Earning money is half the battle. The other half is not losing what you have.
How should you structure ownership of your business, real estate, securities, or cryptocurrency to ensure they are tax-efficient and protected at the same time? Is a purely Slovak structure sufficient, or is it worth considering a foreign holding company, a trust, a foundation, or a bank? And how does someone who ran a bank for years and now manages one of the largest private art collections in Slovakia view the protection and appreciation of assets?
We’re dedicating the next installment of the Highgate Business Brunch to a topic that concerns everyone who has built something—not only how to build a business and assets, but also how to systematically protect them—from business risks, creditors, debt collection, disputes among partners, poor succession planning, and even one’s own mistakes.
We invite you to a professional morning event featuring brunch at Lab28 | Nivy Tower. Instead of general advice, we’ll present three specific perspectives:
Session 1 | Highgate Talks LIVE: Wealth, Value, and Responsibility
In the inaugural LIVE podcast, Tomáš Demo speaks with Andrej Zaťko, a longtime banker (former CEO of 365.bank and Poštová banka) and one of Slovakia’s most prominent art collectors. How does someone who has professionally managed other people’s money view the appreciation and protection of his own assets? How does he apply that perspective to managing his private investments? And how did a passion for art evolve into a collection that holds not only investment and personal value for its owner, but also for society?
Session 2 | Lecture: Tax-Efficient Structures in Slovakia and When to Expand Them to Include Foreign Entities
Peter Varga and Tomáš Demo will provide a practical demonstration of what a purely Slovak, tax-efficient structure for protecting corporate and private assets might look like. Where is it best to hold real estate, where should you hold securities, and where should you hold cryptocurrency? How can you separate business risk from family assets? And when is a Slovak solution no longer sufficient, making it sensible to incorporate a foreign element—such as a holding company, a foundation, or a foreign bank—and what should you watch out for in the process?
Block 3 | Discussion: Czech trust fund vs. foundation fund – which one suits the Slovak owner (or not)?
The conclusion will be an interview between Tomáš Dema and David Kuboň, partner and attorney at the Czech law firm KLB Legal. What are the basic differences between Czech trust and foundation funds? In what situations do they make sense for Slovak business owners and entrepreneurs? What are their advantages, disadvantages and costs? And what to watch out for – from loss of control over assets to proving the origin of assets to executions and inheritance proceedings.
DATE: 3. 11. 2026 | 9:00 – 11:30
VENUE: Lab28 | Nivy Tower
PRICE: 69 € + VAT
We look forward to seeing you. Attention, capacity is limited to 50 seats!
Who is the event intended for:
The event is intended primarily for business owners, Slovak entrepreneurs and investors who are looking to effectively and securely hold their corporate and private assets. In the event of capacity being reached, the organizer reserves the right to confirm registrations of this group of participants first.
8:30 – 8:50 | Registration and morning coffee
9:00 – 9:35 | Assets, Value, and Responsibility: How to Protect What You’ve Built (including for the greater good)
Format: Highgate Talks LIVE Podcast + Q&A
Moderator: Tomáš Demo
Guest: Andrej Zaťko, former CEO of 365.bank and Poštová banka, art collector and patron of the arts
9:35 – 9:55 | Networking break
9:55 – 10:35 | Tax-Efficient Structuring of Corporate and Personal Assets: Slovakia – and When to Include a Foreign Element
Format: Lecture + Q&A
Speakers: Peter Varga and Tomáš Demo
10:35 – 10:55 | Networking break
10:55 – 11:30 | Czech Trust vs. Endowment Fund: When It (Doesn’t) Make Sense for a Slovak Owner
Format: Discussion + Q&A
Moderator: Tomáš Demo
Guest: David Kuboň, Managing Partner and Attorney, KLB Legal, Prague
Andrej Zaťko
former CEO of 365.bank and Poštová banka, art collector and patron of the arts
Andrej Zaťko is a former banker and art collector with nearly thirty years of experience in the Slovak financial sector. He began his career in 1997 in asset management, continued in private banking in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Switzerland, and, as CEO of J&T Banka, helped build Slovakia’s leading private bank. In 2015, he took over the leadership of Poštová banka, transformed it into the modern digital 365.bank, and concluded this, the largest project of his career, in 2026 with the sale of the group to Belgium’s KBC. At the same time, he built the Zaťko Collection, one of the most comprehensive collections of Slovak neo-avant-garde and contemporary art, comprising over five hundred works, which was presented by the Ludwig Museum in Budapest in 2026. He views success as a social responsibility and therefore participates in projects in the fields of art, democracy, equality, and philanthropy.
and
David Kuboň
Managing Partner, KLB Legal
David Kuboň is a leading Czech lawyer and Managing Partner of the law firm KLB Legal in Prague. He specializes in capital markets, asset management, and financial market regulatory issues. During his career, he has worked at Wolf Theiss, Patria Finance (KBC Group), and WOOD & Company, where he led international legal and compliance teams. He currently focuses on advising clients on investment structures, family wealth management, and investor protection. David is Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the League of Lawyers, an international network connecting experts from Europe and Asia with the aim of promoting the exchange of knowledge and cross-border cooperation in the areas of advisory services for private clients, investment structuring, and dispute resolution. He also serves on the governing bodies of leading Czech financial institutions.
and
Tomas Demo
Partner Highgate Group
After graduating from law school, Tomáš Demo worked for one of the largest international law firms Allen & Overy as a law clerk and then as an associate for several years. Tomáš is a solicitor and co-founder of the Highgate Group. Tomas is a specialist advisor on M&A, private equity and venture capital transactions and corporate acquisition structures. He also has a long-standing interest in corporate law and corporate set-up of local and cross-border ESOP structures. As part of his specialty, he also advises clients on setting up structures to protect corporate and private assets, including the design and formation of holding companies, endowments and other forms of asset protection. He regularly publishes and speaks to the media, particularly on topics relating to the sale of businesses.
Peter Varga
Partner Highgate Group
Peter Varga spent five years at the Bratislava office of Dentons, a leading international law firm, where he advised clients on cross-border financing and international tax law. Peter is a co-founder and partner at Highgate Group, where he specializes primarily in transactional tax advisory services and the creation of effective tax and legal structures for Slovak and international clients, including in the areas of M&A, private equity, and venture capital investments. He also advises clients on setting up Slovak and cross-border investment funds and represents clients in proceedings before the National Bank of Slovakia (NBS) and the tax authorities. He regularly gives lectures, writes articles, and serves as an advisor on various legislative initiatives.
and
If you have any questions about the event, please contact us.
Contact person:
Alexandra Rafajová
Tel: +421 948 117 518
E-mail: events@highgate.sk
Law & Tax
Tomas Demo
tomas.demo@highgate.sk
Accounting
Peter Šopinec
peter.sopinec@highgate.sk
Crypto
Peter Varga
peter.varga@highgate.sk
