Celebrities in Switzerland - Where Tina Turner and Co. Live
It is a fact that for Celebrities in Switzerland, our country remains a tax heaven. Most of them live around the "Lac Léman" (Lake Geneva) area in the Cantons of Vaud and Geneva. There are also many of the world's best women tennis players that moved to the city of Geneva Switzerland.
Please Note
To protect the privacy of all the foreign celebrities living in Switzerland, no personal information will be issued to anybody. All the names of famous people like movie stars, singers, sport celebrities, entrepreneurs, high net worth individuals only provides the approximate location or city.
Other areas where many Investors, high Net worth individuals and famous people are living in luxury is around Lake Zurich. Some of the Celebrities-in-Switzerland relocated on the northern part of the lake called "Zürcher Goldküste" - the gold coast of Lake Zurich.
Many wealthy Swiss nationals too have their luxury villas in this area. Moreover, it is also the place where Tina Turner and her life partner Erwin Bach and many other celebrities in Switzerland have found their home.
Sport stars and financially independent persons and many other Celebrities-in-Switzerlandlive around Lago Maggiore and Lake Lugano (Lago di Lugano).
This pretty area in the Italian-speaking Canton of Ticino has a Mediterranean climate. Not long ago, the beautiful young Czech model Karolina Kurkova had her villa built above Lake Lugano. This region is only one half hour from Milan, Italy and culturally more attached to the Italians than the Swiss-Germans.
The two small cities Lugano and Locarno are as attractive as any town or city around Lac Léman or Lake Zurich. Yet, not as many famous people but professional athletes have discovered these two very beautiful locations.
However, unlike in most of the northern part of Switzerland, you do not get the low hanging clouds that are sitting there for most of the time from November until March, which sometimes can make people depressing.
Presently, there are about 5000 Celebrities in Switzerland as well as super wealthy and not so wealthy foreign citizens who enjoy a "high-end lifestyle" and the tranquility.
Not all of those people are here just for the incredible natural beauty and the white gold in the mountains called snow. They are here for the security of their families, to protect their assets, for more privacy and for the lump sum tax; they can negotiate.
Most Swiss are not wealthy - far from it - but our country has a very large middle-class and as of today few poor people.
Moreover, not all immigrants that enter Switzerland play in the millionaire league either. I hope that you do not get now the impression that only "multi-millionaires" or even "billionaires" have a chance to live in Switzerland. That is simply not true!
However, for future Celebrities in Switzerland and high Net worth individuals that have the resources like actresses, actors, musicians, entrepreneurs, scientists, painters, sport stars, retired people, wealthy widows, even ex-kings and princes can stay here and take advantage for total privacy and security hardly found at any other place on earth.
Some may only stop by a few times every year for vacations at some high-end resort. Others have been living here for years only never to leave again. The Swiss people themselves leave them in peace and respect their anonymity.
So, who are the celebrities in Switzerland and wealthy individuals that call Switzerland as their adopted country...
The top Celebrities in Switzerland
The former singer Frida Lyngstad of the legendary Swedish Band ABBA moved to Switzerland in 1986. She lived first in Rechthalten-St. Ursen near the city of Fribourg/Freiburg with her husband Prince Ruzzo Reuss. Today she lives in the ski resort of Zermatt in the Canton of Valais and in Sweden.
Roger Moore - English Actor
The English Actor Sir Roger George Moore (James Bond) was born October 14 1927 in Stockwell, London. He lives in Crans-Montana in the Canton of Valais since the end of his acting carrier. He is also often in Gstaad where he is a member of the famous "Kings Club".
Tina Turner - Singer
The American Singer has lived with her life-partner Erwin Bach in the small village of Erlenbach on the Zürcher Goldküste (Lake Zurich gold coast) since 1986. You see them quite often in the restaurant Kunststuben in Küsnacht close to their residence.
Nana Mouskouri - Singer
The Greek born singer Nana Mouskouri lives in Geneva on the Swiss Riviera since the mid sixties. The 74-year-old singer has sold more than 250 million records since she started her career in 1957. I live here like the Swiss, but without having to give up my Greek identity.
Shania Twain - Singer
Canadian born Shania is a Singer and Songwriter in the country & western and pop music genres and currently lives in Corseaux at Lake Geneva with her husband Lange and their son Eja. In Switzerland she is well known and liked.
Alain Delon - Actor
The French Actor was born in 1935 in Hauts-de-Seine, France. He received Swiss citizenship in 1999 and the company is managing products sold under his name, is based in Geneva.
