Executive Roundtable: Navigating Asia’s Complex Regulatory Environment

When operating in Asia, one major challenge that many foreign companies face is to successfully navigate the complex regulatory environment in the region: not only does each country have its own unique sets of laws and regulations, but also, it is crucial to consider the vast cultural differences that exist throughout the continent – which must be taken into account when developing and marketing products, applying for a patent, and building relationships with local partners and customers.

Which strategies are available to overcome these challenges – and potentially transform them into opportunities? How can one effectively differentiate one’s company from competitors and gain a competitive edge in different Asian markets? And which options are available to balance the desire to adhere to the principle of corporate responsibility with the at times difficult or unexpected practical realities on the ground?

Dr. Gottlieb Keller, who worked for Roche for over three decades and visited Asia – mainly India and China – on many occasions, knows about these challenges only too well. We invite you to join us for an in-person Executive Roundtable with Mr. Keller, who will share his insights from his tenure at Roche and his experiences with working with vastly different governments in vastly different countries in Asia.


This roundtable is held in collaboration with Homburger. Daniel Daeniker, Partner at Homburger, will moderate the roundtable conversation.

Seats are limited so an early registration is recommended. A light lunch will be served prior to the roundtable discussion.

This event is invitation only. Want to receive an invitation? Become a Passport Member today and receive regular invitations to our Executive Roundtables and other exclusive events. More information here.

Gottlieb Keller was General Counsel at Roche until his retirement in 2020. During his tenure at Roche, where he worked for over 30 years, he had many touchpoints with Asia, mainly India and China. He joined the legal department of F.Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd in 1984 and was nominated Company Secretary and Compliance Officer of Roche Holding Ltd. in 1999. In 2003, Dr. Keller became a member of the Corporate Executive Committee, heading first human resources and later the legal and patent department. He was Board Member of many Roche subsidiaries in Asia, particularly in India, where he supervised all patent cases of Roche.

Mr. Keller also served as President of the Chamber of Commerce Germany-Switzerland, scienceIndustries, Swissholdings and as Vice-President of economieSuisse, member of the board of Basilea AG and the University Council at the University of Basel as well as several Foundations. He received the “Bundesverdienstkreuz of Germany” in 2017. He is presently Chairman of the Board of Mabylon AG, a Swiss biotechnology company in Zurich.

Mr. Keller studied Law and Economics at the University of Basel. After his promotion to Dr. iur he took the qualification as lawyer and notary public in Basel and received a grant from the Schweizer Nationalfonds for a Postdoc project in Hong Kong and Singapore.

Daniel Daeniker (b. 1963) is the Senior Partner of Homburger AG, one of Switzerland's leading law firms based in Zurich. His practice focuses on mergers & acquisitions, corporate governance, equity capital markets and financial services regulation.

Daniel Daeniker spent most of his professional career with Homburger AG. He joined the firm as a trainee in 1988, after growing up in the USA and Switzerland and gaining professional experience in Panama and Hong Kong. Daniel became a partner in 2000, was head of the Corporate / M&A practice group from 2009 to 2014, and Managing Partner from 2013 to 2019. Today, in addition to being Senior Partner, he is head of the India focus group of Homburger.

Daniel is a non-executive director of dormakaba Holding AG, listed in Switzerland, where he is a member of the Audit Committee; and of Hilti AG, Liechtenstein, where he also is in the Audit Committee.

Daniel studied law at the University of Neuchâtel and later at the University of Zurich, from where he graduated in 1987 and obtained a doctorate in 1992. He was admitted to the Zurich bar in 1990. He also studied at The Law School of the University of Chicago (LL.M. 1996). Daniel is a lecturer in law at the University of Zurich and a member of the Visiting Committee of the University of Chicago Law School. He is active in various non-profit organizations, including as Chair of the Donor Foundation of Avenir Suisse, an independent Swiss free-market think tank, and as a member of the advisory board of the Asia Society Switzerland.

He is married to Andrea, formerly an attorney and now a qualified acupuncturist SBO-TCM with her own practice for traditional Chinese medicine. They have two adult children, both currently studying at the University of Zurich, and a spaniel. Daniel's hobbies—if any time is left—are yoga, hiking, Asian history & culture, contemporary English literature and travelling.