The What's Next Forum, organized by Innovation World Switzerland, is expecting around 150 leading minds, innovation drivers, start-ups and change-makers from SMEs and the corporate world on 7 November. Visitors will learn first-hand how new AI and XR technologies can be used profitably and effectively in practice and what potential they offer. Top keynote speakers and experts will inspire and discuss on the main stage. Afterwards, twelve use case sessions, an "AI in HR" lab and several live demo points invite you to ask questions, test and experience immersive technologies. The focus is on best practices, independent information exchange and the live experience.

Under the motto "What's next?", leading speakers such as Dr. Simone Ruppertz-Rausch from Google Cloud, Prof. Dr. Knut Hinkelmann from the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW) and Marek Dutkiewicz, founder of HR Campus, will provide insights into future technologies and highlight the potential. This will be followed by panels with experts with recommendations for action and best practice.

Interactive highlights and networking

What makes the forum special is its focus on interaction, networking and the learning experience. In various use case sessions, at demo points and in the Google Atelier Digital, innovative providers and project managers will spend over three hours presenting how chatbots and machine learning are revolutionizing marketing, what a takeaway garage looks like and how augmented reality (AR) enables targeted interactions in retail. Organizer Ewa Ming says: "Now is the time to find out what is possible with artificial intelligence and immersive technologies in the virtual world. That's why personal experience and testing is so important to us!" and adds, "At the event, participants can ask all their questions and gather important information so that they can soon get started with new tools, ideas, concepts and strategies."

The event also offers numerous opportunities to network with like-minded people and make new contacts. Tickets are available for CHF 269.00. Further information and registration on the Website.

Source: www.whatsnext-forum.ch.

Helvetia is restructuring its sales organization as of 1 January 2025 and appointing the experienced sales specialist Simon Weiner (45) as Head of Sales Network Switzerland. This function bundles the sales channels with direct customer access in the home market of Switzerland and ensures their optimal interaction for customers.

At the same time, the company is making early arrangements for Ralph Jeitziner's successor as Head of Sales. Ralph Jeitziner has been Head of Sales for 29 years, initially at Coop Life, Nationale Suisse and then Helvetia. He has decided to retire on April 30, 2026. Simon Weiner will take over his role at the beginning of 2026 and thus also join the Executive Management of Helvetia Switzerland.

Experienced sales specialist

The Swiss-Austrian dual national Simon Weiner knows Helvetia and the insurance industry in Switzerland from many years of experience. As Head of the Central Sales Region for five years, he was responsible for the implementation of the 2025 sales strategy in the region with the highest turnover in Switzerland. He also oversaw important steps such as the partial sales integration of MoneyPark, the leading product and service platform for independent mortgage and real estate advice.

Previously, Simon Weiner was CEO of Orion Rechtsschutz Versicherung AG from 2017 to 2019 and held various positions within sales at Zurich Financial Services (Zurich Switzerland) from 2009 to 2016. Simon Weiner holds an International Executive MBA from the University of St. Gallen HSG.

Martin Jara, CEO of Helvetia Insurance Switzerland, is delighted with the nomination: "Ralph Jeitziner has shaped Helvetia for many years and played a key role in the company's success with his strong sales organization. It was therefore all the more important for us to find a long-term solution for his succession at an early stage. With Simon Weiner, an absolute expert from our own ranks is taking over. I wish him every success for the upcoming organizational merger of the sales network next year and for his future role as Head of Sales and Member of the Executive Management Switzerland, and I look forward to working with him in the future."

Source: www.helvetia.ch

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/helvetia-stellt-vertriebsorganisation-neu-auf-und-regelt-nachfolge-der-vertriebsleitung-fruehzeitig-per-2026/

Mike Milinkovich, Executive Director of the Eclipse Foundation, emphasized that the increasing adoption of Jakarta EE and cloud-native Java applications shows how the Java ecosystem is growing with modern business development methods.

The most important findings from this year's survey:

• Spring Boot remains the most popular Java framework for cloud-native applications. Jakarta EE and MicroProfile are also experiencing significant growth.
• 32 percent of respondents have switched to Jakarta EE (26 percent in 2023).
• Newer versions are gaining ground. The use of Jakarta EE 10 has doubled to 34 percent, while that of Java EE 8 has fallen from 46 to 40 percent.
• Interest in the harmonization of Jakarta EE with Java SE solutions, such as Records and Virtual Threads, has grown to 37 percent (2023: 30 percent).
• The top priorities for the Jakarta EE community are the following topics: better Kubernetes support, microservices, adaptation to Java SE innovations, support for test environments and an increased pace of innovation.

