UBS seeks to assure investors shotgun Credit Suisse takeover

UBS (UBSG.S) executives sought to assure investors on Wednesday that Switzerland’s largest bank can make its unexpected takeover of Swiss rival Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) work and pay off for its shareholders.

While describing the biggest bank rescue since the global financial crisis as a milestone for the industry and a major challenge for the bank, Chairman Colm Kelleher told UBS shareholders it also meant “a new beginning and huge opportunities ahead for the combined bank and for the Swiss financial center as a whole.”

Last month, Swiss authorities announced that UBS would buy Credit Suisse in a shotgun merger to stem further banking turmoil after the smaller lender had come to the brink of collapse.

After a run on deposits, the Swiss government had turned to UBS, which agreed to buy Credit Suisse for 3 billion Swiss francs ($3.3 billion), while the Alpine state put up more than 200 billion francs of support and guarantees.