Even if many managers wish otherwise: The home office is here to stay. In an interview with the NZZ on Sunday the Chief Operating Officer of Swiss Re, Andreas Berger, emphasized that he would like to see more presence in the workplace. For many Swiss Re employees and managers, presence is limited to the middle of the week. "It should be clear to everyone: The week starts on Monday and ends on Friday," says Berger. The statement is suggestive: Actually, the home office is over. However, the latest salary survey by Swiss recruitment specialist Robert Walters shows that teleworking is no longer just a temporary solution, but remains firmly anchored in the workplace culture.

Why flexibility is important for employees  

For employees, flexibility is non-negotiable. Almost half (46 %) of employees would look for new opportunities if flexible working hours or hybrid working arrangements were abolished. A further 24 % would consider changing jobs depending on other factors such as salary or benefits. This shows that flexibility is a key factor in both job satisfaction and retention.  

In addition, 43 % of Swiss professionals cited a better work-life balance as one of the main reasons for seeking new opportunities in 2025. "Remote and hybrid forms of work play an important role in improving work-life balance, a key factor in the job satisfaction of today's employees," explains Christian.  

Employers are listening  

Interestingly, employers agree with these views. A remarkable 63 % of companies consider flexible working arrangements to be one of their most effective employee retention strategies. This reflects the growing realization that a motivated workforce requires not only competitive salaries, but also adaptable work policies.  

Christian adds: "Our survey also found that 78 % of employers plan to maintain their current teleworking measures in 2025, while 7 % even intend to expand these options. Companies are aware of the risks of reducing flexibility and the potential negative impact on employee retention."  

The challenges of hybrid work  

However, hybrid working also brings challenges. Employers frequently cite issues such as managing team dynamics and culture (44 %), difficulties with communication and collaboration (41 %) and monitoring employee performance and productivity (37 %). Employee engagement challenges and technology/infrastructure issues were identified but were less common.  

"Interestingly, a quarter of employers reported no significant issues with hybrid working, suggesting that the model is already working well for many if the right systems and practices are in place," said Christian.

Flexibility in the year 2025   

The survey results clearly show that both employees and employers recognize the value of flexible working arrangements, albeit for different reasons. For employees, it's about work-life balance and autonomy. For employers, it's about retaining top talent in a competitive market.   

"This alignment offers companies the opportunity to refine their hybrid models and overcome challenges while benefiting from flexible working arrangements. The stage is set for a more balanced, productive and engaged workforce," concludes Christian.    

Source: www.robertwalters.ch

Many companies use telemedia services, banking services or e-commerce services in their digital communication with consumers. This makes them so-called service providers according to the new Accessibility Reinforcement Act. Around 190,000 companies in Germany must therefore make apps, online stores, online contract documents and websites accessible by the deadline of June 28, 2025.

Quick check: Are you a service provider?

Companies that are not micro-enterprises with a turnover of less than €2 million or fewer than ten employees are subject to new obligations under the new law. They must make their apps, online stores, contract documents or websites accessible to consumers by the deadline in June 2025. This applies as soon as they offer at least one of the following services in their communication with consumers.

Apps/online store:

• Can consumers rate products or take part in competitions?
• Can consumers buy products or services via the online store?

If the app or online store is integrated into the website, both the app or store and the entire website must be designed to be accessible. However, if the website only links to a separate app or a separate online store, i.e. if these are not directly linked to the website, only the app or the online store must be designed to be accessible.

Website:

• Can consumers book appointments via the website?
• Can consumers log into a customer area on the site to access their order history, for example?
• Can consumers open a support ticket via a help desk system if they have questions or complaints?
• Can consumers get in touch via a contact form, a chatbot or a callback service?

The basic requirements of the BFSG

The Accessibility Reinforcement Act requires that certain products and services as well as apps, online stores, websites, e-books and digital documents can be found, accessed and used by people with disabilities without any particular difficulty and in principle without assistance. To this end, these digital offerings must be made accessible via more than just one sensory channel.