The Jakarta EE community welcomes the participation of individuals and companies alike. The Jakarta EE working group is currently working intensively on the upcoming release of Jakarta EE 11, which will bring innovative cloud functions, among other things. The timing could not be better to become part of this vibrant community. Interested parties can contact the global community.

Companies that would like to participate in the development of Jakarta and contribute ideas can join the Jakarta EE Working Group. Memberships not only contribute to the sustainability of the community, but also provide access to marketing activities and direct contact with key members. Interested parties can find out more about the benefits of membership on the Member website.

Jakarta EE offers the perfect platform for future-proof applications

The growing acceptance of Jakarta EE clearly shows how important the platform has become for developers as a driver of innovation. Ian Robinson, CTO IBM Application Runtimes, emphasizes: "Our standard APIs, efficient runtime environment and tools are fully compatible with Jakarta EE and MicroProfile, making them the perfect choice for cloud-native applications."

Microsoft also sees the development as positive. Scott Hunter, VP of Product, Azure Developer Experience, explains: "We're pleased to see how much is happening in the Java ecosystem, including Spring and Jakarta EE. We are particularly proud to be contributing to the release of Jakarta EE 11 together with our partners Oracle, IBM Red Hat and Broadcom."

The results of the latest survey underline the growing interest in Jakarta EE and MicroProfile technologies. Tom Snyder, VP of Engineering, Oracle Enterprise Cloud Native Java, said: "The survey shows growing adoption and interest in Jakarta EE and MicroProfile technologies and the latest versions of Java, whether in microservices, hybrid architectures across multiple clouds or with AI integration. Oracle's investments in WebLogic Server, Helidon, Coherence, Java and AI align with these trends. We look forward to working with the community to realize future generations of Enterprise Java."

Steve Millidge, founder and Managing Director of Payara Services, is convinced of the future viability of the platform: "At Payara, we are convinced that Jakarta EE offers the perfect platform for future-proof applications - and the '2024 Jakarta EE Developer Survey Report' proves us right. The growing acceptance of Jakarta EE, especially Jakarta EE 11, as well as the establishment of the Jakarta EE Future Directions Interest Group show: Jakarta EE is constantly growing with the changing requirements of modern enterprise environments. We are committed to the further development of Jakarta EE because we see flexibility, standardization and vendor neutrality as key prerequisites for the development of scalable, interoperable cloud-native applications."

Source: www.eclipse.org

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/interesse-an-jakarta-ee-und-cloud-native-java-waechst-auch-2024/

Since April 2023, the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne has been presenting the interactive permanent exhibition "Experience Energy!" in the "House of Energy". This promotes scientific, political and social dialog on the topic of energy. Since October 18, 2024, the "Sustainability Dialogue" area has expanded this exhibition. It was developed jointly by Sustainable Switzerland and the Swiss Museum of Transport in collaboration with scientific partners.

The focus is on the "Emission Explorer", an interactive tool with which visitors can determine their personal carbon footprint by means of questions and self-assessments. The Explorer was developed together with the "Energy Science for Tomorrow" (ES4T) initiative, in which ETH Zurich, EPFL Lausanne, the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI and Empa are involved. The experience is complemented by Sustainable Switzerland's interactive sustainability dialog. This provides tips for more sustainability in everyday life and invites visitors to express their opinions on key issues of sustainable development. The dialog is rounded off with exciting and surprising facts on the five topics of mobility, flying, consumption, nutrition and living.

Martin Bütikofer, Director of the Swiss Museum of Transport, says: "Sustainable Switzerland and the Swiss Museum of Transport are pursuing the same goal: to educate the general public about sustainability and the energy transition in an objective and fact-based manner. The interactive exhibition makes these topics tangible and helps to raise awareness."

Felix Graf, CEO of NZZ, adds: "Sustainable Switzerland promotes sustainable developments, puts relevant topics and pressing issues on the agenda and highlights practical solutions. The partnership with the Swiss Museum of Transport reinforces these efforts by facilitating an important transfer of knowledge and motivating the public to actively and playfully engage with the challenges of the future."

