Michael Faske joined the Zurich office of Eversheds Sutherland as a partner on October 1, the firm announced last week. He strengthens the international business law firm's investigations, regulatory, and compliance practice.

Faske brings more than 25 years of experience in governance, risk, and compliance, as well as in forensic investigations. He has led cross-border inquiries tied to proceedings by Swiss regulator Finma, Germany's BaFin, the US Department of Justice, and the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

Crossing Over From the Audit Side

Most recently, Faske was a partner in financial advisory at Deloitte Switzerland. At Big Four firms, he built and led forensic services across Europe, the Middle East, India, and Africa as a senior partner and practice leader.

Faske holds a doctorate in law, is admitted to the bar in Hamburg, and is a Certified Fraud Examiner. His focus is on internal and regulatory investigations, combating financial crime, compliance management, and fraud prevention.

He also brings expertise in forensic data analytics and eDiscovery, the systematic review of large volumes of data for investigative purposes.

An Investigator for Banks and Traders

With the hire, the firm is clearly setting its sights on the financial industry. «Michael brings decades of experience from high-profile investigations in the financial sector, combined with in-depth knowledge of cutting-edge investigative techniques and technologies,» said partner Patrick Eberhardt, who advises banks and commodity traders on sanctions issues, among other clients.

The Swiss financial services team also includes partner Sibil Melliger, a former general counsel at one of Switzerland's first crypto banks who advises banks and financial service providers on legal and regulatory matters. According to the firm, financial services is its largest sector globally, accounting for roughly a third of revenue.

Eversheds Sutherland has more than 70 offices worldwide. In Switzerland, it is present in Zurich, Zug, Geneva, and Bern.