Mercedes Chiabotti

Mercedes Chiabotti is a Senior Associate in the Pestalozzi Capital Markets Group and in Pestalozzi’s Corporate/M&A Group in Zurich. She specializes in equity capital markets transactions, public takeovers, and domestic and international M&A transactions. Her practice encompasses advising Swiss and international issuers, investors, and corporate clients on stock exchange and capital markets regulations, corporate governance, and general corporate law matters.

As an Authorized Representative of SIX Swiss Exchange, Mercedes advises companies throughout the lifecycle of capital markets transactions, including capital raisings, listings, and delistings. She also represents clients in regulatory matters and proceedings before SIX Exchange Regulation, the Swiss Takeover Board, and the Swiss Federal Department of Finance.

She is a lecturer on the LL.M. Program for International Business Law and CAS International Banking, Finance and Insurance Law.

Past and current work highlights

• Advised the Mankel family on a CHF 2 billion transaction to become dormakaba Holding AG's majority shareholder in connection with the simplification of dormahaba Holding AG's ownership structure.

• Advised Coca-Cola HBC AG on its acquisition of a 75% shareholding in Coca-Cola Beverages Africa Pty (CCBA) from The Coca-Cola Company and Gutsche Family Investments Pty Ltd for a combined purchase price of USD 2.6 billion, implying an equity value for 100% of CCBA at USD 3.4 billion.

• Advised Group Bader SA in connection with the public takeover offer for all publicly held shares of Zwahlen et Mayr S.A., a Swiss company listed on SIX Swiss Exchange.

• Advised Lithium Argentina AG, formerly Lithium Americas (Argentina) Corp. in its corporate migration to Switzerland from Canada.

• Advised international financial institutions on Swiss law aspects of private placements and capital raisings in connection with private placements from Swiss companies listed on SIX Swiss Exchange.

• Advises issuers and financial sponsors on equity capital markets transactions, including private placements, as well as on listing and de‑listing processes on SIX Swiss Exchange.

• Represents clients in regulatory and enforcement proceedings before SIX Exchange Regulation, the Swiss Takeover Board and the Swiss Federal Department of Finance, in particular in matters relating to takeover law, disclosure obligations.

• Regularly advises listed and private companies, investors and boards on cross‑border M&A transactions and takeover situations, acting for buyers, sellers and target companies across a broad range of industries including industrials and life sciences.

• Advises boards of directors and executives of listed companies on corporate governance, ad hoc publicity, insider trading and market abuse regulation, including in complex and high‑stakes transactional contexts.

Mercedes graduated from Queen Mary, University of London in 2014 (LL.B.) and the University of St. Gallen in 2018 (B.A. HSG in Law, M.A. HSG in International Law and M.A. HSG in Law). After law school she gained valuable work experience while employed by Pestalozzi as a junior associate, the Environment Department of the Canton St. Gallen as a legal intern and the Administrative Appeal Commission (Verwaltungsrekurskommission) of Canton St. Gallen as law clerk. In 2020, Mercedes was admitted to the bar in Switzerland.