Cecilia Bartoli - Mezzo-Soprano Singer
The Mezzo-soprano opera singer lives together with her life partner Oliver Widmer on the gold coast on the north end of Lake Zurich. However, she also spends part of her time in Rome, Italy, her native country.
Phil Collins - Singer
The English Singer announced the separation from his third wife, Orianne Cevey in March 16, 2006 when they were still living in Begnins overlooking Lake Geneva. He continues to reside in Switzerland to be near the children and lives now in Féchy.
Celebrities in Switzerland and the wealthiest people
Ingvar Kamprad - Sweden
IKEA Furniture / 25 - 26 Billion Swiss Francs ($ 21 - 22 Billion)
The 81-year-old Swede has lived in Epalinges near Lausanne since 1976. Despite his huge fortune with more than 300 retail stores in 35 countries, he still drives a 12-year-old car around Lausanne.
Victor Vekselberg - Russia
Aluminum / Oil & Gas / 14 - 15 Billion Swiss Francs ($ 12 - 13 Billion)
The Russian magnate lives on "Zurich Mountain" since 2005 and occupies 30 people in his company "Renova Management" in the city centre. He owns many more participations in Russia.
Brenninkmeijer Family - Holland
Textiles / Real Estate / 9 -10 Billion Swiss Francs ($ 7.5 - 8.5 Billion)
The kings of textile and owners of the chain C&A recently opened its 1000th store on the European continent. The Brenninkmeijer family lives in Geneva and Zug benefiting from both tax systems.
Latsis Family - Greece
Oil Shipping Tycoon / Participations 9 - 10 Billion Swiss Francs ($ 7.5 - 8.5 Billion)
The Spiro Latsis & family have portfolio stakes in oil refining, banking, high-class air travel, and real estate. His father Yiannis Latsis, a Greek shipping tycoon came to Geneva during the 70's.
Bernie Ecclestone - England
Auto racing sport / Participations 5 - 6 Billion Swiss Francs ($ 4.2 - 5 Billion)
The enormously wealthy and tremendously powerful business tycoon from England who steered Formula 1 to great success lives in a beautiful chalet in the high-end resort of Gstaad. However, he travels constantly between Switzerland, London, and the Formula 1 racetracks.
August von Finck Family - Germany
Participations 5 - 6 Billion Swiss Francs ($ 4.2 - 5 Billion)
The August von Finck family is a main shareholder of the Mövenpick catering and hotel chain and has participations in "Von Roll A.G". Baron August and his family have their home in the Canton of Thurgau in the Northeast of Switzerland.
Klaus-Michael Kühne - Germany
Logistics 5 - 6 Billion Swiss Francs ($ 4.2 - 5 Billion)
70-year-old Klaus-Michael Kühne is the main shareholder of the logistic company Kühne & Nagel and lives with his wife for more than 30 years in the Canton of Schwyz. The childless couple has recently regulated his succession with an endowment.
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Automobiles 5 - 6 Billion Swiss Francs ($ 4.2 - 5 Billion)
The exodus of French people seeking to escape from France's high tax burden is particularly noticeable. Some of the family members of the far branched automobile dynasty Peugeot have already lived for a long time around Lake Geneva.
Bahaa Al-Hariri - Libanon
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Bahaa Al-Hariri, is the eldest son of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, who was assassinated in 2005. He has lived in Geneva for some time. All members of the Al-Hariri family have accumulated an estimated $ 17 billion. This would most certainly be enough to cover half of Lebanon's national debt of $ 34 billion.
The wealthiest women celebrities in Switzerland
We all know that women live longer than men do, that is how nature wants it. Thus, they often become heiresses of their husbands. However, some of the superrich women created their fortunes by themselves and they also know how to multiply it cleverly.
Charlene L. Carvalho-Heineken - Holland
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In 1973, Freddy Heineken founded L'Arche Holding in Switzerland. After Heineken's death in January 2002, his daughter Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken inherited the shares worth some 5.6 Billion CHF. Charlene who lives in Perroy, Switzerland managed to bypass Dutch tax law with a Swiss offshore corporation.
Athina Hélène Onassis - Greece
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Billionaire heiress Athina Hélène Onassis continues to travel right after her first wedding day the big wide world. Mostly with her spouse Alvaro Alfonso de Miranda Neto and dragging along transporters full of jumping horses.
However, Swiss asset administrators offer bets that the tween does not think about relocating from her Swiss headquarters. Why should she? The Engadine tax authorities are merciful and calculable.
Traudl Engelhorn Vechiatto - Germany
Participations 3 - 4 Billion Swiss Francs ($ 2.5 - 3.3 Billion)
In the fall 2006, the company "March Ltd." who was founded from her family trunk lowered her participation to the Biotechnology company "Basilea Pharmaceutica" to fewer than 5%.