Source: www.unternehmen.nzz.ch

The key findings of the Workday Global Workforce Report for the first half of 2024

• It is becoming more difficult to find a new job: The increase in applications (31%) far exceeds job growth (7%) compared to the first half of 2023.
• Top employees leave the company first: In 75% of the sectors surveyed, voluntary redundancies by top performers have increased.
• AI is becoming an indispensable tool for HR teams: 77% of companies plan to increase the use of AI in recruitment in the coming year.
• Meaningful work leads to a stronger sense of fulfillment and loyalty: Workers who feel they are doing meaningful work feel 37% more fulfilled than those who do not - even with a heavy workload.

Workday Recruiting customers processed around 19 million job requisitions in the first half of 2024 - an increase of 7% year-on-year - and processed 173 million applications, an increase of 31%. Although the labor market is growing, it is becoming increasingly competitive for job seekers. This trend could intensify if job growth slows and unemployment continues to rise in the US and globally.

"The job market is changing in favor of employers, but at the same time, employees are becoming more assertive in their demands - competitive wages, clear opportunities for advancement and meaningful work are critical," says Alexandra Hartung, Head of Midmarket at Workday. "Managers need to help their employees find meaning in their work to retain the best talent to drive the success of the business."

Labor market trends in the DACH region: focus on Germany and Switzerland

Among the countries outside the USA that received the most job requests, applications and employment contracts in the first half of 2024, Germany and Switzerland led the way alongside Spain and France:

Germany:

• 402,000 Job requirements (+12%)
• 2.6 million applications (+3%)
• 177,000 job vacancies/employment contracts (+3%)

Despite the general economic downturn, there is still a significant shortage of skilled workers in some sectors, particularly in information technology, engineering and healthcare. This offers new opportunities for qualified personnel in these sectors. In addition, Germany has one of the lowest unemployment rates of all OECD countries at 3.3%.

This low unemployment rate makes it easier for employers to find suitable candidates for vacancies. According to OECD forecasts, Germany will remain one of the slowest growing industrialized nations until at least 2025. This year, gross domestic product is expected to grow by just 0.1%.

Switzerland:

• 215,000 Job requirements (+14%)
• 1.3 million applications (+12%)
• 112,000 job vacancies/employment contracts (+38%)

Compared to many other countries, the Swiss labor market remains positive. Job creation has increased, particularly in the service sector, and the unemployment rate remains low.

About this report

The findings of the Global Workforce Report (formerly known as the Workday Hiring and Talent Trends Report) were drawn from Workday Peakon Employee Voice, Workday People Analytics, Workday Recruiting and HiredScore. Third-party data is based on a Workday-commissioned survey conducted by independent market research firm Hanover Research. 1000 respondents were surveyed in July 2024.

Source: www.workday.ch

"Our Modern Forest is up to 30 times more effective at reducing the CO2 content in the air than a normal forest," says inventor and entrepreneur Frank Obrist. The industrial group of the same name that he founded has developed a sophisticated process to remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. At the same time, it produces the sustainable energy source methanol and obtains elemental carbon that can be stored or further processed.

Thorsten Rixmann, Chief Marketing Officer of the Obrist Group, explains the concept: "Like a natural forest, the Modern Forest removes CO2 from the atmosphere and produces oxygen. In contrast to photosynthesis in trees, however, the synthetic forest does not generate sugar as food for the plants, but liquid methanol - we are talking about aFuel (atmospheric fuel) here - which can be used as a universal fuel in industry, for heat generation and in transportation." CO2 is extracted using a direct air capture (DAC) process developed and patented by the Obrist Group. According to the company, up to one kilogram of methanol can be produced from 1.38 kilograms of CO2 extracted from the air.

The highlight: The synthetic forest works best in precisely those regions of the world where there is no chance of reforestation with trees - on wasteland and in deserts. In order for the production of methanol and carbon to function sustainably, an abundance of solar energy is required. While a real forest grows best in temperate climate zones, the modern forest can only thrive in the Earth's sun belt. What both "forest forms" have in common is that they remove large quantities of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and thus counteract global warming and climate change, emphasizes the Obrist Group.

Gigaplant: CO2 vacuum cleaner that produces methanol and carbon

The German-Austrian industrial group has developed the concept of so-called gigaplants, which simultaneously produce methanol, generate elemental carbon and act as a "CO2 vacuum cleaner". A single Gigaplant is expected to produce almost four million tons of methanol per year, generate almost 230,000 tons of carbon and remove over 6.2 million tons of CO2 from the atmosphere. The required surface area is around 280 square kilometers.

