Franz J. Kessler

Franz J. Kessler, partner at Pestalozzi, is a Corporate/M&A lawyer in Switzerland and heads Pestalozzi's Energy Law practice. He advises clients on corporate governance issues, private and public M&A transactions and complex energy law matters, with a particular focus on agreements, concessions and energy regulation, including hydropower concessions. He regularly advises domestic and international clients on utilities transactions and governance, energy-related public law procedures and real estate energy projects. Franz J. Kessler is an authorized issuer’s representative at the SIX Swiss Exchange and is listed in Chambers Europe, Switzerland Energy section.

Franz J. Kessler advises clients primarily in the energy sector and public private partnerships, with a particular focus on public utilities and infrastructure projects, such as energy production and transmission, healthcare institutions, datacenters, etc. He also has broad experience in the governance of major private as well as government-affiliated associations and foundations.

With more than 20 years of experience, Franz J. Kessler provides legal advice for entrepreneurs, boards of directors, companies, and joint ventures in both the private and in the public sector. As a corporate and commercial lawyer in Switzerland, he advises clients across a wide range of industry and service sectors, working closely with all other practice groups of Pestalozzi to deliver integrated legal solutions.

Past and current highlights

• 20 years of service as secretary to the board of a major hydropower company in Switzerland.

• Representation of hydropower companies in procedures with ElCom regarding regulatory issues, including cross-border and international treaty issues.
• Advice to Swiss hydropower companies in developing Switzerland's most important projects to increase hydropower production.
• Advice regarding the mid-term installation of a gas power plant in Switzerland as winter reserve capacity.
• Advice for the establishment of datacenters and other energy-oriented infrastructure in Switzerland.
• Advice regarding the secondary listing in Switzerland of a foreign company
• Merger and restructuring of healthcare institutions.

Franz J. Kessler studied at the University of Zurich, graduating summa cum laude as licentiatus iuris in 1997. He received his Doctor of Laws degree in 2000. He also studied at Harvard Law School in Cambridge, MA (USA), graduating with a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in 2003.

Dr. Franz J. Kessler regularly publishes in his fields of expertise and lectures for the Zurich University LL.M. program in International Business Law, as well as for other professional organizations.