 serving as „Senior Distribution Operations Specialist“ for Allianz Global Investors Europe GmbH, Zurich Branch. Since September 2015 responsible for Compliance with FIRST INDEPENDENT FUND SERVICES LTD.
Ophélie Krall
Vice President, Client Services, Compliance & Regulatory
2004-2008 commercial apprenticeship at the municipality of Porrentruy and at the pension fund of the canton of Jura. 2010-2012 administrative assistant for the real estate sector Romandie of Lidl Schweiz in Bern. Working from 2012 to 2016 for the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA in Bern in the Asset Management division (approval of foreign funds and authorisation of former Swiss distributors). In 2015, studies at the Fund Academy AG, Geneva (Dipl. Swiss Fund Officer FA/IAF). From 2016 to 2023, worked for a Swiss representative of foreign funds in Zurich, most recently as Head of Funds Regulations' Group (Swiss representation and UCITS/AIF cross-border registration). Since May 2023 responsible for Client Services, Compliance & Regulatory with FIRST INDEPENDENT FUND SERVICES LTD.
Sonja Leinen
Vice President, Client Services & Administration
2000-2004 Studies of Business Administration in Heilbronn, Germany (Diplom-Betriebswirtin (FH)). From 2005 to 2008 worked in different fund departments at DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale Luxembourg S.A. and Deka International S.A. in Luxembourg. From 2008 to 2015 employee at the fund reporting group at Union Investment Luxembourg S.A. From 2016 to 2023 working as Data Relationship Manager at fund data provider FE fundinfo AG in Zurich, Switzerland. Since July 2023 responsible for Client Services & Administration at FIRST INDEPENDENT FUND SERVICES LTD.