Since then Traudl Engelhorn does not appear anymore with the investment enterprise in any official register as a partner. A large part from her billion fortune from the sale of the Pharma Company "Boehringer Mannheim" to "Roche, Basilea" through March Ltd. was invested in different firms of the Pharma industry and finance sector.
Heidi Horten - Germany
Participations 3 - 4 Billion Swiss Francs ($ 2.5 - 3.3 Billion)
The over dimensional H on the foredeck of heiress Heidi Hortens 97.2 meter long mega yacht "Carinthia VII" is almost impossible to miss by approaching helicopter pilots.
With her gigantic boat (call sign: OEX3357) she might as widow of the earlier German department store king Helmut Horten anchor again in the winter on the Bahamas coast. There she made herself a name by donating to the "Lyford Cay Foundation" who help the poor.
Madeleine Schickedanz Herl - Germany
Dispatch Trade 1.5 - 2 Billion Swiss Francs ($ 1.3 - 1.7 Billion)
Hans-Peter Mangold, first-born son of the "Karstadt-Quelle" majority shareholder Madeleine Schickedanz-Herl does now business at his own account in Switzerland. Meanwhile, the 63-year-old mother of four children from two marriages lives today secluded in the Canton of Grisons.
Bettina Wuerth - Germany
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The mother of four children has accomplished last fall (2006) the big jump to the top of the conglomerate. Since her wedding to Swiss Markus Wuerth Rusch, she has become a double citizen. The crown princess holds office alongside as vice president in the administrative council of Wuerth International in Chur, Switzerland.
Barbara Lambrecht-Schadeberg - Germany
Brewery / Old Age Residences 600 - 700 Million Swiss Francs ($ 500 - 581 Million)
The childless 71-year-old widowed lawyer Barbara Lambrecht-Schadeberg lives at Lake Geneva. The children of her older brother Friedrich Schadeberg fortunately regulate the succession. Slowly transfers the once 50 percent owning partner parts of the stock capital to niece Petra Schadeberg-Hermann and the long ago managing nephew Bernhard Schadeberg.
Carolina Mueller-Moehl - Switzerland
Participations 400 - 500 Million Swiss Francs ($ 332 - 415 Million)
She is proud that she studied during ten years in Heidelberg, Berlin and later London. In New York, she worked a short time for the UN as a political scientist. After returning to Switzerland, she worked for a magazine and in telecommunications before marrying Ernst Müller-Möhl from who she has her child "Elias".
Her husband died in Mai 2000 in plane crash in Switzerland. The than young widow of 32-years took over immediately the asset of estimated 800 million Swiss francs and continued the business Müller-Möhl Group with almost no experience.
Carla Maria Schwöbel-Braun - Germany
Medicinal technology 400 - 500 Million Swiss Francs ($ 332 - 415 Million)
Carla Maria Schwöbel-Braun is a partner of the "B. Braun Medical" company and sister of CEO Ludwig Georg Braun. She built the company together with her husband Eckhard Schwöbel to now about 800 employees and sales of 230 million Swiss francs.
Alice Huxley - Slovakia
Biochemistry 300 - 400 Million Swiss Francs ($ 250 - 332 Million)
Born in Bratislava, Slovakia, researcher Dr. Alice Huxley founded the company "Speedel" in 1998 right after she left Novartis. This bio pharmaceutical company from Basel created in three years with less than 15 people what the giant "Novartis" after merging with "Ciba and Sandoz" was not confident to do.
Sport celebrities in Switzerland
Formula 1 Drivers
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Ferrari - lives in Gland VD
Formula 1 retired Michael and his family live in their newly constructed villa in Gland at Lake Geneva. Fernando Alonso, two time Formula 1 world champion lives only a few kilometers from his villa. His wife Conny is the owner of a horse stable nearby.
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Ferrari - lives in Wollerau SZ
Kimi and his wife Jenni live in Wollerau in the Canton of Schwyz. They enjoy going shopping in the area without being recognized. Unless his team member Felipe Massa, he has no interests to relocate to Monte Carlo.
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NASCAR pilot - lives in Villars/Ollon VD
This Canadian Ex-Formula 1 Star lives like most of his professional friends at Lake Geneva. He says he likes it in Villars, Switzerland where he also owns a chalet, because he cannot find any car racing courses there.
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The three times former world champion lived in Begnins from 1969 - 1997. Today he lives in Aylesbury (Buckinghamshire). Begnins is the same village where Phil Collins lived with his third wife before they divorced.