For comparison: A natural forest of the same size removes less than half a million tons of CO2 from the air every year. Frank Obrist clarifies: "Of course, the Modern Forest is not intended to replace forests, but to make otherwise unusable wasteland and desert regions doubly usable: for the global energy supply at unbeatably low costs and for the climate with a significantly better efficiency than any planting."

A key component of the Modern Forest is a special direct air capture (DAC) process developed by the industrial group and protected by several patents. Dr. Johannes Prock, Chief Technology Officer of the Obrist Group, explains the industrial process with vivid comparisons: "We use caustic soda, which is also used in diluted form in pretzel baking, because it binds CO2 particularly easily. This removes the carbon dioxide from the air. This produces sodium carbonate, which is also found in washing powder. The next step is the conversion to sodium hydrogen carbonate, the main component of baking powder. And just like this, decomposition begins in dry form at relatively low temperatures, which can be achieved with waste heat." According to the Obrist Group, this particular DAC process has the advantage over other methods of binding CO2 that it requires very little water and therefore also works in deserts, where the humidity is often only ten percent.

Due diligence confirms feasibility

The engineering and consulting firm ILF Consulting Engineers, the patent and law firm ETL-IP and the auditing firm BDO recently confirmed the technical and economic feasibility of the Gigaplants and the Modern Forest as part of a comprehensive due diligence. Interested investors and government agencies can request the due diligence report from the industry group.

If around two percent of the world's desert area, estimated at 36 million square kilometers, were to be covered with synthetic forests - the equivalent of 2,700 gigaplants - the world's energy needs could be met entirely with aFuel and fossil fuels could be replaced entirely with green methanol. In addition, the operation of these plants could reduce the CO2 content in the atmosphere to that of 1950. At that time, the CO2 content in the air was around 290 ppm (parts per million); 420 ppm was measured in 2023. Like many scientists, visionary Frank Obrist expects the peak to be around 450 ppm in 2050. From this peak, the CO2 content could be gradually reduced again over 100 years by "sucking" carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere with the help of modern forests.

Source: www.obrist.at

Despite these concerns about wealth preservation, Swiss advisors remain confident about the growth of their business. The survey shows that they expect an average annual growth in their assets under management of 8.5 % for the coming year. This confidence reflects their ability to overcome economic challenges and seize new opportunities to drive their growth, even in a volatile environment.

Managing the intergenerational transfer of assets

In light of the ongoing massive transfer of wealth, Swiss financial advisors are under increasing pressure to keep assets within families. 59 % of advisors in Switzerland express fears of losing the wealth of their clients' spouses or heirs. This challenge is exacerbated by the fact that a third of advisors in Europe have already suffered significant wealth losses due to generational attrition.

To prevent this transfer and better manage these risks, 73 % of Swiss advisors state that they regularly discuss family wealth management with their clients. This ensures that the next generations are included in these discussions. However, despite these efforts, assets are only preserved in 50 % of cases when children inherit. This underlines the importance of this challenge. To strengthen wealth retention, Swiss advisors offer additional services such as trust and estate planning (53 %) as well as personalized services such as career planning and networking (56 %). 

Private assetsvalues: An opportunity with great potential, but difficult to implement

One of the major trends revealed by the survey is the growing importance of private assets in investment strategies. In Switzerland, 54 % of financial advisors recognize that these assets are a key way to diversify portfolios and improve returns. However, it is still difficult to build portfolios with private assets on a large scale.

Despite these challenges, 66 % of Swiss advisors plan to increase the proportion of private assets in their clients' portfolios over the next five years to meet growing investor demand for alternative investments. These private assets include, in particular, infrastructure, private equity and real estate, which are seen as a way to better meet diversification needs in a volatile return environment.

Proactive risk management strategies

While sovereign debt is not a major concern for Swiss advisors, unlike some of their European counterparts, other economic risks remain at the forefront of their priorities. In particular, 61 % of Swiss advisors believe that one of the biggest dangers for their clients is the search for quick returns through unfounded market expectations. Especially after prolonged periods of rising share prices. In fact, 25 % of Swiss advisors warn their clients against unrealistic return expectations, which are often influenced by excessive growth expectations.

