On 30 May, our 23rd SEC General Meeting took place at ZKB Hard in Zurich. After 2 covid-related years, we were finally able to meet physically again.

2021 was a very eventful year for the SEC. Why this was so, what was done and how the results turned out, our President and Managing Director Oliver Bertschinger was able to show the attendees in the course of the AGM. In short: After difficult years, a new team took over the leadership of the SEC in April. This was based on a weakened membership base and financial situation. After the difficult takeover of the business, the board was first strengthened and then a new strategy was developed. From Q3 2021, it was then possible to implement and the “new SEC” became tangible.

By the end of the year, as a result, all revenue positions as well as cooperation with key stakeholders such as bilateral chambers of commerce, CEE embassies or even our members could be strengthened. This new dynamic meant that for the first time in years we were able to report a positive membership balance and that the financial result was more positive than budgeted. Without special costs incurred in the change of management, there would even have been a profit for the Chamber.

This new dynamic was also evident at the General Assembly. There were several items on the agenda that became necessary due to the repositioning of the Chamber. Unanimously approved were, for example, adjustments to the statutes, new membership categories (Patron Member, Start-Ups, Retired) or new board members (Marek Dutkiewicz, Dr. Peter Petrin and Malcolm Werchota) and new auditors (Stefan Buser, Reto Iten).

The resigning Vice-President Reto Iten was warmly thanked. Reto had been a member of the Board since the foundation of the Chamber, for a long time also in the Presidium and for many years also as President of the SEC. He has played a major role in shaping the SEC’s fortunes up to the present day and has always been active for the SEC with a great deal of verve and passion.

The long-standing auditors Arno Rolny-Roth and Arturo Giovanoli, who did not stand for re-election, were also specially thanked for their services.

There were also two exciting keynotes at the event. Christoph Schenk, the CIO of the ZKB, spoke about the outlook for the markets with a focus on the Ukraine war. He did so with a lot of historical expertise and interesting context. Dr. Axel Paeger, founder and CEO of the Ameos Group, impressively showed how his hospital group with over 100 institutions in the DACH region manages to work profitably in the complex health and hospital system in a socially responsible and patient-focused manner.

The general meeting ended with a cosy and delicious lunch.

Many thanks to our member and host – the ZKB – for their much appreciated support in hosting our AGM and also to S-GE for their support!

Here you can get a few insights into our event.