The covid pandemic has given a boost to new forms of work. In April 2020, 52% of the Swiss working population worked from home. That's 1.2 million employees who could be potential "work tourists" working from another destination instead of from home. An interesting potential for the tourism industry.

Work where others go on vacation

Due to climate change, volatile occupancy rates and last but not least Covid-19, the tourism sector is facing major challenges. The start-up Workplayz, based in Trin (GR), captures the current zeitgeist of remote working while addressing the difficulties in Swiss tourism. Reto Gurtner, tourism visionary and member of the start-up's advisory board, says: "Work tourists - i.e. guests who work in the mountains during off-peak times and relax in nature at the same time - are an opportunity for the transformation to all-year-round businesses in mountain regions. Workations fit perfectly into Laax's strategic direction."

Workplayz offers packages for a 3-, 4- or 5-day stay in around 15 different Swiss destinations, both for teams and individual employees. The packages include accommodation incl. breakfast, a comprehensively equipped workspace and various leisure activities.

Merging work with leisure

Not only tourism, but also employers are facing increasing challenges. Alexandra Kühn, Managing Director of the Work Smart Initiative and also a member of the start-up's Advisory Board: "Companies are competing for the best talent. For them, self-determined working is a growing need. Often, the supporting corporate culture is missing. With Workations, companies can anchor mobile working in their corporate culture in an innovative way."

Workplayz takes up the trend, according to which work increasingly merges with leisure, and makes working an experience. The workstations remain in the memory for a long time. Employees talk about them in their private networks and on social media. This has a positive impact on the employer's image and benefits it in terms of staff recruitment and retention. What's more, the actual experience is also productive working time.

Wincasa focuses on result-oriented and interdisciplinary work

Wincasa - a leading real estate service provider in Switzerland - is one of Workplayz's first customers. Marco Kissling, Head of Business & Digital Excellence, is working from Laax in mid-October together with an interdisciplinary team: "We understand mobile working as more than just home office. The Workplayz offer therefore fits well with our #weworksmart initiative. During the stay in Laax, we are working on an innovation project for the future of Wincasa and have set ourselves clear goals for the three days. The inspiring location and the varied social program with yoga, a bike tour or hike in the Grisons mountains should help us to look at projects from a new angle and grow even closer together as a team."

More information: www.workplayz.com

As a replacement for the old indoor swimming pool, great things are being created in Sursee: a multifunctional pavilion for congresses, trade fairs and corporate events, as well as a spacious and modern entrance area with hotel reception. The new hall is versatile, equipped with state-of-the-art technology and meets the highest ecological requirements.

Campus Sursee invests quasi "anti-cyclically

Now that all major events have been canceled, such a new building? Deputy Director Thomas Stocker is optimistic: "The demand for large rooms has increased at the Sursee campus over the years. We see great potential for the future in this - despite current difficult Corona times." The total cost of 13 million Swiss francs is being borne by the Sursee Campus Foundation of the Swiss Master Builders' Association. The new replacement building is divided into two sections. On the one hand, there is the lower reception area with adjacent foyer, and on the other, the higher multifunctional pavilion. The multifunctional pavilion is intended to symbolize the center of the Sursee campus and be recognizable from afar. The floor area is 800 m2 and can be divided into two equally sized rooms. The multifunctional pavilion can be used for exhibitions, general meetings, conventions, conferences, banquets, aperitifs, exams, seminars, car presentations and much more.

Opening for the 50th Campus Birthday

With this new building, too, the Sursee campus, as a certified 2,000-watt site, is fulfilling its role model function in the construction industry. The pavilion is oriented to the existing heights of the adjacent grill restaurant Baulüüt. The new hall is integrated into the site ensemble, thus achieving an internal densification in a natural way. On the outside, the façade of curtain-type profiled glass reflects the surrounding hilly landscape. The photovoltaic system on the roof is 600 m2 in size; a total of 370 photovoltaic modules will be installed. Rainwater is used for toilet and garden irrigation. Pascal Ziegler, Head of Infrastructure, emphasizes: "The 2000-watt site specifications are being met and the CO2-neutral path is being successfully continued with this new building." A time capsule will be bricked in at the laying of the foundation stone on September 13, 2020. It will contain a daily newspaper of that date, a coin set with the current Swiss circulation coins, and this media release. If everything goes according to plan, the building will be inaugurated in time for the 50th anniversary of the Sursee campus in spring 2022.