The survey also shows that Swiss advisors pay great attention to market volatility and how their clients react to these fluctuations. Their aim is to protect portfolios from sudden downturns while enabling long-term growth.

Caution towards new financial technologies

When it comes to new technologies, especially crypto assets, Swiss advisors remain cautious. Although 41 % of them state that they feel comfortable advising their clients on cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or Ethereum, the majority (69 %) continue to view these assets with caution and believe that they should not play a central role in diversified portfolios. This reflects a cautious approach to emerging financial technologies, prioritizing the security and stability of investments.

Robert Pavic Urbas, Head of Wholesale for German-speaking Switzerland at Natixis IM, said: "Over the past five years, markets have experienced rapid downturns as well as record highs. While the changes are not always as dramatic, advisors have mastered the art of portfolio management through turbulence and must continue to adapt to the speed and frequency of changing macro and market factors. The biggest challenge for advisors today is keeping current assets in the portfolio. Therefore, they need to adapt their strategies to appeal to the new generation of investors. Finding more time to develop client relationships and offer financial planning services will be critical to the long-term success of their businesses. The survey shows that Swiss financial professionals are prioritizing growth, client retention and managing economic risk, with a balanced but cautious approach to alternative investments and new financial technologies."

Methodology

Natixis Investment Managers surveyed 2,700 financial professionals in 20 countries worldwide. The data was collected between June and August 2024 by the market research company CoreData and additionally analyzed by the Natixis Center for Investor Insights.

About the Natixis Center for Investor Insight

The Natixis Center for Investor Insight is a global research initiative that focuses on the critical issues shaping today's investment landscape. The Center examines the sentiment and behavior, market outlook and trends, and risk perceptions of institutional investors, financial professionals and individuals worldwide. Our aim is to stimulate a more substantive discussion of issues with a 360° view of the markets and insightful analysis of investment trends.

Source: www.natixis.com

Sophos has published a new report on the impact of the cybersecurity skills shortage. The report is based on a comprehensive study of 5,000 IT/cybersecurity experts in 14 countries. It reveals some serious consequences for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and companies with 100 to 500 employees.

The most important results are:

• SMEs are disproportionately affected by the shortage of skilled workers: The lack of internal cybersecurity capability/expertise is ranked as the second biggest cybersecurity risk, surpassed only by zero-day threats.
• SMEs have a higher rate of data encryption in ransomware attacks: In 74 percent of ransomware attacks on SMEs, the attackers succeed in encrypting the data.
• No monitoring: In 33 percent of cases, there is no one in SMEs who actively monitors, investigates and responds to warnings.
• Investigating suspicious security alerts is a challenge: 96 percent of employees in SMEs find at least one aspect of investigating suspicious security alerts difficult.
• SMEs struggle to eliminate malicious alerts/incidents: 75 percent of SMEs find it difficult to resolve malicious alerts or incidents in a timely manner.

91 % of ransomware attacks take place outside normal business hours

Aaron Bugal, Field CTO at Sophos, said: "The lack of in-house cybersecurity skills is one of the biggest risks facing organizations today. When you combine this growing skills gap with the large, additional burnout crisis among cybersecurity professionals, small businesses are even more vulnerable to attack. With 91 percent of ransomware attacks occurring outside of normal business hours, SMBs need to be able to monitor their networks around the clock to detect malicious activity before an attacker can exfiltrate or encrypt data."

Companies should take stock of their security capabilities and look for ways to improve their overall cyber resilience. It's a delicate balance between people, processes and technology. By understanding the strengths and limitations of their team, organizations can balance these with external expertise and improve their security posture.

Source: www.sophos.de

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/kmus-schneiden-bei-der-cyberresilienz-schlecht-ab/

Similarly, iWay will also become an independent mobile communications provider. To this end, the company will operate as a full mobile virtual network operator (MVNO). iWay will use Swisscom's physical mobile network, but will set up its own hardware and software platform and operate largely independently. This means that iWay can develop and market its own tariff models and offers and differentiate itself even better from its market competitors as a mobile provider. The new mobile services will be available from mid-2025.

"We are building a new, more reliable and proprietary infrastructure. This will enable us to offer our partners and customers more attractive products and services in future," says Markus Vetterli, CEO of iWay. "As an independent telephony provider, we will be confronted with fewer dependencies in both the fixed and mobile network sectors, allowing us to react more flexibly to market changes and implement product developments more quickly." A smooth transition to the new infrastructure is a top priority for iWay.

