On 8 November 2016, a conference on philanthropic foundations organized by Société Générale in partnership with the Swiss Philanthropy Foundation was held at the Maison FXB du Sauvetage in Sion. The event, which brought together key stakeholders from the philanthropy sector as well as over 30 participants, was part of the 10th anniversary of the Swiss Philanthropy Foundation.
Various topics related to governance, practices and issues concerning to philanthropic foundations were discussed by different specialists. Jean-Paul Salamin, President of the Association of Notaries of Valais, opened the conference by discussing the various legal developments. Then Christine-Lise Maurer, Deputy Director of the Supervisory Authority LPP and foundations of Western Switzerland, discussed the modalities of supervision and issues related to fraud and money laundering.
The conference then turned to philanthropic foundations, addressing the theme of family foundations and the creation of a foundation as a family project with IMD Professor Denise Kenyon-Rouvinez. This was followed by the presentation by Etienne Eichenberger, Chairman of Swiss Philanthropy Foundation, of the still unrecognized umbrella foundation model and the flexible solution of the sheltered philanthropic fund that it offers as an alternative to the classic foundation. This part of the conference provided participants with a more emotional look that they could identify with.
The conference ended with a perspective on the taxation and financial management aspects of foundations, with contributions from Yves Dumoulin, Certified Trustee and Tax Expert, and Nicolas Claquin, Portfolio Manager at Société Générale.
The convivial aperitif that followed provided a space for discussion to allow participants and speakers to discuss topics and share experiences.
In view of the success and enthusiasm expressed by the participants, Swiss Philanthropy Foundation plans to reiterate the experience in various regions of French-speaking Switzerland. The next event will be held in March 2017 in Lausanne.
(photo by lumiere.ch)
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