The New York raider, famous for his takeover bids in the eighties, moved to Epalinges in upper Lausanne in 1988. He relocated to Switzerland so that his children could grow up in a better socioeconomic system than in New York. In Epalinges, near Lausanne, his neighbors include such celebrities as Ingvar Kamprad, the owner of IKEA, and industrialist Jean Taittinger.
Asher Edelmann is also a famous art collector, who started acquiring paintings at the age of 20. Since he speaks almost perfect French and enjoys living in the canton of Vaud so much, he requested Swiss citizenship. In his leisure time, the art patron skis at Verbier with his Brazilian wife, Regina, or goes yachting.
In 1991, he founded a modern art museum in Pully, near Lausanne. The Asher Edelmann Foundation has many works of art on display, along with temporary exhibits, creating a museum that is unique to Switzerland. Works by Andy Warhol, Keith Haring and Roy Liechtenstein have all held a place of honor. Asher Edelmann has also exhibited works from his collection of over 1,000 pieces.
But the financier is not stopping there - he wants to create a big modern art museum in downtown Lausanne. His passion for art, however, has not totally eclipsed his primary activity in finances. He has offices in New York and Zurich, which he can reach quickly due to the proximity of the Geneva airport.