Industrial Executive & Non-Executive Board Moves in Switzerland

Board Moves in Switzerland

Abraxas

• Abraxas announced in June 2026 that Simon Spalinger had stepped down from the board to join the executive management team as Head of Solution Engineering.

• Separately, Markus Gemperle was elected Chairman of the Board, succeeding Matthias Kaiserswerth, who did not stand for re-election.

• Patrick Kammermann, CIO and executive management member at Mediclinic Group, also joined the board, adding IT and healthcare-sector leadership experience.

Accelleron

• Reto Suter has joined Accelleron’s board, bringing extensive finance and governance experience from his roles at Siegfried and Inficon. He was also appointed chair of the Audit Committee.

AC Immune

• Monika Bütler became Lead Independent Vice Chair at AC Immune, a move that accompanied Martin Zügel, chair of the board, taking on the role of interim CEO following Andrea Pfeifer’s retirement.

Amrize

• Joining the Amrize board at the 2026 annual general meeting, Jacques W. Sanche brings extensive industrial leadership experience from Bucher Industries and Belimo.

Arbonia

• Arbonia shareholders elected Christoph Ganz as chairman at the annual general meeting, succeeding Alexander von Witzleben, who did not stand for re-election after 11 years in the role.

Aryzta

• At Aryzta’s April 2026 AGM, Dr. Heike Sengstschmid joined the Board as an independent non-executive director, replacing Hélène Weber-Dubi, who did not stand for re-election. Sengstschmid brought leadership experience in industrial operations and business transformation, alongside expertise in digital transformation, cybersecurity, industrial technology and AI. She also became Chair of the Technology Committee, strengthening the Board’s strategic and technology expertise.

Ascom

• Ascom has appointed Laurent Dubois as chairman, succeeding Valentin Chapero Rueda, who stepped down from the board after 10 years, including six as chairman. Dubois has been an Ascom board member since 2020 and brings more than three decades of leadership experience in industry, consulting, B2B technology and healthcare.

AXA Schweiz

• After 14 years on AXA Switzerland’s board, Ruth Metzler-Arnold was succeeded by Bettina Bornmann. Bornmann adds broad insurance and financial-services expertise from senior advisory and board roles.

Axpo

• After ten years as Chairman of Axpo’s Board, Thomas Sieber handed over the role to Roland Leuenberger. Leuenberger brings energy-sector, finance and governance experience, having most recently served as CEO of Repower.

Banque Cantonale de Genève (BCGE)

• Following its April 2026 AGM, BCGE added Dominique Le Doeuil to the Board, replacing Jean-Olivier Kerr, who did not stand for re-election. Le Doeuil brought extensive commodities trading and financial management experience from Cargill, while Valérie Remund-Menoud also joined the Board with expertise in corporate governance, financial market regulation, compliance, ESG and internal investigations.

• At the same time, Jean-Philippe Bernard and Simona Terranova were re-elected to the Board, providing continuity among the shareholder representatives.

Banque Cantonale de Jura (BCJ)

• BCJ has named Delphine Donzé as a new state representative on its board, succeeding Annette Aerni Roth. Donzé brings experience in audit, portfolio development and corporate succession.

Berner Kantonalbank (BEKB/ BCBE)

• BEKB shareholders elected Annelis Lüscher Hämmerli as the bank’s new chair, succeeding Antoinette Hunziker-Ebneter after 11 years in the role. Lüscher Hämmerli brings extensive finance and risk-management experience.

Basellandschaftliche Kantonalbank (BLKB)

• Thomas Aegerter has been appointed Chairman of BLKB’s Bank Council, succeeding interim chairman Thomas Bauer. BLKB said Aegerter brings broad leadership and governance experience from senior roles in banking, consulting and public administration.

Bauwerk Group

• Bauwerk Group announced that Jean-Marc Devaud had become Chairman of the Board, succeeding Alexander Zschokke after eight years in the role. Devaud brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in complex organisations, most recently as CEO of 4B.

B. Braun Medical

• Armin Brun, CEO of Berner Kantonalbank, has been elected to the board of B. Braun Medical AG. The bank said there are no conflicts of interest and that the mandate will not affect his role as CEO.

Bonainvest

• Bonainvest announced a broad Board renewal, with founder and long-serving Chairman Ivo Bracher set to step down and Board member Isidor Stirnimann also leaving after 17 years. Vice Chairman Thomas Kirchhofer has been proposed as interim successor in the chair role, while Sandra Lathion and Nadia Tarolli are set to join the Board with expertise in capital markets, governance and tax.