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BMW-Sauber - lives in Stäfa SZ
Thirty-year-old Nick has just recently become father (July 2007). His wife gave birth to Joda, a baby boy and the couple lives in Stäfa in the Canton of Zurich. The Sauber racing stable (now BMW/Sauber) is located close to where they live.
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Jordan-Honda - lives in Geneva
Jean Alesi was born as son of Sizilian parents in Avignon, France. His formula 1 racing career was from 1989 - 1997. Today he lives in Nyon at Lake Geneva.
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Williams-Renault - lives in Nyon VD
The former very successful formula 1 car driver lived in Vaux-sur-Morges since 1983 and later relocated to Nyon in 2000. His compatriot Jean Alesi is his neighbor and also a good friend.
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Red Bull-Renault - lives in Villars/Ollon VD
David was first living in Monte Carlo before deciding to relocate to Switzerland. What is quite interesting is that both David and Jarno Trulli moved from Monte Carlo to Switzerland.
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Toyota - lives in Pontresina GR
Like David Coulthard, Jarno lived first in Monte Carlo for a number of years. Now he lives in Pontresina in the Canton of Grisons most of the time when he is not on the Formula 1 circuit.
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McLaren-Mercedes - lives in Mont-sur-Rolle VD
Fernando also bought a chalet in Chateau-d'Oex, a beautiful resort in the French part of Switzerland. He changed his residency from Oxford, England on January 1st 2006.
The world champion says that both Spain and England just got to crazy for him. Many celebrities in Switzerland have the same problem, that is why they moved here.
Felipe Massa - Brazil
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Felipe, the Brazilian star has recently relocated to Monaco because of Ferrari. Before that, he lived in Wollerau and was a neighbor of Kimi Räikkönen who still lives there.
Lewis Hamilton - England
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day the first tax problems arrive, I know were to go,
he says! Michael, Fernando and other celebrities in Switzerland already say, "Welcome to paradise".
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Toro Rosso-Ferrari - lives in Walchwil ZG
This blond 19-year-old future Formula 1 hopeful has relocated to Walchwil at Lake Zug in early 2007. He is a great fan of the local "EVZ" ice hockey team and really enjoys it to see them live whenever possible. Sebastian Vettel started his Grand Prix debut as a substitute for BMW-Sauber that same year.
Pedro de la Rosa - Spain
McLaren-Mercedes - lives in Zurich
As you can see, living in Switzerland is making its round in the Formula 1 scene. Like Sebastian Vettel, the Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa moved to Zurich in 2007. However, as a racecar driver he never had much success.
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Honda - lives in Diepoldsau SG
The Austrian Christian Klien has hopes again to be able to run in Formula 1 races. Christian lives in Diepoldsau in the Canton of St. Gallen, close to the Austrian border.
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Spyker-Ferrari - lives in Niederbipp BE
This 24-year-old German car racing novice with the Spyker-Ferrari team lives in Niederbipp, a town close to the capital of Bern. Sutil's manager Manfred Zimmermann lives there as well.
Tennis Player celebrities in Switzerland
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Former tennis star Boris Becker moved from Munich to Zug in 2003. Besides taking up residence, the three-time Wimbledon winner also moved his business to the Swiss tax heaven. Boris teamed up with his business partner Hans-Dieter Cleven in the city of Zug and formed the BCI Holding GmbH company.
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About 5 years ago, this young Serb tennis player received the opportunity from Swiss businessperson Dan Holzmann to move to Switzerland. She took that chance and relocated to Basel. Today (2007), she is already WTA 7 as a 19-year-old young woman and still living in Basel.
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Coached from her father, 22-year-old Marion has just recently taken up her residency in Geneva. She currently ranks 17th in the world in singles and 33 in doubles and has won three WTA titles.
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Like her compatriot Marion Bartoli, Amélie Mauresmo (WTA 1) also has her residency in Geneva, as are many other tennis players. The smallest metropolis in the world is home to many tennis professional and has become the preferred city where the best-paid players live.
Carlos Moya - Spain
This sympatic 30-year-old, 190 cm tall from the island of Mallorca, Spain lives in Geneva since 2000. Although Geneva has a comfortable climate, Carlos certainly did not move to Geneva because of the climate.
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This former French tennis player lives in Cologny close to Geneva since 1995. He married Marie Sara Bourseiller that same year. His favorite hobby is speed boating that he practices (where could it be) on Lake Geneva.
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The singer and former tennis professional Yannick Noah was chosen as the most favorite French personality, ahead of soccer player Zinedine Zidane in 2006. However, regardless of that, his residency is in Montreux at Lake Geneva, the same location where Freddie Mercury used to live before he passed away.
