Many major financial institutions have their headquarters in Zürich, including UBS, Credit Suisse, and Swiss Re. Most Swiss banks are headquartered there, and the city is the world's principal centre for offshore banking, in large part due to the secrecy of Swiss banks. More than a hundred foreign banks are based in this bustling city.

The Swiss Stock Exchange also has its headquarters in Zürich.

Zürich’s financial sector accounts for about 25% of the city's economic activities.

Non-financial entities also feature prominently in Zürich, including football’s governing body – FIFA – which recently established its headquarters there.

Zürich is an old city, featuring many cobbled streets and outdoor markets and offers pretty much everything you need or want - including the country’s world-famous homemade Swiss chocolate.

Economy: Switzerland and Zürich

Switzerland is known for its affluent and robust modern market economy. The country boasts little unemployment, low inflation, an exceedingly skilled labour force, and a per capita GDP that is greater than many of its larger Western European neighbours. Its low unemployment rate, in fact, remains at less than half that of the average of the EU nations.

The Swiss economy is deemed to be among the world’s most advanced and flourishing. In addition, the country continues to be a safe refuge for investors, maintaining a degree of banking confidentiality.

Often cited as “the EU’s closest neighbour,” geographically, culturally and economically, Switzerland is the European Union’s second trading partner (the U.S. in number one; China, number two).

In Zürich, the most significant sector of the city’s economy is undoubtedly the service industry, which employs nearly 80% of workers.

Economic Strength Factors

Zürich’s economic strength can be tied to many factors.

Among them is the very low tax rate. The absence of an Inheritance Tax in Switzerland is also a strong attraction, especially for high new worth individuals. In addition, taxes on companies in Zürich compare positively with many other Swiss and European cities.

Its extraordinary – and repeated - quality of life ranking also most certainly plays a role in Zürich’s economic success. In 2007, Zürich took the top spot in the well-known Mercer ranking for the fifth consecutive year. Geneva took second place.

The Mercer analysis is based on an evaluation of 39 quality of living criteria for each city, including political, social, economic and environmental factors, personal safety and health, education, transport and other public services. Surely that speaks volumes about the city.

Local Infrastructure

Zürich is very accessible for business travellers. The Zürich Airport is an international airport with connections to and from more than 180 destinations in about 80 countries throughout Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas.

The public transportation system in Zürich is perhaps one of the world’s best, with trains connecting with other major Swiss cities departing every half-hour or so. The city also has efficient and contemporary tram, bus and S-Bahn (suburban railway) services that run most of the day – from early morning until midnight.

Public transport systems in the city are well-known for their punctuality and frequency.

In addition, Zürich was named the European location with the best IT and telecommunications infrastructure for 2006/7 among 89 European business locations.

Leisure Activities

Okay, enough about business and working in Zürich. What about what the city has to offer in terms of leisure pursuits?

One of the most striking aspects of Switzerland is its abundance of natural beauty, and the prospects for leisure time activities are just about unlimited.

Within minutes of any resident’s home are paths leading to the forest, bike lanes or a park area. Routes for hiking, jogging, biking or walking abound.

Zürich is situated on Lake Zürich, only a stone’s throw from the mountains. Covering close to 9,000 square metres, the lake is a locale of exceptional natural beauty and famous for the clarity of its water. The shore is lined with beaches and public baths, and a variety of boat trips are available.

Winter sports destinations are an hour or less from the city of Zürich, and feature great skiing and snowboarding. The ski runs are excellent for all types of skiers - from beginners to experts - and you can catch a train back to the city in the evening.

For art lovers, the Museum of Fine Arts features the works of many of the masters - ranging from classical Renaissance masterpieces to the paintings of artists such as Picasso, Dali, Monet, Gauguin Rodin and Degas.

The Swiss National Museum, or Landesmuseum in German, is considered one of the most significant art museums of cultural history in Europe and worldwide. The museum offers a selection of Swiss timepieces, impressive weapons, furniture, paintings and sculpture, and fine silver and gold pieces.

Nightlife

Zürich offers a pulsating nightlife, with excellent bars and clubs.

The city features a wide diversity of choices for night-time leisure. It is known as one of the capitals of Europe's electronic music scene and is the host city of the world-famous Street Parade.

As part of the Parade, close to a half million fans dance to Techno and House music each August. Dubbed “…the world’s largest and most exciting electronic/dance music party/parade…”, the Street Parade is considered the largest open-air party in the world.

The most famous districts for Nightlife in Zürich are deemed to be the Niederdorf and the Langstrasse. In the old city district, the Niederdorf is brimming with bars, restaurants, lounges, hotels and clubs. The Langstrasse is known for its eclectic mix of choices, including Brazilian bars, punk clubs, Hip Hop stages, Caribic restaurants, Turkish kebabs, Italian espresso bars, and the famed red light district of Zürich.

To re-cap: Zürich offers great work opportunities, the best quality of life worldwide for five consecutive years and your choice of the most superb day and night leisure activities.

So, how come you’re not there yet?