For example, it is no longer enough to present the products and services to be purchased in text and images in an online store. In future, texts and alternative image descriptions that explain the image content must also be audible via voice output. This makes the content audibly accessible. Anyone who also uses video and audio content must also display the content in text form as subtitles or transcripts. For people with motor disabilities who have difficulty using a mouse, all functions of apps, websites, online stores or platforms must also be operable via buttons.

How many consumers benefit from digital accessibility?

Everyone can benefit from more digital accessibility. After all, we already have motor disabilities when we are holding a child in our arms. Anyone who has misplaced their glasses or can no longer see everything on the screen when the sun is shining will notice a visual impairment. Hearing impairment can be caused by ambient noise. We are cognitively impaired if we have slept badly or are trying to multitask. These situational disabilities are varied and they happen to everyone.

There are also other temporary impairments: for example, an arm in plaster. Perhaps an eye is injured or we have a middle ear infection. A sudden hearing loss, migraine or fatigue can prevent us from using online stores and websites.

The number of people who have to contend with situational and temporary disabilities is difficult to record statistically. And the number of people who are permanently affected is also much higher than you might think:

• Around 10.4 million people in Germany live with a permanent disability, 7.8 million with a severe disability and 2.6 million with a mild disability.
• And in an ageing population, the proportion of people with disabilities is increasing. Today, 18.6 million people are over 65 years old - and the trend is rising.
• In addition, 12.3 million people living in Germany do not speak German as their mother tongue.
• In addition, there are 6.2 million people who cannot read and write or can only do so inadequately.
• An estimated 2.5 million people suffering from symptoms of Long Covid have been added to the list.

This adds up to 50 million people. It cannot be ruled out that some people belong to more than one category. Nevertheless, it can be assumed that statistically one in two of the 82.7 million people in Germany would benefit from more digital accessibility.

How do companies benefit?

Admittedly, many companies currently have other things to worry about than yet another complex and not always logical compliance regulation. Unfortunately, however, nothing happens when digital accessibility is voluntary. Companies have to be forced to be happy:

• This is because digital accessibility leads to a permanently increased market volume overall, as more people participate in the market.
• Digital accessibility also has other economic dimensions. This is because companies strengthen their competitiveness through an improved customer experience.
• If you offer content in different content formats, you can also reach people with your messages in different situations. This means that we can communicate even better.
• A company's affirmative stance on human rights and sustainability also makes it a much more attractive employer for skilled workers.
• And there is another piece of good news: when it comes to implementing accessibility, many processes can be automated - or at least partially automated - with the help of artificial intelligence.

The question of whether a company falls under the BFSG in purely legal terms is therefore not the only decisive factor - but whether the important target group of people with permanent, temporary or even situational disabilities should continue to be excluded as customers. With their existing resources and supported by artificial intelligence, companies can not only enable people with disabilities to lead a more self-determined life - they can also strengthen their own competitiveness through an improved user experience and gain entirely new customers.

What does the entry into force of the FSIA mean for Switzerland?

The Accessibility Reinforcement Act (BFSG) affects both public bodies and private companies. As many Swiss companies offer their products and services in Germany and other EU countries, they are also affected by the provisions of the BFSG and comparable laws in the EU.

This primarily affects public bodies such as authorities, municipalities and state institutions, which are obliged to make their digital offerings - including websites, mobile applications and other online services - accessible. However, private companies are also affected: If they offer products or services to the general public, they must comply with accessibility requirements. This includes online stores, banks, insurance companies, transport companies and telecommunications providers that make their services available via e-commerce.

Smaller companies with fewer than 50 employees and non-digital products and services are exempt from these regulations. Nevertheless, it makes sense for companies to consider accessibility as part of their responsibility for greater inclusion and equal opportunities.