More information

Cross-generational expertise and experience in teams are increasingly system-relevant factors for companies in globalized competition. The looming loss of competence and knowledge due to demographic change and the associated wave of retirements pose major challenges for companies in Western industrialized nations.

Knowledge and experience assurance 50+

For companies with a tendency toward an older workforce, the global pressure to innovate and retirements, which often destroy valuable practical experience, are major challenges. Here, timely and intergenerational knowledge transfer creates competitive advantages. In his work, Tinner clearly demonstrates the economic and business advantages for companies of actively integrating the expertise and practical professional and life experience of employees over 50.

"Better integrating the aging workforce into work processes

Generations that have been socialized differently by technological change often bring values and expectations to the work process that could not be more different. Andreas Tinner contrasts the perspective of the "Aging Workforce", for whom meaningfulness is more important than financial incentives, with the perspective of companies, which must meet the needs for flexibility, health and knowledge management. He provides clear and easy-to-implement recommendations on how Swiss companies can increasingly integrate the "aging workforce" into appropriate HR processes.

Promotion measures shown

SMEs need to act now, to actively safeguard knowledge in order to guarantee their social and economic sustainability. According to the jury of the UBS Sustainability Award, Tinner has made an important contribution to this with his study, because he showed both the urgency of the task and viable support measures.

Source: www.fh-hwz.ch

Led by digital leadership experts Sunnie J. Groeneveld, Manuel P. Nappo and Urs Bucher, executives, lifelong learners and transformational leaders take the first online TEDxHWZ event to the digital level. Lecturers and program directors inspire and motivate the participants of the Executive MBA Digital Leadership to develop their own perspective on leadership skills in a digital future.

Networking as part of a study program

With twelve contributions on the topic "The Future World" on November 21, 2020, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., accomplished speakers will inspire and uplift their audiences with exciting stories, groundbreaking ideas and achievements via live internet stream. At this online event, the audience will benefit from the numerous and innovative discussion topics as well as from the opportunity to interact live with participants as well as speakers in digital discussion forums. This promotes personal networking with a view to future cooperation opportunities. The HWZ is the first Swiss university to incorporate this challenge as a fixed component in the curriculum of a degree program.

What are the goals the first TEDxHWZ event?

The speakers will present their "idea worth spreading" in a maximum of 18 minutes each. Both speakers and organizers have set out to create a unique online experience for the audience. The digital framework will demonstrate how enormously important the role of people is today and will be in the future. TEDxHWZ takes a sustainable approach: for a ticket price of CHF 20, 50% of the proceeds go to the aid organization Vision Himalaya. This organization supports people suffering from cataract in developing countries to regain their eyesight. Today, CHF 50 is enough to give a person back their eyesight by means of the most modern laser procedures: With five tickets sold by TEDxHWZ, a blind person is thus given a perspective for the future.

What is TEDx?

TED is a non-profit organization dedicated to spreading innovative ideas. At TED conferences, leading thinkers and doers such as Elon Musk, Bill Gates or Jane Goodall are invited as speakers to present their "idea worth spreading" in 18 minutes or less. TEDx is an initiative of TED and enables individuals and groups to hold local, self-organized, independent events in the TED format worldwide.

The speakers of TEDxHWZ

• Claire Murigande, PhD, Medical Affairs Expert
• Emi Lorincz, Sales & Business Development Director at Ledger
• Bernhard Wolff, Creativity Speaker and Online Moderator
• Stefan Klöckl, Business Trainer, Owner & Meaning Creator at the Sinnfabrik
• Thomas Bosshard, Entrepreneur
• Florence Schelling, General Manager
• Evelyn Eisenhauer, Media Expert
• Schoscho Rufener, Entrepreneur & Coach
• Kantarama Gahigiri, Filmmaker Writer & Director
• Barbara Bisko, Digital Enthusiast
• Flavio Stragiotti, Marketing Director and Inventor
• Frank & Patrik Riklin, concept artists and artrepreneurs

80 percent of Swiss companies accept longer payment terms because they do not want to jeopardize customer relationships and because payment defaults have a massive impact on companies. This is one of the findings of the Switzerland country report as part of the European Payment Report 2020, a statistical survey of payment behavior in Europe and Switzerland by the debt collection service provider Intrum AG.