Partners and customers will be informed about the next steps at an early stage. iWay partners will be able to order and manage the new products via the existing partner portal. Partners will also have the opportunity to purchase and market iWay's telephony products in a white label model with their own branding. End customers, in turn, will benefit from improved offers, as the new fixed and mobile telephony strategy will enable iWay to focus even more on its goal of being the best alternative to the major providers. As part of this new strategic direction, iWay will end its existing collaboration with Nexphone.

Source: www.iway.ch

There will be movement in the management of the Swiss telecommunications provider Quickline as of January 1, 2025: As previously announced, Egon Perathoner (previously COO) will take over as CEO from the Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO ad interim Felix Kunz. Egon Perathoner brings with him over 20 years of experience in the telecommunications industry and in-depth technical knowledge. Felix Kunz took over operational management in January 2024. He will now concentrate on the role of Chairman of the Board of Directors again.

Dominik Breitenmoser takes over as COO from designated CEO Egon Perathoner

Dominik Breitenmoser has been Head of Architecture at Quickline since March 1, 2024. With 25 years of experience in telecommunications, he brings a wealth of knowledge from various areas of information technology and is an experienced and strategically savvy manager. Dominik Breitenmoser is an enthusiastic mountaineer.

"I look forward to using my expertise to further advance Quickline and the Quickline network. In the dynamic telecommunications industry, it is crucial to drive innovation and at the same time offer stable, future-proof solutions. Close and trusting cooperation with our partners is particularly important to me in order to achieve sustainable success together," comments Dominik Breitenmoser on his new role.

Eshchar Cohen will complete the management team as CFO

He is regarded as a dynamic leader and brings 15 years of financial and management experience from various Swiss and international companies. Eshchar Cohen has been Head of Finance & Controlling at Quickline since April 1, 2024. He lives in Bern with his wife and three children and enjoys swimming in the River Aare, even in cooler temperatures.

"I would like to thank the Board of Directors for their trust and for nominating me as CFO. This new role is a great honor for me and an exciting challenge that I accept with enthusiasm. I look forward to pursuing innovative paths with the Board of Directors and my colleagues on the Management Board and successfully developing our company further," says Eshchar Cohen, commenting on his election.

The Executive Board of Quickline will be composed as follows as of January 1, 2025:

• Egon Perathoner, CEO
• Dominik Breitenmoser, COO
• Eshchar Cohen, CFO
• Sergio Giorgetta, CMO
• Beat Jaccottet, CIO

Felix Kunz, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Quickline: "Over the past few years, Quickline has successfully developed from a regional to a nationwide telecommunications provider with award-winning products. I am convinced that the strengthened management of Quickline will continue to drive this growth and focus even more closely on the needs of customers and partners."

Source: www.quickline.ch

Corporate insolvencies in Switzerland have risen for the fourth time in a row, reaching a new record of more than 8,100 cases in 2024 (from +8 % in 2023 to +11 % in 2024). This indicates that the economic and financial fundamentals are not yet sufficient to avoid an extension of the catch-up process in corporate insolvencies that already took place in 2022 and 2023. Even if the special cases of company liquidations due to organizational deficiencies pursuant to Article 731b CO are excluded.

Relaxation in Switzerland from 2025

Allianz Trade expects moderate economic growth in Switzerland, although the strength of the Swiss franc is weighing on export-oriented companies. This will slow down the recovery in corporate insolvencies. A decline of around 1 percent is expected for 2025, while a decline of 8 percent is forecast for 2026. Nevertheless, the figures are likely to remain above the 2018-2019 level.

Global insolvency activity is accelerating

In the global insolvency forecast from February 2024, Allianz Trade already predicted a sharp increase in 2024 (+9 %) and a subsequent stabilization in 2025 (+0 %). The latest developments paint an even gloomier picture worldwide, with a forecast increase of 11 % (+2 percentage points, pp) for this year, followed by a peak in 2025 with a further increase of 2 % (+2 pp). Corporate insolvencies are not expected to stabilize at a high level until 2026.

The main driver of the expected global increase in 2025 is the USA with +12 % after 31 % in 2024. However, Russia (+16 %), China (+5 %) and Taiwan (7 %) in Asia and Germany (+4 %) and Italy (+4 %) in Europe are also contributing to the global increase. In France and the UK, insolvencies are already at very high levels following sharp rises in previous years and will weaken slightly in 2025 (-6 % in each case).