Furthermore, the BFSG is not limited to websites. Mobile apps, software, e-books and other digital products also fall under the regulations. The specific requirements that must be met depend on the type of offering and the respective target group. (red)

Source: www.sitewerk.ch

Laws on digital accessibility

• The European Accessibility Act is being implemented in Germany as the Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz - BFSG for short. The BFSG is mandatory for companies, associations and clubs when communicating with consumers from 28.06.2025.
• Public broadcasters have been obliged by the Interstate Media Treaty to gradually offer accessible content since June 2022.
• And public institutions, such as local authorities, health insurance companies, universities of applied sciences and universities, were already obliged to provide greater digital accessibility under EU Directive 2016/2102. And this has been the case since September 2018.
• The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) aims to enable people with disabilities to participate equally in all areas of life. The convention came into force in Germany in March 2009.
• The Disability Equality Act (BGG) came into force in Germany in May 2002. It was created to reduce discrimination against people with disabilities and promote their equal participation in social life.

About the author

Gabriele Horcher is a communication scientist and business development expert. She is a keynote speaker, bestselling author and transformational coach. She answers the most important questions about rapid and disruptive change in all areas of communication.

After reviewing over 90 applications, the jury, consisting of professional investors and experts in mobile technologies, selected ten startups to participate in the Venture Leaders Mobile 2025 roadshow in Barcelona. These startups come from the fields of AI, gas detection, virtual and augmented reality, cybersecurity, underwater communication and drone technology. Venture Leaders Mobile is organized by Venturelab and supported by Huawei, Swisscom Ventures and Vischer.

Swiss startups at the 4YFN in Barcelona

The Venture Leaders' schedule for 4 Years from Now (4YFN) - part of Mobile World Congress (MWC), the world's largest and most important mobile industry event - includes participation in the trade show and investor events. This provides a unique opportunity to meet with world-class investors, industry leaders and potential customers at key MWC events such as the Startup Conference. The Venture Leaders Mobile will also participate in exclusive networking and pitch events and take part in the sixth Venturelab Sailing Trophy.

Venturelab has been organizing the international Venture Leaders roadshows for the Swiss national startup team for 19 years. These roadshows offer determined entrepreneurs and their promising startups a valuable platform. They have the opportunity to get in touch with top experts, investors and potential customers in the world's most important technology centers, including Silicon Valley, Boston, Barcelona, Munich and London.

"The quality of the companies and technologies once again reflects Switzerland's leading position in deep tech and innovation," comments Jordi Montserrat. He is Managing Partner at Venturelab. "Bringing avant-garde augmented and virtual reality solutions or underwater communication technologies to the market are just examples of the potential of this team, which we look forward to connecting with global industry leaders and investors in Barcelona."

These are the Venture Leaders Mobile 2025:

Algorized, Vaud: Algorized develops AI for sensor technology and perception with scalable, cost-effective and energy-saving software for sensor manufacturers. The robotics start-up's software analyzes environments and detects the presence of people at a distance. It enables localization without wearables, recognizes people - even through walls - and captures vital data such as breathing and heart rate to provide a personalized user experience in any location.

Alivion, Zurich: Alivion is an ETH spin-off specializing in the product design, development, production and sale of proprietary gas sensor technologies for applications in the food, environmental and health sectors. The company's vision is to equip electronics with a sense of smell.

Atlas, Uri: AtlasVR is a company founded by three doctoral students from ETH Zurich's Virtual Reality Innovation Center. Their vision is to transform vocational training by harnessing the immense socio-economic potential of virtual reality (VR) technology.

CYSEC, Vaud: CYSEC offers world-leading, high-performance cyber security tools that ensure the robustness, confidentiality and integrity of internet networks in space and in critical infrastructures.

Databaum, Vaud: Data tree develops data-driven tools for sustainable agriculture, including AI-supported disease forecasting, sensor monitoring and warning systems for environmental risks such as frost or overwatering. These solutions help to minimize the use of pesticides, optimize resources and increase crop yields.

Galeri, Zurich: Gallery is a Swiss health and wellness company transforming aviation and travel through AI-driven VR/AR solutions. In collaboration with Niantics Lab, the immersive platform offers biofeedback-driven, personalized and metaverse-enabled experiences for airports and lounges.

Hydromea, Vaud: Hydromea develops underwater robots and communication systems to automate the inspection of underwater objects. Their technology improves operational efficiency and reduces the costs of underwater operations, particularly in the marine industry.

