After more than 25 years at the helm of international commercial law firms, Dr. Kai-Uwe Steck has broadened his focus: today, the German-Swiss lawyer combines his extensive expertise in capital market law with professional mentoring and inspiring lectures on crisis management. His unique perspective is informed by his personal experience as a key witness in the Cum-Ex complex and decades of consulting work for financial institutions worldwide.
A life between law and personal transformation
Kai-Uwe Steck’s professional career shows how crises can give rise to new opportunities. Born in Friesland, Lower Saxony, in 1971, he had formative experiences at a young age. Despite a difficult family environment and setbacks at school, he managed to work his way up. He actually wanted to become a professional soccer player for Werder Bremen. But he found fulfillment and his own path to success in law. As a successful international business lawyer, he was at the top of his game when he got caught up in the Cum Ex scandal. It was the most serious crisis of his life, but he emerged from it purified and stronger.
Academic excellence and international orientation
After studying law in Osnabrück, he spent a formative period as a visiting scholar in New York in 1998/1999. This experience opened the door to the international financial world for him. His 2000 doctoral thesis on the regulation of US investment companies—a 268-page work—already demonstrated his passion for complex financial market issues. After passing his second state examination in 2001, he embarked on an impressive career.
The rise of international commercial law firms
At Shearman & Sterling, he gained his first experience in international banking and capital markets law from 2001 to 2004. Here, he developed his expertise in structuring innovative financial products.
The next big step came in 2004: first as a junior partner and then as an equity partner at Dewey Ballantine, he headed the German Desk in London and the German Investment Management Team in Frankfurt. This dual role challenged him to combine different legal systems. In London, he immersed himself in the Anglo-Saxon legal tradition, while at the same time advising German clients on international transactions.
In 2010, he moved to Switzerland. After two brief stops, he founded his own boutique law firm, Pontinova AG, in 2016. The move to Zurich marked the beginning of a new phase in which he applied his international expertise to forge links between Switzerland, Germany, and later the UAE.
Expertise meets life experience
Dr. Kai-Uwe Steck’s professional expertise is based on decades of practice and continuous development. His specialization in investment law and banking supervisory law has made him a sought-after expert. But what makes him special today is the combination of this expertise with extensive personal experience.
The legal dimension of his expertise
Industry experts described him as a “market leader” in the field of investment stock corporations. His work on the 2004 Investment Modernization Act in particular made him well known. He was invited to expert hearings of the German Bundestag. Chambers Europe recognized him as one of the most prominent lawyers for investment funds. In 2015, he received the “Best of the Best” award from Expert Guides. These accolades reflect his extensive publishing activities. In addition to a standard commentary on investment law, he has published numerous articles on the regulation of hedge funds and investment stock corporations.
Today, he is a founding partner at Pontinova AG in Zurich and advises his clients on commercial law matters. He focuses in particular on FinTech regulation, AI, and blockchain regulation in Germany, Switzerland, and the UAE.
In addition to his work as a lawyer, he also works as a coach and mentor at Pontinova Experience GmbH advising executives on crisis management and resilience training. In doing so, he draws on his extensive experience in overcoming challenges and crises. He supports his clients personally as a coach and mentor, as well as by involving experts in areas such as law, finance, health, nutrition, fitness, and communication.
The turning point: From advisor to affected person
His role as a key witness in the Cum-Ex proceedings marked a decisive turning point in Kai-Uwe Steck’s career. This experience gave him deep insights into the dynamics of crises, both on a professional and personal level. The Cum-Ex scandal, in which complex stock transactions caused billions in losses for the German state, became a personal test of character. Instead of hiding this experience, he transformed it into a source of strength and knowledge, which he now uses constructively to help others in similar situations.
As a speaker: Authenticity meets expertise
In his lectures, Kai-Uwe Steck shares more than just expertise—he shares real-life experience. His presentations combine professional depth with personal authenticity. What sets him apart from other speakers? He doesn’t talk about crises in theoretical terms, but from the perspective of someone who has been through deep valleys himself and found his way back.
Three worlds of experience merge
His unique perspective draws on three sources:
This combination makes his lectures intense experiences in which listeners not only learn, but are also emotionally moved.
Key topics of his presentations
His lecture topics are based on his own experiences:
The Cum-Ex crisis and how to overcome it: He combines professional insights with personal experiences of crisis management. The focus is on constructive lessons: How do you deal with a loss of reputation? How do you find new perspectives when the old world collapses? His lectures show that even the darkest moments can give rise to new strength.
General crisis management for high performers: These lectures are aimed at managers who want to understand how to remain capable of acting in extreme situations. Dr. Kai-Uwe Steck shares practical strategies and mental techniques that he has tried and tested himself. The aim is to use crises as a catalyst for personal growth.