Guy Forget - Morocco
Guy Forget was born in Morocco in 1965. He is living in Mies, close to Geneva since many years. He is now the captain of the French Davies Cup team.
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Arnaud lives with his Swiss wife Gabrielle and their two sons Lucas and Julian in Geneva since 1991.
Bicycle Racer celebrities in Switzerland
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The 25 year-old British bicycle racer lives in Lugano for more than 5 years. In 2008, she won both long distance races at the Olympic Summer Games in Bejing and in Varese IT.
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The Spanish biking sprinter Oscar Freire of the Dutch Robobank team lives in Coldrerio in the Canton Ticino since 2003. Oscar was three times world champion and won the world cup race Milan - San Remo.
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The 29-year-old Spanish cycling professional relocated just lately with his wife Luisa and their 5-months-old daughter Paula to Onex close to Geneva. Moreover, I do not think that it is the only reason he choose Switzerland because his new team AG2R has its seat in Chambéry, France.
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In Europe, Jan has become almost more famous with the doping affair against him than the successes he obtained during his career. The former bicycle professional has become father for the second time to boy on August 7th 2007.
Christoph Moreau - France
He actually grew up in France only a few kilometers from Coeuve in the Canton of Jura where he resides today.
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The excellent bicycle racer against the clock
lives with his family in Stabio in the
Canton of Ticino.
Markus Burghardt - Germany
Markus has his residency in Auenstein in the Canton of Aargau.
Andreas Klöden - Germany
The five-time Father Andreas lives with his family in Kreuzlingen in the Canton of Thurgau.
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The 33 year-old German bicycle racer won the 2008 World Championship race in the time trial in Varese IT. Like Andreas Klöden, he lives since several years in Kreuzlingen on Lake Constance.
Linus Gerdemann - Germany
Linus decided to join Andreas Klöden and moved just across the German border to Kreuzlingen on Lake Constance.
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The Norwegian sprinter resides in Gland,
Vaud and is now a neighbor of
Michael Schumacher.
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For an Italian sports star, it is easy to move
just across the border in the Canton of Ticino.
Stefano lives in Mendrisio.
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The same goes for Daniele who also chooses
to live in Mendrisio and trains often together with Stefano.
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He is the exception of the German bicycle racers. He lives in Ascona in the Italian part of Switzerland. There is a much better climate than in the north.
Soccer Players & Other Sport celebrities in Switzerland
Günther Netzer - Germany
The former German football from the 60's and 70's and his family live in Zurich. His co-owner of the Swiss sports agency "Infront Sports & Media AG".
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Jean-Claude Killy, World- and Olympic ski champion lives in Geneva since 1969.
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The Ralley World champion from 2005 lives with his wife Severine near Lausanne.
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Marc Girardelli was born in Austria. However, he competed during most of his Alpin Skiing career for Luxembourg until his retirement in 1996. Today, he lives in Reute in the canton of Appenzell and is an entrepreneur co-owning the company Obega AG.
Music celebrities in Switzerland and other famous people
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The 1934 born Greece singer Nana Mouskouri lives in Geneva since 1974. Her first successes as a singer were in the 60`s. Besides her villa at Lake Geneva, she owns also a beautiful Swiss chalet in the resort of Villars.
David Bowie - Singer / Songwriter / Actor
The English Singer born in 1947 moved to the city of Lausanne, (Château du Signal) Switzerland in 1982 to find a quieter life, more privacy and of course for tax reasons on his more than £ 510 fortune. David Bowie is certainly one of the most famous Celebrities in Switzerland.
Yoko Ono - Japan
The Japanese singer and painter was born in 1933. Who does not know it, she was the wife of the "Beatles" members John Lennon who was assassinated on December 8th 1980 in New York. Yoko Ono lives in Geneva since 1988.
Rita Pavone - Italy
The Italian singer born in 1945, lives with her manager and husband Teddy Reno in Chiasso and in Ariccia near Castelgandolfo, Switzerland since 1968.
Laura Pausini - Italy
Singer-songwriter and record producer Laura Pausini comes - and stays. Is it the taxes, the air or even the lakes and mountains? The Canton of Ticino always drew many artists who have made it in Italy.
After Beppe Grillo, Rita Pavone and Giorgio Strehler; Laura Pausini also relocated her residence to this sunshine area. I rent at the moment, but wish a well-arranged life. Just like that what I see in Switzerland, she said at the end of December 2008.
Charles Aznavour - Armenia
For many years, this Armenian singer lived in Paris. In 1976, he relocated to Cologny at Lake Geneva, Switzerland.