NovoViz, Neuchâtel: NovoViz develops and produces single-photon computing machines for applications that require high sensitivity and speed but cannot process large amounts of data.

Optiverse, Zurich: Optiverse is a leading Swiss provider of AI-powered meeting support. The company offers a platform that automates note-taking, integrates meeting data into sales pipelines and enables cross-team knowledge sharing.

Provuu, Basel-Stadt: Provuu is a startup that develops AR snow goggles that improve visibility in difficult conditions such as fog or snowstorms. These goggles use real-time image processing and allow users to switch between transparent and enhanced vision modes.

Venture Leaders Mobile Roadshow 2025

Join the team introduction and virtual pitch session on January 22, 2025 and follow the entrepreneurs and the Venture Leaders Mobile Roadshow on social media under the hashtag #VLeadersMobile or on www.venture-leaders.ch/mobile from March 2 to 6, 2025.

Source: www.venture-leaders.ch

The financial sector is undergoing rapid change: disruptive technologies, changing customer needs and increasing regulatory requirements are presenting banks and financial institutions with major challenges. The new MSc in Banking & Finance at the HWZ was developed to meet the growing demand for specialists who are able to understand and develop both traditional and future-oriented banking topics.

Costantino Lanni, Head of the MSc in Banking & Finance program, explains: "The MSc in Banking & Finance at the HWZ is the springboard to the future of banking - practical, innovative and international. Participants acquire skills in asset management, digital transformation and sustainable strategies to actively shape the world of finance."

Unique study model for working professionals

The MSc in Banking & Finance is specifically designed to provide specialists and managers with a Bachelor's degree and 3-5 years of professional experience with the opportunity for optimal further development. The study model places particular emphasis on maximum flexibility. Participants can remain in employment for up to 90 % throughout their studies and ideally combine their studies with their career.

The course extends over four semesters and combines online and face-to-face formats to meet the individual needs of students. The content is taught in five consecutive online sessions, each with four lessons in the evening, supplemented by interactive face-to-face modules. This hybrid concept ensures both sustainable learning success and a practical exchange with lecturers and fellow students.

Focus of the study program

The course covers all the key topics of modern banking and combines the traditional strengths of Swiss banking - such as wealth management and client-oriented advice - with the latest technological developments. This is because banks and financial institutions must continue to develop in order to make targeted use of technological innovations without neglecting their traditional business.

Students acquire in-depth knowledge of how the financial markets work and learn how to make sound investment decisions and implement innovative management and business concepts. The MSc in Banking & Finance thus builds a bridge between tradition and innovation.

The main topics of the course are:

1. Foundations of Banking & Finance - Fundamentals and core concepts of banking and financial markets.
2. Modern Wealth & Portfolio Management - Strategies and tools for effective wealth management.
3. Technology & AI in Finance - Insights into the use of technology and artificial intelligence in the financial sector.
4. Transformational Banking - New models and strategies for shaping the future of banking.

The course starts in September 2025 and interested students can register now.

More information: MSc Banking & Finance HWZ

The recently conducted DSAG-ASUG-UKISUG survey shows that AI is gaining importance in companies. However, only 7% of the DSAG members surveyed consider themselves experts in AI and 8% in generative AI. In addition, 52% of respondents are currently in the process of learning about AI, and 46% are expanding their knowledge of Generative AI. The results make it clear that the development of expertise is in full swing. There is a great need for information, and there is still a lot to do - on the part of users, partners and software manufacturers alike. "We as DSAG will support our members with the necessary information via the relevant committees," says Jens Hungershausen, DSAG Chairman of the Board.

Potential for AI implementation

Overall, the survey participants find the current technological, social and economic change challenging. Only 11% of DSAG participants can easily keep up with the pace of change. 59% can keep up to some extent, while 24% cannot.