Longer payment periods and their consequences

8 out of 10 Swiss companies say they accept longer payment periods in order not to jeopardize their customer relationships. That is 11 percent more than the European average. At the same time, three quarters of companies consider punctual payments to be a decisive factor in building and maintaining the trust of partners and suppliers. But what are the consequences of longer payment periods? More than half of the companies surveyed (SMEs: 54%, large companies: 51%) fear liquidity bottlenecks, which threaten the existence of just under half of SMEs (45%). As a result, 44 percent of SMEs and 49 percent of large companies are hiring fewer staff.

Higher investment in prevention

What if this were not the case? If companies' bills were paid more quickly? 67 percent of the Swiss companies surveyed said that this would give them scope to expand their range of products and services, and that they would drive innovation by means of a digital strategy (66%). 59 percent would hire more employees as well as expand their market area geographically (64%). Compared to the European average, Switzerland is higher in all values: Swiss companies therefore also invest more heavily in preventive measures than their European counterparts, so that payment defaults do not occur in the first place.

Prevention is carried out by means of credit checks: 40 percent of the Swiss companies surveyed rely on this measure. About one-third (36%) use debt collection or credit insurance (30%). In Europe, one-third (31%) said they use advance payments for prevention; in Switzerland, this seems to be less popular: only 22 percent use this instrument in our country.

Possible consequences of a recession

Are we currently already in a recession? Of the Swiss companies surveyed, 92 percent stated that our country is already in a recession or that one is expected within the next two years. This is a pessimistic outlook that calls for caution. As a result, 34 percent of SMEs and 30 percent of large companies want to identify particularly risky business areas and take on less debt (34%). In addition, large companies in particular are reducing their costs: 39 percent said they were planning cost-cutting measures.

Cashless society: Soon, but also with risks

Covid-19 is a driver for a cashless society: 69 percent of the Swiss companies surveyed expect Switzerland to be cashless within five years. This is 20 percent more than in the previous year and shows that the current crisis is driving many changes at record speed. What are the possible consequences of this development? 64 percent fear operational risks or higher transaction costs (61%), and the risk of cyber attacks is also rated as relatively high at 61%.

Source and further information: Intrum AG

The entrepreneurial network Swiss Venture Club (SVC) will award the Prix SVC Central Switzerland for the eighth time on November 10, 2020. From 120 companies in the region, the fourteen-member jury of experts headed by Urban Camenzind, Cantonal Councillor and Director of Economic Affairs for the Canton of Uri, has selected the following six finalists:

• allvisual ag, Steinhausen: Based on best practice, allvisual advises and implements services and solutions in the areas of digital transformation, product lifecycle management, smart manufacturing/service and 3D visualization for companies in the aviation, automotive, mechanical and plant engineering and medical technology sectors.
• Elbatech AG, Ibach: The company installs modern tunnel radio systems for rail operators throughout Switzerland, thus ensuring uninterrupted communication for all passengers. The design and installation of traction power systems and diamond drilling are other important areas of activity.
• Gübelin, Lucerne: The company, known for its gemstone expertise, creates and produces jewelry in its in-house atelier under its own brand Gübelin Jewellery, and also sells world-renowned luxury watch brands in its boutiques.
• Renggli AG, Sursee: With over 95 years of experience as a timber construction partner and general contractor, Renggli AG offers energy-efficient and sustainable timber construction projects in modern architecture - equally for multi-storey residential buildings, commercial and public buildings as well as for single-family homes.
• Seiler Käserei AG, Giswil: As an independent, owner-managed traditional company, Seiler Käserei AG has been producing excellent cheese specialties since 1928. Seiler processes only natural raw materials without additives. The milk comes from farms with controlled agriculture, directly from the slopes and valleys of the surrounding area. Some cheese varieties are also available in organic quality.
• Shiptec AG, Lucerne: The company was founded in 2013 as a subsidiary of Schifffahrtsgesellschaft des Vierwaldstättersees (SGV) AG, but its wealth of experience dates back to 1931. With its shipyard and an engineering office, the company provides technical services in the fields of ship design and engineering, shipbuilding, ship overhauls, conversions and ship maintenance for professional and private shipping.