Patricia Kaas - France
The French singer was born in Forbach, France. She moved to Zurich in 2000 where she still lives today.
Celine Dion - Canada
The French-Canadian singer prepared and represented Switzerland in a Eurovision song contest, which she won in Dublin that same year. During that time, she stayed at the Alpine resort "Crans-Montana" in the Canton of Valais. Today her primary residence is in Florida and her working place in Las Vegas until 2007. Maybe she will be back one day!
Johnny Halliday - France
The French singer has been tired for a long time to pay 45% of taxes from his income to the French government. In 2007 he finally relocated with his wife to the resort of Gstaad where bought a Swiss chalet house.
Barbara Hendricks - United States of America
The American Opera singer is married with a Swede. She actually lives in Europe since 1977, but moved to Switzerland 1994, first to the resort of Verbier, Valais and than to Montreux.
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The well-known Austrian singer and songwriter performs regularly in Switzerland. He lives for many years in Zurich and Zumikon in the Canton of Zurich.
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Mrs. Laforêt is a French actress and a singer who lives in Geneva since 1978. She married Eric de Lavandeyra in 1984 but the couple separated in 1994.
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This 23-year-old Czech model just recently (2007) relocated to Lugano. She had a villa built in the hills of a small village above Lake Lugano in the Canton of Ticino.
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The French dancer and choreographer moved to Lausanne 1986 and formed there the "Béjart Ballet Lausanne".
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For over two decades, Cecilia Bartoli belongs to the absolute top stars in the classical music area. The Italian mezzo-soprano lives in Zurich since many years.
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The Slovak soprano is considered the "prima donna assoluta of the bel canto repertoire". Even today, she is still singing amazingly difficult roles like Lucia de Lammermoor and Lucrezia Borgia at major opera houses.
Edita Gruberova lives on the "Zurich Gold Coast" with her Austrian conductor husband, Friedrich Haider... just a short walk from her buddy Vasselina Kasarova.
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The 1965 born Bulgarian, who is also a mezzo-soprano has received Swiss citizenship and lives with her husband and their son in Zollikon near Zurich. She regularly gives concerts and performs as a guest artist at the "Zurich Opernhaus".
Catarina Valente - Germany
The German-Italian singer relocated to Castagnola in the Canton of Ticino.
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Peter Alexander became the German TV legend in the 70's and 80's and lives in a small village called Morcote in the Canton of Ticino.
Movie Star celebrities in Switzerland
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The Italian Actress was born March 9, 1955 in Rome as Francesca Romana Rivelli. Muti who modeled first as a teenager and made her film debut in 1970 has lived in Switzerland for over 30 years.
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French Actress Isabelle was born in Paris June 27, 1955. She is living in Geneva with her two sons. She has also family in Zurich and Lausanne.
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This beautiful German Actress, daughter of actor Klaus Kinski was born in Berlin in 1961. In 1986, she arrived in Geneva, the smallest Metropolis in the world. Today lives in Prez-vers-Noreaz in the Canton of Fribourg, Switzerland and in Rome, Italy with her two children.
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Geraldine was born in Santa Monica, California, although she was educated in a boarding school in Switzerland. Today she lives close to Lausanne and from time to time in Miami.
Henri Verneuil - France
The French actor and movie director of Armenian decent lived in Lausanne for years and just recently relocated to Geneva.
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The ex wife of Sylvester Stallone and actress actually married last year (2006) for the fifth time to Mattia Dessi. The couple lives in Mendrisiotto in the Canton of Ticino.
Audrey Hepburn - Great Britain
The English actress lived in Switzerland for 30 years, from 1963 until 1993. Audrey Hepburn was actually born as Audrey Kathleen Ruston in Ixelles, Belgium. Her mother was a Dutch baroness and her father an English banker. After her parents divorce, she spent her childhood in Arnhem, in the Netherlands, which was under German occupation.
In 1954, she married Mel Ferrer, her first husband on the Bürgenstock, near Lucerne Switzerland. After her divorce in 1963, she moved to the village of Tolochenaz on the shores of Lake Geneva. In 1969, she married the Italian psychiatrist Paolo Dotti in Morges.
Audrey Hepburn became one of the most famous celebrities in Switzerland. Even after her stunning career, she continued to work as an ambassador for UNICEF and held this position until her she passed away in 1993 in her home in Tolochenaz. Today, you can visit a pavilion in her memory.
Many other Celebrities in Switzerland found a home here but had passed away over time. You might still remember a few like David Niven, Audrey Hepburn, Peter Ustinov, Charlie Chaplin, Richard Burton, Noel Coward, Helmut Schmitt, and others.