From DSAG's point of view, it is therefore not surprising that there is still room for improvement with regard to the implementation of AI. For example, only 6% of respondents stated that they use AI in many areas. 24% use AI in some areas. 11% of those surveyed by DSAG stated that they do not use AI. "The survey results show an interesting tension between reluctance and progress in the implementation of AI in companies," says Hungershausen. "The rapid development of AI technologies can be overwhelming for companies. In addition, many, especially in the SME sector, may not have the necessary financial resources, technical infrastructure or specialists to implement AI comprehensively," he adds.

AI pilot projects maintain competitiveness

According to the survey, 32% of DSAG members surveyed are currently running AI pilot projects and 23% are considering AI pilot projects. "Pilot projects allow companies to test AI in a controlled environment without making an immediate, comprehensive commitment. This reduces financial and operational risks. Pilot projects are a way of not losing touch," Hungershausen is convinced. At the same time, they allow companies to gain valuable experience, build up internal expertise and better understand the technology. This helps in the decision-making process for future, more extensive AI implementations.

AI for process optimization and data analysis

The companies that say they use or plan to use AI primarily rely on the technology to make internal processes more efficient and gain valuable insights from data. For example, 61% of those surveyed by DSAG stated that they use AI to optimize business processes, while 60% use AI-supported analyses of data to gain insights. "With AI, processes such as production, logistics or HR management can be automated and optimized, leading to immediate cost savings and an improvement in competitiveness. In addition, AI-supported data analysis enables sound, data-based decisions to be made. This is an advantage that many companies clearly recognize," explains Hungershausen.

Interestingly, the use of AI to support strategic business decisions only plays a role for 21% of respondents. To develop new generative AI products and services, 31% use AI technology, while the use of paid AI subscription services is also mentioned by 31% of the companies surveyed. "As can be seen here, companies are initially focusing on proven use cases, for example by optimizing existing processes in order to generate quick and clearly measurable added value. This is not surprising in economically challenging times. In addition, the development of new products or creative services with AI requires additional expertise, which, as already mentioned, is currently still lacking in many companies," says Hungershausen.

65% of the DSAG members surveyed consider AI to be useful when it comes to recognizing anomalies in integration processes. 62% see a benefit in AI when it comes to creating integration flows or logic between SAP and non-SAP applications. 57% see a benefit in AI when it comes to summarizing financial analyses.

Transparency, clarity and data are crucial

According to the DSAG-ASUG-UKISUG study, several factors are elementary for companies and organizations considering an AI project. For 95% of those surveyed by DSAG, transparency and clarity about the location and database of the AI are of great importance. 89% also attach great importance to fair pricing models. 89% of the participants consider it essential that AI solutions can be seamlessly integrated into existing systems. With regard to SAP, 71% consider the ability to operate AI independently of the operating model to be crucial. "The flexibility to operate independently of the SAP operating model is crucial in light of the fact that SAP has guaranteed the provision of innovations for S/4HANA in the long term until 2040," explains Jens Hungershausen. What applies to the S/4HANA Private Cloud should also be available for S/4HANA On-Premises with the same scope of services.

High demand for knowledge development in AI

"It is astonishing that almost a third of companies still have no official plans regarding the use of AI. Given the hype that has been going on for some time now, I expected more companies to be beyond the discussion stage," says the DSAG CEO. According to the survey, the reason why this is not the case could be that, for example, selecting the right AI tools for existing needs is seen as challenging. This was stated by half of those surveyed. In turn, 27% think they lack the necessary skills to fully utilize AI tools, while 24% complain that there are not enough high-quality AI tools.

Security, data quality and governance as obstacles

Overall, the increasing use of AI technology appears to be causing mixed feelings among respondents. For example, 61% stated that they were equally enthusiastic and concerned. Enthusiasm is triggered above all by the possibility of saving time. Respondents in the DACH region are particularly concerned about security, data quality and governance. "Especially in the DACH region, companies have high expectations in terms of data protection and transparency. It is up to us to ensure that the introduction of AI is accompanied by clear guidelines and a strong focus on the quality of the data in order to build trust in these technologies in the long term," says Hungershausen.

