ZEDRA the global independent specialist in Trust, Corporate and Fund services has agreed to acquire Talenture, an independent corporate and services provider based in Lugano, Switzerland. The acquisition will bring ZEDRA’s global office total to 17 across 13 jurisdictions. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2019.

The acquisition will enhance ZEDRA’s portfolio of services, adding Talenture’s expertise in areas such as accounting, corporate secretarial, tax compliance, payroll and HR services for Swiss and international companies.

Talenture is an independent corporate and services provider firm which historically has specialised in providing consulting and corporate services solutions for international entrepreneurs and corporations since 1989.

The Lugano office will be ZEDRA’ s fourth  in Switzerland and importantly will  expand its footprint into the Italian-speaking region of the country.

Ivo Hemelraad, Group Director Corporate, Funds & Legal, said “We believe that our new office in Ticino will allow us to target new markets in Switzerland and bring into our group individuals with tremendous expertise. Our business is well positioned to capitalise on many attractive growth opportunities within the Swiss fashion valley and we are very confident this acquisition will further enhance the full range of corporate services we already have to offer all our active wealth clients.”

“Our philosophy and mission are to provide our clients with the best effective professional advice to make their business grow and lives simpler. Joining forces with a company that shares our philosophy was my top priority,” says Stefano Graidi of Talenture. “With its strong reputation in the industry and its entrepreneurial spirit, ZEDRA brings to our existing clients a differentiated value proposition and a full range of services across a wide range of jurisdictions. I am delighted that as part of ZEDRA, together we can continue to work to ensure the very best for our clients.”

Michele Antonini, who will assume the role of Managing Director, ZEDRA Lugano, commented: “We look forward to creating new opportunities for our clients and employees by combining our local expertise with Zedra’s Group ’s global network. The current Management of Talenture, notably Michele Antonini, Giuseppe Costantino, Uberto Meraviglia Mantegazza and Michele Meretti will join ZEDRA and will bring a wealth of knowledge and extensive experience.”

Giovanni La Forgia, ZEDRA Switzerland Commercial Director, commented:  The Talenture’s acquisition significantly  extends our offering to include payroll and tax compliance services in Switzerland “Ticino’s strategic geographic position represents a bridge between northern and southern Europe and two strong and dynamic economic areas: Lombardy – with international fashion and financial hub Milan– and Switzerland. Accounting expertise and corporate services in the region are well developed and the area includes a solid industrial sector. It also headquarters various multinational companies, especially in the fashion industry that we are in a perfect position to serve.”

The acquisition will bring Zedra’s combined staff numbers in Geneva, Lugano, Zürich and Zug to seventy.