Also remembered are writers Patricia Highsmith, Graham Greene, Jean Anouilh, Victor Hugo, Henri James, Jorge Luis Borgès and many others as well as dancers, painters and philosophers.
Of the music star Celebrities in Switzerland that lived here, two come to mind right away. Freddie Mercury stayed in Montreux and George Harrison lived close to Bellinzona in the Canton of Ticino.
The British singer Robert Palmer born in 1949 relocated to Lake Lugano in 1987. He died in Lugano in 2003. Other artists from the music industry that lived around Lake Geneva, although at a much earlier time were Russian composers Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky and Robert Wagner who lived near Lucerne.
Entrepreneurs and other high Net worth individuals
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Fashion designer
The well-known French fashion designer lives at Lake Geneva and in France.
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Multi-millionaire Playboy / Arts / Participations
The German heir and artist lives at Lake Geneva but he also can be seen at his favorite resort of Gstaad.
Setsuko Klossowski de Rola - Japan
Widow and Heiress
The widow of painter-genius Balthus lives in the biggest chalet in Rossinière in the Canton of Vaud.
Dimitri Ryboloviev - Russia
Fertilizers
The oligarch with an estimated $ 2.3 billion is ranked 26th of the wealthiest Russians and calls Cologny, close to Geneva his home.
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Filmmaker / Sports Fashion Designer
The former ski racer is very successful as a filmmaker for extreme skiing and owns "Bogner GmbH", a sports fashion design company. He lives with his family in a beautiful chalet in St. Moritz.
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Retailing / Metro Group / Real Estate
The 82-year-old businessman lives in the small city of Baar, in the Canton of Zug.
Léonard A. Lauder - United States of America
Cosmetics
Mr. Leonard A. Lauder is CEO of the largest cosmetics and perfume company in the world. He lives with his family in Lachen, SZ.
George Koukis - Greece
Bank Software
His banking software company "Temenos" had in 2005 an increased net profit of over 50%. Since the Greek by birth has founded the enterprise in 1996, he lives in Geneva and is there very happy.
Johann Rupert - South Africa
Luxury Goods / Cartier and Rothmans
The business with luxury booms and so does his luxury group "Richemont". Mr. Rupert lives in Zug and South Africa and his son John Peter, CEO of the watch manufacture "ValFleurier" in Buttes in the Canton of Neuchâtel.
Robert Louis Dreyfus - France
CEO Addidas / Saatchi & Saatchi / Telecommunication
The 60-year-old Swiss steers from the Paris headquarters a workforce of more than 10,000 and more than a 26 billion dollars turnover worldwide. His residence is in Geneva and he registered his businesses in Geneva and in Zug.
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Raw material trade / Real Estate
Billionaire Marc Rich lives in Meggen, LU and his office is in Zug where he invests primarily in finance arrangements and real estate.
Margherita Agnelli Contessa de Pahlen - Italy
Italian Heiress - Automobile / ParticipationsThe painter Margherita Agnelli Contessa de Pahlen is the daughter of Fiat patriarch Giovanni Agnelli and mother of eight children. She lives at Lake Geneva.
Emanuele Filiberto, Prince of Savoy - Italy
He is the only grandson of the last "Italian king Vittorio Emanuele II" and Elena von Montenegro. Since the scandal involving his father, he became the property owner in the Savoy villa in Vésenaz.
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The son of film legend Charlie Chaplin lives in the mansion of his father "Manior de ban" just above Vevey.
Curt G. Engelhorn - Germany
Pharmaceutics / Participations
Even after his early transference of high assets to his descendants remains enough cash to the retired pharmaceutical billionaire. Mr. Curt G. Engelhorn lives in the Canton of Bern.
Jorge P. Lemann - Brasil
Participations
He is the son of an Emmental Swiss cheese trader who emigrated to Brazil during the difficult times in Switzerland. Mr. Lemann travels every weekend to Sao Paulo. During the week he lives in Zurich.
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Financing businesses
The father of three children has not forgotten his poor childhood in the small Irish city of Limerick. The billionaire donates regularly for various organizations - up until now nearly 114 million Swiss francs.
Kantor Viatcheslav - Israel
Participations
Mr. Kantor Viatcheslav has become wealthy with the Russian company "Akron" which under his management has grown into the worldwide leading producer of fertilizer and ammonia. He lives mostly in Geneva and does business in Moscow and Tel Aviv.
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Banking / Wine / Art / Real Estate
Business could not be better for the Genevan private bank "Edmond de Rothschild". Mr. Benjamin Rothschild and his wife Ariane live with their four daughters at "Château de Pregny" close to Geneva.