Potential of AI

The survey also shows that opinions on the potential of AI are divided: 57% of the DSAG members surveyed see benefits, but feel that AI is overrated. Two percent are of the opinion that the potential of AI is greatly overestimated, while 37% believe that AI will revolutionize industries. Four percent of respondents are unsure how to assess the potential of AI.

The survey makes it clear that AI technologies are becoming increasingly important, but there is still a lot of catching up to do in terms of expertise and implementation. While many companies are in the learning phase and are carrying out initial pilot projects, challenges such as a lack of specialists, financial resources and technical infrastructure appear to be major obstacles, particularly in SMEs. The respondents see AI primarily as a tool for process optimization and data analysis, but security concerns and data quality and governance requirements are dampening the euphoria.

Source: www.dsag-ev.ch

Remote work is alive and well - and more in demand than ever

While a quarter of all German companies still did not allow remote working in 2023, the situation has improved noticeably. The proportion of employers who prohibit any form of remote working has fallen to just 3.3%. At the same time, more than 50 percent now offer at least some of their employees the opportunity to work from home or on the move.

Particularly noteworthy are companies that have established remote work as a universal offer for all employees: 33.4 percent give their entire workforce the option to work flexibly.

However, the desire for flexibility is by no means limited to the workplace - 31.2 percent of the employees surveyed stated that flexible working hours are even more important to them than the option of working from home.

Family as the driving force behind remote work

Families in particular appreciate the opportunity to work remotely. Although 45 percent of all respondents state that they have already made use of such arrangements, parents with children benefit particularly strongly from them. 37% of respondents with two children see flexible working hours as one of the main reasons for choosing an employer. 21 percent with at least one child feel more motivated by the opportunity to work remotely - a clear advantage for companies that want to retain skilled workers in the long term.

The figures also show that women are more likely than men to prioritize the option of remote work when choosing a job (22% compared to 17%). There is also a clear tendency among married people (14%) and respondents with two children (17%) to change employer if no flexible working options are offered.

Remote work as a strategic necessity for companies

The shortage of skilled workers poses massive challenges for employers. 41% see the recruitment of new employees as one of their biggest problems, while 43% see the retention of existing talent as a critical task.

"Anyone who abolishes the option of remote work is deliberately giving up a significant part of the available talent pool," says Patrick Barazzoni, Managing Director Germany at SD Worx. "Flexibility is not a luxury or a bonus, but a strategic necessity. Companies must understand that employees do not demand remote work out of convenience, but because it is easier to combine family and career. In view of the shortage of skilled workers, companies can simply no longer afford to adopt a stubborn attitude."

Flexibility as a competitive advantage

Remote work and flexible working hours are not only a sign of the times, but also a key to the future viability of companies. They enable employees to work productively without having to sacrifice a good work-life balance. Families in particular benefit from these models - and employers who take these needs seriously position themselves as modern and attractive employers.

"Remote work is more alive and more important than ever," says Patrick Barazzoni. "The future belongs to companies that focus on the needs of their workforce and see flexibility as part of their corporate culture."

Source: www.sdworx.com

VDI/VDE 2612 Sheet 1 ensures that these measurements are carried out in accordance with the latest standards.

The VDI/VDE 2612 Part 1 guideline offers modernized procedures for the measurement and computer-aided evaluation of profile and flank line measurements for involute profile cylindrical gears. It makes a significant contribution to the quality assurance of gears in industrial applications.

The guideline describes in detail the methods for determining tooth flank deviations, including profile, flank line, pitch and concentricity deviations. In addition to defining the relevant parameters, it presents the necessary measuring equipment and focuses on computer-aided analysis methods, which are becoming increasingly important in modern production environments.

The guideline VDI/VDE 2612 Sheet 1 "Measuring and testing of gears - Evaluation of profile and flank line measurements on involute cylindrical gears" was published in December 2024 and can be ordered for € 143.20 from DIN Media (Tel.: +49 30 2601-2260).

VDI members receive a 10 percent discount on all VDI guidelines.

