Martin Walthert is "CMO of the Year 2025"
The "CMO of the Year Award" recognizes marketing managers who have shown particular commitment to shaping and developing their brand. This year, the award goes to Martin Walthert, Chief Marketing Officer of Digitec Galaxus.
Walthert and his team of around 70 people have been responsible for the successful marketing, sustainable branding and high-profile campaigns of Digitec and Galaxus for years. A large part of the work is done in-house. The team regularly uses unconventional approaches - with demonstrable success: the company's turnover and brand awareness have grown continuously.
Every year, personalities are nominated for the award who are particularly committed to their brand, focus on customers, take sustainability into account and are role models as managers. We are looking for people who break new ground and create real added value for companies and consumers alike.
The candidates are nominated by 24 experts from business, marketing, research, media, consulting and education. The Institute for Marketing & Consumer Insight at the University of St. Gallen evaluates the nominations and draws up a longlist. From this, the jury selects a shortlist of six nominees.
A special feature of this year was the first double nomination: Sara Jerman and Angelika Leemann from Rivella. Also on the shortlist were (alphabetically): Gregor Eicher (Bank Cler), Marco Greco (Ochsner Sport), Sonia Milici (Yuh) and Martin Schweikert (BKW).
After being named "Advertiser of the Year 2020" and "Marketing Thought Leader 2022", Martin Walthert has now also been awarded the title of "CMO of the Year 2025". He started his career directly at Digitec Galaxus after completing his studies and has been working there since 2006. Today, as CMO, he relies on a clear in-house strategy with short decision-making paths. Since he joined, the company's turnover has risen from CHF 62 million to CHF 3.228 billion.
The award ceremony took place on Thursday, August 21, in the Papiersaal Zurich in front of 120 invited guests. Vanessa Meier hosted the evening for the third time. The guest of the Spotlight Session was David Degen, Chairman of the Board of Directors of FC Basel 1893.
The "CMO of the Year" is an initiative of Serviceplan Group Switzerland (Serviceplan Suisse AG, Mediaplus Suisse AG and Plan.Net Suisse AG) in partnership with Admeira, APG, 20 Minuten, m&k, persönlich, swissmarketing and the University of St. Gallen.