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Banks / Conglomerate
Mr. Hinduja, Indian by birth is a Swiss citizen who lives with his family in Geneva. Together with his three brothers, he manages "Hinduja Group" with a worldwide workforce of 35,000.
Vittorio Ghidella - Italy
Property Administration / Participations
With his 76 years, the former CEO of the Fiat car manufacture takes it rather comfortable. After being a resident for almost twenty years in the Canton of Ticino he finally accepted Swiss citizenship.
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Clothing / Materials
Mr. Ermengildo Zegna, boss of the same name Swiss-Italian family group, pursues worldwide more than 470 sales places. He lives with his family in Mendrisiotto in the Canton of Ticino.
John Magnier - Ireland
Horse Breeding
The Irish businessperson who chooses Switzerland as his residency lives in the Canton of Valais. In 2005, he earned as the operator of the "Coolmore stables" on the green island, in Australia and the United States an unbelievable 400 million Swiss francs.
Caroline Scheufele - Germany
Watches / Jewelry
Her father Karl Scheufele offered the Chopard boss Caroline Scheufele and her husband jeweler Fawaz Gruosi a fashionable villa located directly at Lake Geneva close to Nyon, VD. During the summer, they organize some great garden parties.
Bertil Hult - Sweden
Language Schools
In over one hundred countries is "EF Education" active. The Swede who moved to Lucerne in 1965 founded EF (English First) and made it into the biggest private educational group in the world.
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Star Architect
The Spanish star architect lives in Zurich where he built the train station "Stadelhofen".
Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen - Danemark
Lego-Toys Manufacturer
The Danish "Lego building block empire" announces again profits after many years of substantial losses and the worldwide cancellation of thousands of workplaces. The 60-year-old father of three children lives in the town of Baar in the Canton of Zug.
Sir Norman Forster - England
Star Architect
The British star architect built the controversial landmark of St. Moritz - the "Chesa Futura" - and lives now there himself.
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Trade / Banking / Real Estate
Mr. Jean-Claude Mimran, domiciled in Gstaad invested 21 million Swiss francs in the company "Gstaad 3000 AG" together with friends, formula 1 patron Bernie Ecclestone and building contractor Marcel Bach.
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Shipping Company
Mr. Peter Livanos continued the restructuring of the shipping company group "Ceres Hellenic" in 2006. Peter, who lives with his family at Lake Geneva has an estimated fortune of 1 - 1,5 billion Swiss francs.
It used to be that only Celebrities and the super wealthy could take advantage of the Swiss tax system. Even today, Switzerland's immigration laws are tough.
Therefore, it is not easy obtaining a residency permit to allow you to settle permanently in Switzerland. Unless of course you are a "high net worth individual" or famous person in which case you can take advantage of the lump-sum tax.
A prominent example of a high Net worth foreigner who has taken full advantage of this tax break is Formula 1 racing tycoon Bernie Ecclestone.
His estimated personal fortune is of 5 - 6 Billion Swiss Francs ($ 4.2 - 5 Billion). Because his residency in Gstaad, Switzerland is actually quite modest, he is taxed only about 780,000 Swiss Francs ($ 630,000).
Another example of the many Celebrities in Switzerland is the former Formula 1 Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher who paid around 2,000,000 Swiss Francs a year at his earlier residence in "Vufflens-le-Château". At that time, his annual income was an estimated 100 Million Swiss Francs and estimated assets of 800 - 900 Million Swiss Francs.
All together, Michael Schumacher would get away easily with just a tip to the tax treasury in about half of all the Swiss municipalities.
However, it is still much better than the minimum 45% he would have to pay to the German tax authorities. I am sure that the German finance minister Peer Steinbrueck would be glad to have him in Germany.
The French singer Johnny Hallyday and his wife Leticia relocated early 2007 to Gstaad, Switzerland. His annual income is estimated at about 10 million Swiss Francs from which he paid every year about 4.5 million to the French treasury.
Even the new chosen French president Sarkozy, a friend of Halliday could not stop his move to Switzerland. Today, he pays an estimated 300,000 Swiss Francs to the Swiss taxman.
The majority make much less income than the above-mentioned Celebrities-in-Switzerland do. Some of the less known young tennis players or bicycle racers do not have that much income yet.
However, regardless of that, these Celebrities-in-Switzerland choose Switzerland as their new adopted country and tax paradise.
After all, wealthy foreigners like IKEA furniture baron Ingvar Kamprad or singer Shania Twain deliver on average only 97,500 Swiss francs ($81,000) to the Swiss treasury. This is a big headache for the countries where they left from.
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