Tobias Meili

Partner

Tobias Meili is a partner in the Corporate and Commercial Law practice group and on the IP and IT team. He advises clients in the areas of corporate and commercial law, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate financing. In addition, he provides support to our clients in the areas of data protection and IT law. He also advises companies on all issues relating to responsible business conduct, an area in which he has been actively involved, on the corporate side, for many years.

After practicing for several years with a well-known Swiss business law firm, he became Head of Legal at an international consulting and technology company in Switzerland before taking over as General Counsel Corporate Legal at an international agricultural company. In this position, he led an international team, was responsible for managing large, internal cross-functional restructuring projects and oversaw numerous major mergers and acquisitions and complex financial market transactions. Further, he acquired broad experience in issues of corporate governance as chairman and member of the board of directors of many group companies as well as company secretary of Syngenta AG, of occupational pension matters (since 2008 as member, from 2018 on as chairman of the board of trustees of the Syngenta pension fund), and of data protection, where he was appointed Group Data Privacy Officer and was responsible for the development and implementation of the group's data protection program. For several years, he has devoted particular attention to the subject of responsible business conduct.

In his work as a lawyer, he combines an authentic, pragmatic, and solution-oriented approach to giving advice with solid legal expertise and skills as a negotiator.

Practice Areas:

Corporate and Commercial
IP and IT
Responsible Business Conduct / ESG
Life Sciences and Health Law
Banking and Finance
Private Clients
Insolvency and Restructuring

Functions:

Member of the IB Board of Governors (since May 2023)
Lecturer for Law, University of St.Gallen / HSG (since 2021)
Member of the Board of Directors of the Basel Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Handelskammer beider Basel, 2018 - 2020)
Member of the Board of Directors of the Arbeitgeberverband Basel (Basel Employers' Association, 2015 - 2020)

Career:

2020 Partner at Wenger Plattner
2007 Syngenta AG, Basel, in executive positions in the legal department (General Counsel Corporate Legal / Group Data Privacy Officer)
2004 Accenture AG, Zurich, in executive positions in the legal department
2001 Senior Associate at Lenz & Staehelin, Zurich and Geneva
2001 Admission to the California bar
2000  Foreign Legal Counsel with Logitech Inc. (Fremont, California) and Connectix Corporation (San Mateo, California)
2000 University of California, Davis (LL.M.)
1999 University of Zurich (Dr. iur.)
1998 Associate at Lenz & Staehelin, Zurich
1998 Admission to the bar of the Canton of Zurich
1995 Trainee at Lenz & Staehelin, Zurich
1995 University of Zurich (lic. iur.)

Selected publications:

Digital Health Laws and Regulations Switzerland 2024
In: The International Comparative Legal Guides (ICLG), Fifth Edition, London 2024, p. 205-213

Life Sciences & Pharma IP Litigation Switzerland 2024
In: Chambers and Partners, London 2024, p. 314-331

Drug & Medical Device Litigation 2023 - Practical cross-border insights into drug and medical device litigation
In: The International Comparative Legal Guides (ICLG), Fourth Edition, London 2023, p. 135-142

Rechtlicher Rahmen der Unternehmensverantwortung in der Schweiz
In: Fokus Rechtsguide, Tagesanzeiger, 4. November 2021, S. 6

Newsletter 2/21: The revised Swiss Data Protection Act (FADP): Changes and their impact on companies
In fall 2020, the Swiss Parliament adopted the total revision of the Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP). The revised FADP is expected to enter into force mid-2022. The purpose of the total revision is to bring the FADP into line with the rapid changes in technology, the changed social circumstances, and the General Data Protection Regulation of the European Union (GDPR) that entered into force in 2018.

Indirekter Gegenvorschlag zur Unternehmensverantwortungs-Initiative
Webinar zum Thema "Was bedeuten die neuen Pflichten für Ihr Unternehmen?" In: Beider Basel Handelskammer

Responsible Business Conduct
After the public vote: New rules on responsible business conduct in Switzerland.

Wirksame Unternehmensverantwortung: Wieso der indirekte Gegenvorschlag die bessere Lösung ist
In: Beider Basel Handelskammer, 19.10.2020

„Wie ernst meinen es Schweizer Unternehmen mit verantwortungsvollem Wirtschaften?“ Streitgespräch zwischen Tobias Meili, Syngenta und Mark Herkenrath, Alliance Sud
In: Die Volkswirtschaft – Plattform für Wirtschaftspolitik, Nr. 7/2017, S. 38 ff.

Der Schutz von Know-how nach schweizerischem und internationalem Recht - Anpassungsbedarf aufgrund des TRIPS-Abkommens?
Schriften zum Medien- und Immaterialgüterrecht, Band 51, Bern 2000

Contact

Dr. Tobias Meili LL.M. (UC Davis)
Attorney at Law
Wenger Plattner
Attorneys at Law Tax Advisors Public Notaries
Aeschenvorstadt 55
4010 Basel

T +41 61 279 70 00
F +41 61 279 70 01
tobias.meili@wenger-plattner.ch

Admission:

Bar admission (1998)

Qualification:

Attorney at Law California, USA (2001)

Languages:

German, English, French, Italian

CV (PDF)
vCard