Source: www.vdi.de

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/qualitaetskontrolle-von-zahnraedern-mit-evolventenprofil/

The Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation is committed to sustainably improving the framework conditions for Swiss start-ups, scale-ups and investors in the deep tech sector, thereby strengthening Switzerland's innovation and competitiveness in the long term. The foundation's goal is to mobilize around CHF 5 billion annually for Swiss deep tech start-ups over the next ten years. This corresponds to a doubling of the current investment volume. This should indirectly create up to 100,000 jobs and strengthen Switzerland's position as a leading nation for deeptech.

Venture Kick is an initiative of the non-profit Kick Foundation, which was launched by a private consortium. The Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation will join the consortium and the supporting partners. These include Gebert Rüf Stiftung, Ernst Göhner Stiftung, Fondation ALCEA, Lichtsteiner Foundation, Hauser-Stiftung, André Hoffmann, Hansjörg Wyss, Martin Haefner, Fondation Pro Techno, ESA BIC Switzerland and Swisscom.

"Venture Kick does an impressive job of supporting young companies from idea to market maturity," says Joanne Sieber. She is CEO of the Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation. "We are delighted to support this important accelerator because our missions - promoting Swiss innovation and creating sustainable high-tech jobs - complement each other perfectly."

Strong partners for global Swiss start-ups

"The participation and commitment of the Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation strengthens the common goal of our partnership consortium," explained Pascale Vonmont, President of the Venture Kick Strategy Board. "With Venture Kick, we are creating the conditions to globalize promising business ideas and contribute to the development of Switzerland. We are delighted to welcome the Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation as an important supporter."

Over the past 17 years, Venture Kick has supported more than 1,100 startups that have raised over CHF 9 billion from investors and created more than 15,000 jobs. Venture Kick is considered a reference model for early-stage funding, characterized by the outstanding market success of its alumni who take on global challenges. Venture Kick contributed to this by creating credibility and visibility as well as providing access to a broad network of investors and industry partners. For the next decade, the team behind Venture Kick plans to further expand its successful model.

"The main reason for Venture Kick's growth is the increasing demand from highly qualified researchers who want to bring their innovations out of their labs and solve real problems of our generation," explain Beat Schillig and Jordi Montserrat, Co-Managing Directors of Venture Kick. "We used to fund one project out of three applications - now it's just one out of ten. In order to support more promising start-ups from Swiss universities, Venture Kick needs more partners."

Source: innosuisse.venturelab.ch

During his time at Interpol, Craig Jones was Director of Cyber Security and was responsible for the global cybercrime program. Under his leadership, international initiatives were driven forward to combat digital threats and forge global alliances against cybercriminals.

As Senior Advisor at Zendata, Craig Jones will play a central role in shaping the company's strategic direction and long-term goals. His extensive experience and global perspective will also benefit organizations and companies in the DACH region as Zendata continues to expand its presence here. With the growing demand for cybersecurity solutions in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, Craig Jones' expertise will help to address regional challenges such as regulatory requirements and critical infrastructure protection. With his know-how, Zendata will once again be able to offer tailor-made solutions that enable companies, organizations and authorities to stay one step ahead of cyber threats.

New impetus for cyber security at Zendata

"It is a great honor to welcome Craig to our team. His unparalleled expertise and commitment to the fight against cybercrime make him an invaluable asset to Zendata," said Isabelle Meyer, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Zendata Cybersecurity. "His leadership will undoubtedly strengthen our ability to protect organizations worldwide - especially in the area of threat intelligence and cybercrime to detect and pre-empt emerging threats."

Craig Jones also expressed his excitement about his new role: "I am delighted to be joining such a dynamic and forward-thinking company as Zendata. Together we can set new standards in cyber security, make a positive and sustainable contribution and protect critical infrastructure both nationally and internationally."

With Craig Jones as Senior Advisor, Zendata is ideally positioned to further expand its goals, drive innovation and position itself as a trusted partner in the fight against cyber threats.

