“I have never tried to set boundaries between
work and leisure. It was simply my life.“
(Hans J. Baer, 1927 – 2011)

It is with deepest regret that the Julius Baer Group has to announce that Mr. Hans J. Baer, father of Julius Baer Group’s Chairman Raymond J. Baer, passed away on 21 March 2011 after a full and rich life at the age of 83.

For nearly fifty years, from 1947 until 1996, Hans J. Baer devoted his creative energy to serving the then still family-controlled company Julius Baer in various positions: Partner as of 1958, President of the Executive Board from 1975 until 1993, and Chairman of the Board in the final three years leading up to his retirement. Milestones under his leadership included the initial public offering of Julius Baer Holding Ltd. in 1980 as well as the opening of branch offices in the major financial centres of New York in 1982 and London in 1984. The company’s one-hundredth anniversary was also celebrated under his capable direction in 1990.

At the end of the 1990s particularly, Hans J. Baer found himself in the public eye as a member of the Volcker Commission investigating Holocaust money and dormant assets. With much diplomatic flair, he made a significant contribution to helping Switzerland find its way out of this crisis.

Finally, his broad cultural involvement also deserves praise: Hans J. Baer had an inherent love of art and culture and supported them passionately. His efforts in this realm included serving as the Chairman of the Tonhalle Society from 1982 until 1992 and as the Founding President of the Board of Trustees of the Zurich Festival in 1997.

With his death, we lose a charming, steadfastly modest and highly respected gentleman and banker who was not afraid to speak his mind. Hans J. Baer made an exceptional contribution to the world of private banking, to the Julius Baer Group and his home city of Zurich as well as to our country and its standing as a financial centre. The Julius Baer Group and all its employees shall always honour his memory.