Bucher Industries

• Following Urs Kaufmann’s departure, Bucher Industries elected Stefan Scheiber as chairman of the board. Scheiber had served on the board since 2022, and the company thanked Kaufmann for his contribution to the group’s development.

Cavotec

• As part of its board refresh, Cavotec elected Karin Falk, Gösta Per Johannesson and Keld Pedersen to the Board of Directors. The new members add industrial, governance and international infrastructure experience, while Keith Svendsen left the board.

CH Media

• CH Media announced in April 2026 that Dr. Felix Graf had stepped down from the Board following changes in the company’s ownership structure. Graf had brought broad media and governance experience to the Board, including through his role as CEO of NZZ.

Concordia

• Concordia announced in June 2026 that Gianina Viglino-Caviezel and Felix Weber had been elected to its board of directors, subject to regulatory approval. They replaced Eva Jaisli and Maurice Eglin, who stepped down after 16 years due to the statutory term limit. Viglino-Caviezel brought expertise in sustainability, finance and strategy, while Weber added extensive insurance leadership experience from Suva, Zurich and an earlier role on Concordia’s executive management team.

Dätwyler

• Following their election at the AGM in March 2026, Stephanie Bregy and Christian Holzgang joined Dätwyler’s Board, while Jürg Fedier and Gabi Huber stepped down and did not stand for re-election.

DocMorris

• DocMorris carried out a broader board renewal at its 2026 AGM, electing Thomas Bucher, Nicole Formica-Schiller and Thomas U. Reutter as new independent directors, while Stefan Feuerstein, Christian Mielsch and Rongrong Hu stepped down and Frank Oesterle failed to win re-election.

Die Mobiliar

• Mobiliar Holding announced that Anja Wyden Guelpa will join its Board of Directors in May 2026, succeeding Irene Kaufmann, who is stepping down after 12 years due to term limits.

• As well the company set existing board member Bruno Dallo to become the new Vice President, taking over the role from Kaufmann.

Eniwa

• Ahead of its May general meeting, Eniwa is reshaping its board with the planned departures of Markus Goldenberger and Werner Schib. Daniel Fondado and Lukas Treier have been nominated as their successors for a term running until the 2027 AGM.

Helsana

• Helsana has reduced the size of its Board of Directors from nine to seven members following several departures. Michèle Sutter-Rüdisser and Joachim Masur stepped down at their own request after the end of their terms, while Yves Cuendet left the board as part of the regular rotation.

• At the same time, Frank Juliano was newly elected to the board, bringing long-standing experience in investment, risk and portfolio management.

Inventx

• In April 2026, the company announced that it had appointed Prof. Dr. Thomas Zellweger to the Board of Directors as part of a broader refresh of the body. Zellweger brings academic and entrepreneurial expertise from his role at the University of St. Gallen and his leadership of the Institute for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Family Business.

IVF Hartmann

• IVF Hartmann elected Katharina Reus to its Board of Directors, replacing Martin Walther, who did not stand for re-election after becoming CEO. Reus brings healthcare-focused legal, compliance and governance expertise from the HARTMANN Group, Merck and Mundipharma.

IWG

• Founder Mark Dixon became Executive Chair in June 2026, moving from the CEO role to focus on board leadership and strategic direction, while Christian Schmitz stepped in as CEO with transformation and regional management experience.

• Douglas Sutherland shifted from Independent Non-Executive Chair to Deputy Chair, supporting continuity in board oversight as part of the leadership transition.

GAM

• At the AGM in May 2026, GAM reshaped its Board, with Anthony Maarek becoming Chairman, and CEO Albert Saporta and John Niel joining the Board.

• Meanwhile, Antoine Spillmann, Carlos Esteve and Jeremy Smouha left the Board, while Inès de Dinechin, Anne Empain and Donatella Ceccarelli were retained.

Givaudan

• Ester Baiget Arnau joined Givaudan’s Board in March 2026, replacing Tom Knutzen, who retired after deciding not to stand for re-election. As President and CEO of Novonesis, she brings significant expertise in industrial biotechnology, business transformation and sustainable innovation leadership.

Group E

• Following Roger Nordmann’s resignation in April after his election to the Vaud cantonal government, Groupe E is proposing a smaller and partly renewed board. Stéphane Page and Stéphane Dupont are nominated as new directors, while Paul-Albert Nobs, Pierre-Alain Egger and Laure-Emmanuelle Perret are stepping down.

Groupe Mutuel

• Groupe Mutuel announced in June 2026 that Marcel Napierala, CEO of Medbase, had been elected to its board of directors, succeeding Marc-André Ballestraz, who left after twelve years. Napierala brought strong healthcare leadership experience and expertise in digital health services through his role at Medbase.