Information: www.svc.swiss

Managers should cultivate an appreciative approach to their employees that is characterized by mutual respect. "Leadership with appreciation" - this is often emphasized in leadership seminars. But in everyday work, employees often feel little of this. It is not uncommon for a rather harsh tone to prevail: especially when there is a fire in the company's woodwork - for example, because revenues are falling away - and the managers themselves are under a great deal of pressure. In such cases, even the most banal rules of etiquette that actually apply to human interaction are often forgotten.

Appreciative leadership: 14 tips

1. Before you communicate with employees, reflect on their state of mind. This is especially important in crisis situations, because these also unsettle your employees.
2. Never compose and send an e-mail spontaneously, for example, out of a feeling of anger. You will usually regret this a short time later. First save the mail in the drafts folder and then reread it once or twice before you press the send button.
3. Before communicating with employees - regardless of the channel - always reflect on your own state of mind. If you feel unable to communicate in an appreciative manner, postpone the conversation or do something to improve your mood first.
4. Accept that you too are a flesh and blood being and often do not react as rationally as you would like. Become aware of the emotions you are feeling right now that are influencing how you feel and act. Emotions are not diseases, they are a part of us.
5. If you feel insecure or even helpless in the face of the actual situation, deal with it - if possible with stable, reflective personalities from your network or a good coach. Gain as much security as possible without deluding yourself. Take charge instead of being a "victim of circumstances".
6. Try to accept the bad circumstances or general conditions as you would the weather - according to the maxim: "Change it, love it or leave it". There is suitable clothing for every weather and adequate behavior for every situation or constellation.
7. As a manager, you need to be able to control your emotional balance, because one of your tasks is to give your employees orientation and support. Make sure that you always see the silver lining on the horizon or the light at the end of the tunnel. For example, by making yourself aware of the difficulties you and your team have already overcome in the past.
8. In crisis situations, seek more personal contact with your employees. Ask them about your personal situation. Give them an insight into your emotional life. This makes you human and strengthens their relationship.
9. Take responsibility for your behavior. Apologize sincerely if you have used a wrong tone or overstepped the mark for emotional reasons. Forgive yourself for such "little mistakes", because "Nobody is perfect".
10. Be aware: Successful communication always presupposes a mutual willingness to understand the other person correctly. Therefore, you are not responsible for every misunderstanding. Nevertheless, clarify them quickly.
11. Do not be tempted to go in search of personal "culprits". That only costs time and puts you in a bad mood. Instead, look for the (problem) causes and solutions.
12. If your corporate culture allows it, also talk to colleagues in management about your feelings and concerns. Then you will almost always find out: You are not alone in having them. Consequently, they are not an expression of personal weaknesses, but are situational. If this is not possible in your company, find another forum for exchange - such as my workshop for leadership and change.
13. Make sure that people around you regularly give you an unvarnished reflection of your external impact. This is your only possibility to find out whether your behavior triggers in others what you want to achieve or exactly the opposite.
14. Take care of your mental hygiene and work-life balance, especially in crisis and stress situations - for example, by doing sports or targeted relaxation in your free time to provide the necessary balance. Otherwise, your pent-up negative emotions will suddenly burst out of you in an uncontrolled manner and those around you will be shocked into distancing themselves from you.

Therefore, as a manager, remember this in your leadership work: How much respect and appreciation you show your employees can be seen by them in many apparent little things.

To the author: Klaus Doll is the owner of Klaus Doll Organisationsberatung, Neustadt an der Weinstraße. He regularly organizes a two-day open "Workshop for Leadership and Change" in which executives jointly reflect on their personal current situation in their company, among other things (www.doll-beratung.de).

The newest member of the localsearch product family is called digitalONE. digitalONE is the all-in-one solution for a comprehensive company presence in the digital world, tailored to the needs of SMEs with little time and budget but still high demands on their digital presence, according to the company. The product combines the classic directory entry of local.ch and search.ch with a company profile on Google and Bing as well as in the leading navigation services and various social media networks. With digitalONE, the SME company profile is published on numerous services on the Internet. These include the leading Swiss directory services (local.ch and search.ch), search engines (Google, Bing), social media (Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat), navigation systems (Apple, TomTom, Here and systems of most car manufacturers) and industry-specific online services (Tripadvisor, renovero.ch, anbieter-vergleich.ch).