Double-digit growth in countries that account for more than half of global GDP

Global corporate insolvencies have already risen by 9% since the beginning of the year. The increase is broad-based across regions and sectors. Globally, the Allianz Trade Insolvency Index at the end of 2024 is expected to be 13% above the average for the years before the pandemic (2016-2019), but 11% below the level of the global financial crisis.

"This global rollercoaster ride in corporate insolvencies is partly due to continued subdued global demand, ongoing geopolitical uncertainty and uneven financing conditions," says Aylin Somersan Coqui, CEO of Allianz Trade Group. "But it can also be explained by the 'backlog' of insolvencies, as companies are no longer protected by the support measures introduced during the pandemic and the energy crisis. As a result, countries that account for more than half of global GDP will be affected by a double-digit increase in insolvencies in 2024. Two-thirds are likely to exceed the number of insolvencies before the pandemic this year. The construction, retail and services sectors are the hardest hit, both in terms of the frequency and severity of insolvencies."

Will lower interest rates bring a turnaround for companies?

While a gradual easing of monetary policy could bring some relief, it is not a panacea for struggling companies. Lower interest rates reduce borrowing costs, improve cash flow and increase profitability, but cannot fully compensate for the financial challenges companies are facing. "Although Switzerland has lowered its key interest rate before all other countries, it cannot expect a recovery in insolvencies until next year. This is partly due to the strong franc and partly to the ongoing economic uncertainties and global market conditions," says Jan Möllmann, CEO Allianz Trade Switzerland.

Source: www.allianz-trade.ch

The economy and the education sector in particular are increasingly looking for career changers to counteract the shortage of skilled workers and bring new perspectives to companies. But how do companies and employees in Switzerland really view lateral entry?

Recruiters see lateral hires as a potential remedy for companies

One thing is certain for companies: doors are always open to career changers. For more than half of the HR managers surveyed, career changers have the same opportunities as applicants with a linear career path (58 %). Six percent of recruiters even give preferential treatment to lateral entrants, although 30 percent of those surveyed stated that lateral entrants are given lower priority in the application process.

83 percent of the recruiters surveyed agree somewhat to completely that lateral hires promote diversity in the company. They believe that they bring fresh perspectives and ideas to the company (86 %). Their different experiences also contribute to innovation (84 %). 81 percent agree somewhat to completely with the statement that career changers could solve the skills shortage.

Longer training period necessary and job fit questionable

On the one hand, recruiters see career changers as an exciting target group, but at the same time there are concerns about their job fit in everyday working life. This is because the success of lateral entry clearly depends on whether the new industry requires entry barriers such as qualifications or certain degrees. 82 percent of recruiters believe that career changers need longer training periods to find their feet in their new role. 69 percent fear that they may not fit in well with the corporate culture or team dynamics. 73 percent are also of the opinion that career changers lack industry-specific experience that cannot be learned quickly. The statement that companies have had bad experiences with lateral hires because they lack the necessary specialist knowledge received the lowest level of agreement (60 %).

"It is surprising that almost a third of recruiters do not take career changers into account when hiring new employees. This is because career changers can enrich companies with fresh perspectives and unconventional approaches. They often bring valuable experience from other industries, which promotes innovation and flexibility - two key success factors in a constantly changing world of work," says Sandra Bascha, Head of Communications at Xing Switzerland and New Work expert. "In times when companies are desperately looking for good employees, it makes sense to have lateral entrants on the radar for new appointments."

More money and better job security

And what do employees think about changing jobs? The survey of 500 employees in German-speaking Switzerland shows that 33% have not yet thought about leaving their job for another sector. 42 percent have already toyed with the idea - but have not acted on it. Only 26 percent have actually taken the plunge and started a new career in a new sector.

Of those who made the switch, 40 percent stated that financial benefits were the decisive factor. For 29 percent, it was better job security that attracted them to a new industry, and 27 percent changed jobs because they felt it was more meaningful. A further 27 percent made a lateral move because they gained additional or previously unused skills and knowledge or acquired the necessary qualifications.

Those employees who stated in the survey that they had not changed jobs did so for the following reasons: 35 percent said it was due to lower pay. 34 percent stated that there was less job security. Due to a lack of specialist knowledge, a lack of necessary qualifications or longer training periods, 26 percent of respondents did not switch jobs.

Source: www.xing.ch