• Separately, Christophe Longchamp, President of Prométerre, replaced Claude Bähler on the foundation board, adding regional experience and perspective.

Komax

• A governance change accompanied Komax’s leadership transition, with Chairman Andreas Häberli assuming the additional role of interim CEO after the immediate departure of Matijas Meyer. During this transition, Board member Mariel Hoch was appointed Lead Independent Director to safeguard independence and good governance.

Landis + Gyr

• Scott Reese has been proposed for election to Landis+Gyr’s Board of Directors at the Annual General Meeting, while Laureen Tolson did not stand for re-election. Reese brings expertise in digitalisation, software, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, having most recently served as CEO of GE Digital and as a board member at AutoLOTO and Planet Labs.

Maxon

• As part of a generational handover at the family-owned company, Bianca Braun became Chair of Maxon’s Board in June 2026. She succeeded her father, main shareholder Karl-Walter Braun, who handed over the chairmanship but remained on the supervisory body. Bianca Braun brought shareholder continuity and a family governance perspective as Maxon continues its shift from components supplier to systems partner.

Montana Aerospace

• Board changes at Montana Aerospace include the planned return of former co-chairman Thomas Williams, who had stayed on as an adviser after leaving the board last year, and the appointment of Martin Ohneberg as vice-chairman.

Orell Füssli

• Rosmarie Schlup and Martin Thorbjörnson joined Orell Füssli’s Board at the May 2026 AGM, replacing Dr. Thomas Moser and Johannes Schaede, who did not stand for re-election due to term and age limits. Schlup added public-sector, economic policy and financial-institution expertise, while Thorbjörnson brought security technology and product strategy experience.

Pistor

• Thomas Keller joined the board of Pistor in May 2026, adding to his existing role on the board of subsidiary Pistor AG and giving him a dual mandate within the group. He was elected alongside the re-election of Gérald Saudan, David Koller and Christophe Ackermann.

PostFinance

• Kamila Horackova joined the PostFinance Board, succeeding Vice-Chair Hans Lauber after he reached the statutory term limit. She brings long-standing investment experience from the financial and insurance industry.

• PostFinance also elected Christoph Kurth to the Board, replacing Bernadette Koch after her move to the Luzerner Kantonalbank Board. He brings more than 20 years of compliance experience from Baker McKenzie and UBS.

Rivella

• Rivella confirmed that Tano Barth will become Chairman of the Board in spring 2027, succeeding his father Alexander Barth, who will remain a member of the Board. As grandson of founder Robert Barth, lawyer Tano Barth brings family continuity as well as board experience, having served since 2024 on the boards of Rivella and Miroma.

Romande Energie

• With Alphonse-Marie Veuthey stepping down after 15 years on the board, Romande Energie has proposed Karin Perraudin as his successor. She brings governance and financial expertise, including as chair of Groupe Mutuel since 2014.

RUAG MRO Holding

• RUAG MRO’s board is shrinking further, with Elisabeth Bourqui stepping down after deciding not to stand for re-election. The company has started the succession process for her seat and another board position, while the remaining members were confirmed at the AGM.

R & S Group

• R&S Group announced in June 2026 that Dr. Beatrix Natter had resigned from the Board of Directors with immediate effect for personal reasons. Natter had served on the Board since the company’s SIX listing in December 2023 and contributed decades of industry experience, supporting the Group’s strategic development, international expansion and technical expertise.

Santhera

• Dr. Srishti Gupta joined Santhera’s board with more than 20 years of leadership experience across biopharmaceuticals, global health and strategy, most recently as CEO of Idorsia.

SBB

• After a decade as chair of the SBB board, Monika Ribar is stepping down in 2026 due to the 12-year term limit. She will be succeeded as chair by André Wyss, the former Implenia CEO, who was brought onto the board in 2025 to ensure a smooth handover. As part of the broader board renewal, Maria-Antonella Bino was elected as a new board member.

Siegfried

• Beat Walti was elected chairman of Siegfried’s board, succeeding Andreas Casutt, who stepped down after deciding not to stand for re-election. Casutt had chaired the board since 2014, and the company said Walti would bring continuity after already serving as a board member since 2022.

SIG Group

• Werner Bauer stepped down after deciding not to stand for re-election at the 2026 AGM. The company thanked him for his contributions, noting that he had served on the board since SIG’s 2018 IPO and on its advisory board since 2015.

SIX

• SIX announced in May 2026 that Pascal Baumgartner, Pieter Brouwer and Gaspare La Sala had been elected to its Board of Directors for three-year terms. They succeeded Belén Romana García, Roger Reist and Sven Holstenson, who stepped down as planned at the end of their terms. Baumgartner brought law, compliance and banking expertise, Brouwer added technology and operations experience, and La Sala contributed trading, treasury and investment-banking expertise.

