Thomas Schönholzer

General Counsel Swiss Post

A thought and seasoned legal executive with a track record of successful leadership and transformation initiatives of legal, compliance, investigations, risk management and insurance units for listed and high-profile companies. Strengths in business orientation, AI, anticipation, stakeholder management and crisis response. Technical expertise as regards corporate matters/litigation, AI/data, international sanctions/export controls/tariffs, sector regulations/compliance, and ESG. Before joining the Swiss Post Ltd., Thomas was a member of the extended executive committee and the secretary to the board of directors of Sulzer Ltd with global responsibilities for legal, compliance, risk management, insurance and security. After his studies of laws and economics (incl. the Swiss bar exam, an MBA degree and a doctoral thesis on international corporate and finance markets laws at the interface to IT), Thomas worked for 2 law firms in Zurich and in London respectively (Baker & McKenzie and Simmons & Simmons amongst others). Afterwards he spent 10 years in the international IT and telecoms sector before joining a high tech industry and listed company as their general counsel and secretary to the board of directors. Thomas is a lecturer at the Europe Institute of Zurich University and at the Institute for International Business Law of Fribourg University. He regularly speaks on conferences - lately in Zurich on AI & hiring, in London on high stakes/crisis management and the role of the GC, and in Berlin on ESG - and publishes on international corporate matters.

Day 1: 5 October 2026

8:35 AM CHAIRPERSON'S OPENING REMARKS

2:05 PM PANEL DISCUSSION: FROM DISSONANCE TO HARMONY ACROSS JURISDICTIONS - MAKING DEFENSIBLE DECISIONS WHERE REGULATIONS COLLIDE

Senior legal and compliance leaders increasingly operate in environments where regulatory regimes overlap, diverge (collude) or directly conflict. In these circumstances, the challenge is not choosing between compliance and commercial reality, but determining how to reach decisions that are principled, well-governed and capable of withstanding scrutiny long after the fact. Drawing on practical cross-border experience, organisations can move beyond rigid rule application towards structured, documented judgement that enables the business to operate while maintaining legal and ethical integrity.

- Identify genuine regulatory tension to assess what is non-negotiable vs judgement based, and make defensible decisions

- Design governance frameworks for decision-making under ambiguity

- Ensuring escalation, documentation, and accountability are proportionate to risk

4:05 PM LIGHTNING DEBATES

Join this thirty-minute networking session aimed at quick-fire debate. Respond to a series of divisive prompts by physically positioning yourself on either side of the room, from 'strongly agree' to 'strongly disagree' – a great way to know where you, and others, "stand" in the debate!

4:40 PM OPEN TABLE: KEEPING TIME WITHOUT A METRONOME – NAVIGATING UNCERTAINTY AND CONSTANT CHANGE IN LEGAL LEADERSHIP

There are all sorts of changes that can impact a legal and compliance department, but none feel as concrete as in 2026, where new regulations, geopolitical tensions, and back-and-forth government decisions feel like the status quo. Tricky and overwhelming, change is nonetheless necessary for growth, and uncertainty can be a source of opportunity as well as challenge –with the right tools, the legal and compliance department can be its company's greatest asset during a transition or unstable period, forging fresh opportunity and innovation. Discuss all manners of change in this interactive discussion, and learn to harness its strength as a group.

What better way to discuss change than with a brand-new format for 2026, focused on circulating opinions? The Open Table will offer all delegates an opportunity to share their thoughts with the room. A set number will join the Open Table to begin with and respond in informal conversation to a prompt. Those 'outside' the table may step up to join if they have thoughts to share, allowing the conversation to evolve, widen, and be guided to fresh topics. Simply join when you are ready by pressing on the buzzer at your table – a sure way to both listen and be a part of the conversation!

5:25 PM CHAIRPERSON'S CLOSING REMARKS

Day 2: 6 October 2026

8:45 AM CHAIRPERSON'S OPENING REMARKS

3:40 PM CHAIRPERSON'S CLOSING REMARKS

Check out the incredible speaker line-up to see who will be joining Thomas.

Download The Latest Agenda

In Partnership With:

QUESTIONS?

Address: IQPC Ltd, 129 Wilton Road,
London SW1V 1JZ
Telephone: +44 (0) 207 368 9484
Fax: 44 (0) 207 368 9301
Email: exchangeinfo@iqpc.com