Source: https://zendata.security/

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/ehemaliger-interpol-direktor-fuer-cyberkriminalitaet-verstaerkt-zendata-cybersecurity-als-senior-advisor/

As Head of the Academy Support Center, Andri Jost is responsible for a wide range of tasks, from course administration and room rental to personal certification, and ensures that you as a customer are looked after.

Continuous improvement as a driving force

Andri Jost is committed to the continuous improvement of processes. This is reflected in the quality and professionalism of the advice and support provided, with the aim of offering course participants a special experience every time they contact the Support Center.

Trust and management experience as a basis

Reliability and trust are values that, together with his many years of management experience, promote stability and growth at the same time. A combination that strengthens the team and also benefits customers.

The aim is to move safely into the future with a comprehensive range of training and development courses.

Source: www.safetycenter.ch

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/andri-jost-uebernimmt-leitung-des-akademie-support-centers-der-swiss-safety-center-akademie/

Ruedi Kubat (55), currently Chief Executive Officer of Allianz Suisse, will become Chairman of the Board of Management of Allianz Lebensversicherungs-AG in Germany on January 1, 2025. Allianz Lebensversicherungs-AG is Germany's largest life insurer and the undisputed market leader. Ruedi Kubat succeeds Katja de la Viña, currently Chairwoman of the Board of Management of Allianz Lebensversicherungs-AG. Katja de la Viña is moving within Allianz at her own request. She is stepping down from her current role for personal reasons on December 31, 2024 to spend more time with her children. She is moving to Group Strategy, Marketing and Distribution in a new management function and on a part-time basis.

Expertise in insurance and finance

Laura Gersch (41) is to become the new CEO of Allianz Suisse. For her new role as CEO of Allianz Suisse, she brings in-depth expertise in property and life insurance as well as in the finance, product, sales, IT and HR functions. She has been responsible for finance on the Board of Management of Allianz Versicherungs-AG since January 1, 2022, where she was responsible for the introduction of IFRS9/17 and played a key role in driving forward the agile transformation. Prior to this, she had been on the Board of Management for Corporate Clients and Human Resources at Allianz Lebensversicherungs-AG since January 2020.

In this role, she further developed the company pension products for the changed interest rate environment in a future-proof manner and launched the #equalpension initiative. From 2017 to 2019, she headed the office of the Chairman of the Board of Management of Allianz SE, Oliver Bäte. The mother of two joined Allianz in 2014 and held various management positions at Allianz Global Automotive, including as a member of the Executive Board. Prior to that, she worked as a consultant in the European banking and insurance industry.

"With Ruedi Kubat, Allianz Life is gaining a CEO with many years of international experience in the life insurance business who, together with a strong Board of Management team, will seamlessly build on Katja de la Viña's successes in this dynamic market with foresight. With his strategic vision and prudent decisions, Ruedi Kubat has played a key role in shaping Allianz Suisse. Profitability and growth were sustainably strengthened under his leadership. He has made the sales organization fit for the future and taken innovative approaches to capital management. Under his leadership, employee satisfaction has increased significantly. Laura Gersch is characterized in particular by her professional depth both in the life insurance business and in non-life insurance. Allianz Suisse is gaining a CEO with a strong leadership personality and outstanding team play," says Klaus-Peter Röhler, member of the Board of Management of Allianz SE.

Source: www.allianz.ch

The training sets new standards in sustainable training and combines interactive case studies, gamification elements and expert interviews. The aim is to provide specialists and managers not only with theoretical knowledge, but also with concrete skills. To integrate ESG standards into business processes and meet regulatory requirements.

Project objective

• Teaching ESG skills to meet legal requirements
• Support for the sustainable implementation of ESG standards in business processes

Implementation

• Development of an interactive, modular training course with gamification and practical scenarios
• Multilingual availability and regular updates for current ESG requirements

Measurement

• High level of satisfaction and positive feedback from participants
• Certification modules to validate the ESG skills acquired

Joint success thanks to a strong partnership

This award underlines our commitment to developing innovative and practical learning solutions that meet the current and future needs of the financial sector. The collaboration with PwC has been invaluable and has helped us to set new standards in ESG education.

Source: www.swisslearninghub.com