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Our Firm

Based in Switzerland since 1994 and with branches in Lausanne and Zürich, Sogeni SA stands out for its professionalism, reliability and a solved case rate of more than 95%.

International probate genealogy firm

For 30 years the company has specialized in the search for heirs and beneficiaries of unclaimed assets in Switzerland and abroad. It is also active in the establishment of historical, family or succession genealogies.

Founded in Switzerland in 1994 and a pioneer in its field, it remains one of the only probate genealogy firm in the confederation.

Organisation

Today, nearly 40 multilingual people (employees and correspondents), all bound by confidentiality, work on behalf of Sogeni. Research operations are centralised at the Lausanne office (Switzerland) and rely on more than thirty professional genealogical correspondents around the world. Under no circumstances they will know the name of the principal, the origin and the amount of the assets in question.

 
 
 
 

SOGENI, a leading Swiss firm in probate genealogy and heir search

Our core activity: probate genealogy

Genealogy: a science at the service of legal professions and financial institutions

Many amateurs are passionate about genealogy, but one can also make it a profession. There are essentially two categories of professional genealogists.
 
The mission of the “family genealogist” is to assist individuals in the development of their family tree or to contribute to historical research.
 
 
 

The “probate genealogist”, more commonly known as the “heir hunter”, undertakes to search for the heirs called upon to collect estates that have remained vacant or partially settled.

In this respect, he enables the authorities and representatives responsible for such estates to carry out their task, since Swiss law requires that all heirs be sought by all possible means before settling an estate.

At the same time, he makes it possible for the heirs found to assert their right to an inheritance of which they would never have known without his intervention.

Thanks to his research skills, the probate genealogist also assists financial institutions or administrations in finding the beneficiaries or owners of assets with whom contact has been lost.

The probate genealogist: a passionate scientist with multiple skills

 
In the absence of specific academic training, it is experience, interest and passion for the field that define the best professional genealogists.
 
 

In addition, the probate genealogist must have the scientific rigor required to deliver with certainty his conclusions regarding parentage and the hereditary rights that flow from it.

 
 
 
 
The searches entrusted to the probate genealogist are by nature long and complex,
 
 

often with international ramifications. Thus, the mastery of foreign languages is crucial for the latter.

Finally, advanced skills in computer tools and databases have become crucial for contemporary probate genealogists.

 
 

Strong legal expertise in international estates

Our mission: to defend the interests and rights of heirs

 

In general, for Sogeni the search for heirs is only the first step in a succession file. Indeed, once the heirs found Sogeni represents them in the settlement of the estate. Our legal division is then in charge of carrying out all or part of the liquidation operations on their behalf and defending their rights and interests as best as possible.
 
 

Perfectly controlled procedures

 
Establish or verify an estate devolution – in particular the calculation of the shares in percentage, confirm the validity of a will, assert the rights of foreign heirs in Switzerland or vice versa: these operations require a detailed expertise in inheritance law, in which our legal department is specialised.

A multidisciplinary team passionate about their job

To carry out its missions, Sogeni relies on a multilingual and multidisciplinary team with two key areas of competence: genealogy and law.

Our team is composed of experienced genealogists and jurists, highly qualified and passionate about their field.

The languages spoken fluently in our study are French, English, German and Italian. Thanks to our correspondents abroad, we can process mandates in about twenty other languages.

Manuel Bonnet

Manuel Bonnet

Managing Director

Sogeni: since 2021

Jean-Claude Romanens

Jean-Claude Romanens

Head of Research

Sogeni : since 2010

Member of APG

President CGPSR

Marie Claude

Marie Claude

Head of Administration

Sogeni : since 2010

Member of CGPSR

Nataly Floris

Nataly Floris

Lawyer

Sogeni : since 2018

Christelle Réveil

Christelle Réveil

Business Development Manager

Sogeni : since 2021

Benoit de Diesbach Belleroche

Benoit de Diesbach Belleroche

Senior researcher

Sogeni : since 2008

Member of CGPSR

Rémi Quesnel

Rémi Quesnel

Researcher

Sogeni : since 2023

Member of CGPSR

Our Security and Privacy Guarantees

1

Confidentiality and personal data

We guarantee the strictest confidentiality on all our cases and full compliance with the applicable laws on the processing of personal data.
 

2

Banking secrecy

 
Acting as an agent of financial institutions, we have put in place all internal procedures for the absolute respect of banking secrecy to which we are bound within the meaning of Art. 47 of the Bank Act.

3

Information security

Our IT tools enable us to process and exchange information in a highly secure manner.
 

Memberships

Sogeni develops its expertise and partnerships in several networks and professional organisations :

Sogeni key figures

Mandates

Beneficiaries found

Employees

Correspondents

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Getting in touch