Never again wrong opening hours and contact details

digitalONE has an integrated customer center for central data management. From it, company data such as addresses, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, opening hours or even images can be centrally managed and updated across all connected services at the click of a button. This makes it effortless for SMEs to ensure that their company data and opening hours are consistently stored and up-to-date on all platforms and in all directories. Optionally, a social reputation function can also be connected to the customer center. This gives SMEs the ability to view and respond to customer reviews from a variety of platforms in one central location. localsearch CEO Santinelli sums it up: "With digitalONE, SMEs can be found, liked and booked directly by consumers."

All-in-one solution for growing digital requirements

With digitalONE, Swiss SMEs are meeting the constantly growing digital requirements. The free appointment booking software, which can be integrated into the product on request, also serves a very specific consumer need. It makes it possible to reserve an appointment or a restaurant table directly via the company profile. "By integrating appointment booking software, we greatly enhance the company entry for our customers. Hairdressers, physio practices, beauty salons, restaurants and other service providers can now be found, liked and booked directly via their company entry," says Stefano Santinelli. Also included in the package is a free, mobile-optimized and fast-loading mini website. With this, for example, it is now even easier for start-ups to be present in the online world with an individual company presence right from the start.

Optional product functionalities for an even stronger presence

A whole range of optional product functionalities is available in combination with the basic product. These include the reach booster (top positioning on localsearch's own platforms local.ch, search.ch and renovero.ch), an online reputation tool and the optimization of the company profile carried out by experts for an even more effective presence in the digital world. The customer has the option of tailoring digitalONE to his business needs with a wide range of optional functionalities. The overall package is supplemented as standard with individually retrievable visitor statistics.

Source: localsearch

Following the signing in July of the declaration of intent to merge the umbrella organization ICTswitzerland and the location initiative digitalswitzerland, the members of both organizations have now also confirmed the merger project at their respective association meetings. As a location initiative, digitalswitzerland has so far worked to establish Switzerland as the leading international digital innovation hub. ICTswitzerland represented selected and overarching topics of digitization to society, politics and business and placed a special focus on cybersecurity and the education and training of ICT professionals.

Joint commitment to digital Switzerland

With the merger, the two thrusts will be bundled and the two organizations will merge under the name digitalswitzerland to form the most relevant umbrella organization in digital Switzerland with a new membership of 220. The merger will enable holistic networking in the digital ecosystem of all industries and public administration. This will strengthen Switzerland's positioning as a digital and innovation location both at home and abroad. President of digitalswitzerland remains Ivo Furrer, Vice President will be the current ICTswitzerland President, National Councillor Marcel Dobler.

Digital advancement on all fronts

The umbrella organization aims to deepen selected skills and topics with which Switzerland can be credibly positioned and strengthened as a leading digital research and innovation location. Among other things, the focus is on developing and implementing measures to increase the number of STEM professionals trained at all levels of the education system, with the aim of meeting the demand for skilled workers. The expansion of the digital ecosystem will also be advanced through cross-sector collaboration to continuously enable innovation. In addition, there will be a stronger commitment to increasing the cyber resilience of the state, the economy and society and to upholding ethical standards in the digital world. Public dialog with the Swiss population is to be intensified thanks to the nationwide Swiss Digitaltage events. The startup ecosystem will also continue to be promoted so that young entrepreneurs receive optimum support in terms of growth and scaling. In the political arena, the digital topics and concerns of digitalswitzerland members will be championed. One initial joint commitment is the rapid introduction of the state-recognized and certified e-ID.

Three offices

The merger was decided on October 1 and should be completed by the end of 2020. In the future, the umbrella organization will have three offices in Lausanne, Bern and Zurich. Nicolas Bürer will assume overall responsibility for digitalswitzerland. Andreas W. Kaelin is deputy managing director and head of the Bern site. He is responsible for political advocacy as well as for the cybersecurity and ICT vocational training dossiers. Sébastien Kulling will continue to head the Lausanne site as deputy managing director. He is responsible for all activities and members in Suisse Romande.