Sonova

• A board refresh took place at Sonova, with Ingrid Cotoros, Malina Man Lin Ngai and Hooi Ling Tan put forward as new directors, while Lynn Dorsey Bleil and Ronald van der Vis stepped down after long service.

STMicroelectronics

• Armando Varricchio became Chairman of STMicroelectronics’ Supervisory Board in May 2026, moving up from his previous role as Vice-Chairman. Nicolas Dufourcq, formerly Chairman, took over the Vice-Chairman role and remains an independent board member.

Swica

• Achim Baumstark and Michael Willer were elected to Swica’s board of directors, as announced in June 2026, bringing complementary expertise in insurance, IT, healthcare quality assurance and health insurance leadership.

• Rolf Birrer was re-elected for another three-year term, while Adrian Bult stepped down after reaching the term limit.

Swiss

• Swiss reported in June 2026 that Dieter Vranckx had taken over as Chairman of the Board, succeeding Reto Francioni, who decided to step down. Vranckx brought senior aviation and Lufthansa Group experience to the role.

• The airline also added former Swiss-Cargo head Ashwin Bhat to the Board, strengthening it with cargo and airline leadership expertise.

Swiss Bankers Association

• Marcel Rohner will step down as chairman of the Swiss Bankers Association after five years in the role, with EFG International CEO Giorgio Pradelli elected as his successor. Pradelli will formally take over at Swiss Bankers Day on 17 September 2026 while continuing his position as CEO.

Swiss Post

• After eight years on the Board, Bernadette Koch will not stand for re-election to the Swiss Post Board in 2027. Her decision follows her recent election to the Board of Luzerner Kantonalbank.

Swiss Steel Holding

• Thomas Glanzmann joined Swiss Steel Holding’s Board in June 2026, bringing more than 35 years of international leadership experience across healthcare, consumer goods and industry, including CEO, transformation, finance and risk-management expertise.

Topadur Pharma

• Topadur Pharma strengthened its Board of Directors with the election of Dr. Felix R. Ehrat and Dr. Peter Jager. Ehrat brings legal, governance, M&A and capital market expertise, while Jager adds global pharma leadership, biotech partnering and financing experience.

• The company also announced Dr. Dominik Escher and Cornelia Gehrig-Nell did not stand for re-election to the board. Gehrig-Nell has shifted from board oversight to financial leadership after being named CFO.

VAT

• VAT’s Board of Directors will be reduced by one member at the next Annual General Meeting in April 2026. Hermann Gerlinger will leave the Board for age-related reasons and will not stand for re-election, while no replacement candidate will be proposed.

Vaudoise Assurances Holding

• Peter Kofmel stepped down from Vaudoise Assurances’ board at the May 2026 AGM after shareholders approved all board proposals. His departure formed part of the board changes confirmed at the meeting, alongside the re-election of the remaining members.

Verkehrshaus

• Christoph Franz was elected president of Verkehrshaus der Schweiz in June 2026, taking over from Franz Steinegger, who stepped down after 22 years and was named honorary president. With senior leadership roles at Deutsche Bahn, Lufthansa, Swiss and Roche, Franz brings broad experience across mobility, transport and industry.

Zuger Kantonalbank

• After six years as chairman of Zuger Kantonalbank’s Bank Council, Urs Rüegsegger stepped down and was succeeded by Reto Wangler, who was elected both to the council and to its presidency at the May 2026 AGM.

Zurich Insurance

• Zurich is facing growing investor pressure to rejuvenate its Board. For the AGM in April 2026 it has nominated insurance executive Mary Forrest to replace Christoph Franz, who is stepping down after reaching the 12-year term limit. Forrest is expected to bring deep insurance-sector expertise, while her appointment would also raise the share of women on the Board again.

• As well the company indicated that Kishore Mahbubani and Joan Amble will not seek re-election at the 2027 AGM, likewise because they will have reached the maximum term of office.

Züblin Immobilien

• Züblin announced a near-complete reshuffle of its Board, with Chairman Markus Wesnitzer, Nicolas Gross and David Schärli not standing for re-election. Frédéric Königsegg and Marc Zollinger have been proposed as new board members, with Königsegg set to become Chairman.

Contact

Dominik Brülisauer
Russell Reynolds Associates
Stampfenbachstrasse 5
8001 Zurich
Switzerland
Direct: +41-44-447-30-46
Mobile: +41-79-549-80-28
dominik.bruelisauer@russellreynolds.com