François Carrard

Specialises in Sports and Media Law as well as in International Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution.

Contact

Areas of expertise: corporate law – banking, finance and capital markets law – sports and media law – international arbitration and alternative dispute resolution – estate planning, wills and probate

Languages: French, English, German, Italian, Spanish

Education:

  • University of Lausanne (Dr. iur.)
  • Admitted to the bar

Professional experience

  • Partner at the law firm Carrard & Associés since 1967
  • Chairman of panels, party-appointed arbitrator and counsel in numerous international arbitration proceedings in commercial and sporting matters
  • Member of the board of directors and Chairman of several companies in Switzerland and abroad, including in industry, banking, finance, printing and the hotel sector
  • Director General of the International Olympic Committee (1989-2003)
  • Former member of the Federal Foreign Indemnification Committee
  • Attorney in a law firm in Stockholm (1963-1964)
  • Attorney in a trust company in Lausanne (1962-1963)

Member of

  • Vaud Bar Association (OAV)
  • Swiss Bar Federation (FSA)
  • International Bar Association (IBA)
  • Union Internationale des Avocats (UIA)
  • Swiss Arbitration Association (ASA)

Registered in the Cantonal Attorneys’ Register (Vaud)

Directorship

  • Bank of China (Suisse) SA, in Geneva, is a bank within the Bank of China Group. Its business focuses chiefly on wealth management and trading. François Carrard is a director.

  • Beau-Rivage Palace SA, in Lausanne, runs the Beau-Rivage Palace and the Angleterre & Résidence Hotel, in Lausanne-Ouchy. François Carrard is Chairman of the Board of Directors.

  • Brugg Group, in Brugg (Kabelwerke Brugg Holding AG, Brugg Kabel AG, Rittmeyer AG, Brugg Rohrsystem AG, Geobrugg AG, Fatzer AG, Brugg Drahtseil AG, Fortatech AG and Brugg Immobilien AG). The Brugg Group (4 divisions, 16 production sites and 27 sales organisations throughout the world) operates in various industrial sectors, including the production and supply of cable systems and other technologies for tourism, transport, telecommunications, construction and industry, as well as channels, remote heating systems, transporting liquids and control systems, and other technologies for the hydraulics industry. François Carrard is a director.

  • Fondation du Montreux Jazz Festival, in Montreux, is the owner and organiser of the Montreux Jazz Festival. François Carrard is Chairman of the Foundation Board.

  • ING Bank (Suisse) SA, in Geneva, is a bank involved in wealth management and securities trading. François Carrard is Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors.

  • IOC Television & Marketing Services SA, in Lausanne, is a company controlled by the International Olympic Committee with the purpose of developing and implementing the sales and marketing strategy of the International Olympic Committee, including negotiating sponsorship agreements and broadcasting rights. François Carrard is a director.

  • Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS), in Lausanne, is a company founded and controlled by the International Olympic Committee. OBS is the host radio broadcaster that produces and supplies the video and sound (including for TV) of the Olympic Games to all rights-holders for subsequent broadcasting. François Carrard is a director.

  • PCL Group, holding and subsidiaries, in Renens/Lausanne: PCL Holding SA, Presses Centrales SA, Imprimerie Cornaz SA, Imprivite SA and Musumeci (Aoste). The PCL Group operates in the printing and publishing industry in Switzerland and abroad, particularly in Italy. François Carrard is Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Publications

  • Arbitrage vs. Médiation (François Carrard), in: Rigozzi et al. (Ed.), Proceedings before the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Berne, 2007, p. 13-17

  • L'accomplissement d'une mission de service public international : L'exemple des activités sportives (François Carrard), in: Le sujet en droit international, Paris 2005, p. 101-105