Source: www.ictswitzerland.ch and www.digitalswitzerland.com

A total of 33,617 new companies were founded in the first three quarters of 2020, an increase of +2.5% compared to the record previous year 2019. The national analysis of the IFJ shows in which cantons most startups were created. Zug is by far the leader with 13.7 startups per 1,000 inhabitants, followed by the cantons of Schwyz, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Geneva and Basel-Stadt.

In which canton is there the greatest entrepreneurial spirit?

On average, 4.28 startups per 1,000 inhabitants took place in Switzerland in the current year. A total of 9 cantons are above the national average. The canton of Zug (13.73) is at the top by a remarkable margin, ahead of Schwyz (6.07), Appenzell Innerrhoden (5.95), Geneva (5.51) and Basel-Stadt (4.79). The Swiss cantons with the lowest start-up rates are Uri (2.11), Bern (2.74) and Schaffhausen (2.85), which found the fewest new companies per 1,000 inhabitants.

Development of the individual months in the first three quarters

The analysis of the IFJ Institut für Jungunternehmen shows that due to the imposed Corona measures in March (-5.4%), April (-25.1%) and May (-13.4%) significantly fewer companies were founded than in the previous year. During these three months of the shutdown, on average -14.6% fewer firms were founded than in the same period last year. However, this decline was with the subsequent months, which were strong in terms of founding made up for or overcompensated for the decline. In June, there was an increase of +24.8%, in July +11.1%, in August +17.9% and in September an increase of +18.3%. The confidence among founders in Switzerland continues and an ongoing increase can be expected in 2020.

Five industries account for 50% of all startups

About 50% of all startups occur in the five industries of skilled trades (17.4%), consulting (10%), retail trade (8.5%), real estate (7.7%), and food services and accommodation (6.5%). The least number of startups is in the activity sector of printing and publishing (0.4%), high-tech (0.6%), agriculture and forestry (1%) and education (1.9%).

In terms of the development of the sectors compared to the previous year, it can be seen that Hairdressing and Cosmetics increased by +23.6%, Marketing and Communication +17.6%, Education +16.7%, Consulting +13.1% and Architecture and Engineering +10% in the double-digit range. The largest percentage declines were in Other Services (travel agencies, professional services, etc.) -24.5%, Culture and Nonprofit -7.1%, and Finance and Insurance -6.7%.

Northwestern Switzerland on a high, Schaffhausen and Ticino still strongly in the red

The major regions of Northwestern Switzerland +9.3%, Central Switzerland +5.7%, Eastern Switzerland +5.0%, Escape Mittelland +3.8% and Zurich +3.6% enjoyed a recovery in company founders in the first three quarters of 2020 and even set positive accents compared to the record year of 2019.

Just as Ticino was hit hardest by the Corona pandemic, the decline in the number of startups in Ticino compared with the previous year is also relevant in a comparison of the major regions, at -12.6%. The spirit of entrepreneurship also declined in southwestern Switzerland, with the region recording a drop of -2.2% in new startups.

Despite the currently still adverse economic circumstances, 22 of the 26 Swiss cantons can look back on more startups in the first nine months compared to the previous year. The cantons with the strongest percentage growth are Obwalden +45.5%, Appenzell Innerrhoden +20%, Thurgau +15.1%, Appenzell Ausserrhoden +11.3%, Glarus +10.6%, Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft +9.4%, Aargau +9.1%, Valais +8.2%, Lucerne +7.1%, Solothurn +6.7%, Jura +6.6%, Schwyz +5.9%, Fribourg +4.7%, Uri +4.1%, Zurich +3.6%, Graubünden +3.0%, Bern +2.6%, Neuchâtel +2.3%, Zug +2.2%, St. Gallen +1.2% and Nidwalden with +1.1%. The cantons with percentage losses are Geneva -2.2%, Vaud -6.3%, Schaffhausen -11.4% and Ticino with -12.6%.

Source: www.ifj.ch

Since its foundation 35 years ago by three HSG graduates, the St. Gallen software company Abacus Research has developed from a start-up to a company with over 500 employees, three Swiss branches and subsidiaries in three locations in Germany. Claudio Hintermann, founding partner, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors in personal union, is now handing over the mandate of Chairman of the Board of Directors to Rainer Kaczmarczyk. Hintermann will concentrate more on operational management on the one hand and on software development as chief strategist on the other. He will remain on the company's Board of Directors.

From Compaq to Abacus Research

Rainer Kaczmarczyk was Managing Director of the Abacus subsidiary in Germany from 2009 to 2017 and before that held the same position at Compaq Switzerland from 1995 to 2002 and subsequently at Compaq Germany. After the acquisition of Compaq by Hewlett-Packard, he led the Enterprise Systems division and Business Customer Sales with around 1100 employees for three years in Germany as Managing Director.

Claudio Hintermann comments on his resignation as VRP as follows: "The expected growth spurt in the digital age requires that our company adequately strengthens itself and builds sustainable structures. With his many years of experience in the management of a large company, Rainer Kaczmarczyk will help us to create an appropriate organization in our company that will allow us to continue to grow as well as be successful and thus secure the company's existence in the long term for the benefit of our customers, users, sales partners and employees."

"Exciting challenge"

Kaczmarcyk calls the fact that he is responsible for the transformation process at Abacus Research "an exciting challenge" and explains: "At Abacus, we want to continue the unique success story, expand the leading market position and continue to serve our customers with useful innovations. I look forward to working with CEO Claudio Hintermann and the Abacus employees."

At the same time as the change at the top of the Board of Directors, Abacus is strengthening its management with Philippe Bürki as the company's new CFO. Bürki worked for the Migros Ostschweiz cooperative for eight years in the finance department as Head of Controlling. Prior to that, he was responsible for the finances of the Hotelplan Group's Russian business for three years.

Source

Even though the Foreign Trade Forum in the spring had to be cancelled due to Corona, the export promotion organization Switzerland Global Enterprise S-GE will once again present the Export Award to a company whose internationalization strategy is convincing. The award ceremony will take place on October 26 in Bern. The award will be presented by Ruth Metzler-Arnold (Chairman of the Board of Directors S-GE) and Simone Wyss Fedele (CEO S-GE).

Who can best deal with export hurdles

Volatility and uncertainty increasingly characterize international business. This is evidenced by the trade disputes and political tensions of recent years, but also by the current Covid 19 pandemic, which has severely slowed down global trade. In order to survive in this environment, it is all the more important that internationally oriented Swiss companies position themselves with a clear unique selling proposition, tailor their market development strategy to the various target markets and deal with export hurdles in an agile manner - as is the case with the Berlinger Group, Sensirion AG and Storz Medical AG.

The Jury of the Export Award has nominated these three companies for the Export Award 2020 because, despite a challenging environment, they operate successfully in international markets and have made it to the top of the world market in their sector. The honorary and independent jury is made up of well-known personalities from the Swiss business, science and media worlds.

The finalists for the Export Award 2020

• Berlinger Group: Innovation meets tradition. The high-tech products of the Berlinger Group are used for temperature monitoring of pharmaceutical and medical products as well as for safe transport and storage of doping samples in elite sports. Thanks to personal contacts with international pharmaceutical companies and humanitarian organizations as well as sports federations and organizers of major sporting events, the hardware and software solutions from Toggenburg are in demand in over 180 countries. "Feel safe" is the slogan of the 155-year-old family-owned company, which trumps with continuity and innovation and plays an important role worldwide in terms of patient safety and in its commitment to clean sports.
• Sensirion AG: Taking off with sensors. As a global market leader for environmental sensors and flow measurement, the Sensirion AG Stäfa successfully defies even weighty competitors. The company, which emerged from the ETH in 1998, mainly sells standardized products that can be adapted worldwide and are used in the automotive, industrial, medical and consumer markets. Around one fifth of sales is invested in research and development at the Stäfa headquarters, where 70 percent of the value added is generated.
• Storz Medical AG: Wave of success thanks to shock wave. Shock wave technology developed by the Storz Medical AG has tradition since 1987. The non-invasive method is used for a wide variety of medical treatments in urology, orthopedics, cardiology, aesthetics and neurology. The spectrum of applications in medical practices, rehabilitation centers and hospitals ranges from the disintegration of kidney stones to the therapy of Alzheimer's disease. Around 60,000 shock wave systems from this company are in use every day worldwide - and the growth potential is enormous. Through its global distribution network, Storz Medical is represented in over 90 countries. 160 employees develop and produce at the headquarters in Tägerwilen on Lake Constance. Storz Medical AG employs a total of 210 people worldwide.

More information: Switzerland Global Enterprise