Key Highlights from the Day

Opening Remarks – Oliver Bertschinger, President and Managing Director of SEC

Oliver Bertschinger warmly welcomed guests and emphasized SEC’s transformation. From nearly facing closure post-COVID, SEC has evolved into one of Switzerland’s fastest-growing Chambers of Commerce, with a 120% membership growth over the past three years. He reaffirmed SEC’s mission to strengthen relationships between Switzerland and the CEE region, focusing on economic, scientific, and societal dimensions. Oliver also invited everyone to become part of the expanding SEC community, contributing to deeper, impactful partnerships.

Economic Market Outlook for CEE – Daniel Kalt, CIO UBS Switzerland

Daniel Kalt delivered a comprehensive overview of the macroeconomic landscape, highlighting the resilience of CEE markets despite challenges like inflation and geopolitical tensions. Kalt pointed out that while inflation has hit the CEE region harder than Western Europe, economic recovery is underway. He projected that the CEE region would continue to outperform Western European markets in terms of growth in the long run. Kalt also outlined the five major trends for the coming decade—the 5 D’s: deglobalization, demographics, decarbonization, debt, and digitization. While most of these trends present significant challenges, he stressed that digitization holds enormous opportunities, covering not just AI but also areas like the metaverse, data management, and robotics​.

Vision Apartments Success Story – Anja Graf, CEO

In a lively interview with Oliver Bertschinger, Anja Graf shared the inspiring journey of Vision Apartments, which she founded in 1999. From its modest beginnings, serving the modeling industry, Vision Apartments has grown into an international leader in furnished apartments, employing over 350 people. Anja discussed the company’s successful expansion into the CEE region, particularly in Poland and Romania, where she overcame challenges related to real estate and workforce management. Her entrepreneurial spirit remains central to the company’s culture, and she hinted at more growth opportunities in the near future, particularly in Romania​.

Stadler’s Growth in CEE – Philipp Brunner, EVP Central Europe, Stadler Rail

Philipp Brunner shared the impressive strides Stadler Rail has made in the CEE region, where it has become a major player. The CEE markets, including Poland, Czechia, and Belarus, have been pivotal for production and market expansion. Stadler now employs around 2,000 people across the region and operates three product plants and an engineering center. Brunner candidly shared the challenges they faced, particularly in Belarus due to political instability, but remained optimistic about over-proportional growth of 25-30% annually in the next few years​.

GF Casting Solutions – Paul Czaj, CFO, Georg Fischer

Paul Czaj showcased how GF Casting Solutions has benefited from the industrial strength and skilled labor in the CEE region, particularly Romania. With 700 employees across three sites, GF has transformed its operations in Romania from producing lower-value parts to premium automotive components. Czaj stressed that while labor costs remain competitive, the quality and dedication of the workforce have been key drivers of their success. He also acknowledged challenges like inflation and bureaucratic inefficiencies but remained bullish on the region’s future potential​.

S-GE Entrepreneur Panel

The S-GE entrepreneur panel, moderated by Katalin Dreher – Hajnal, Cluster Head DACH & CEE at S-GE, brought together notable leaders from various industries to discuss entrepreneurship, opportunities, and challenges in the CEE countries. The panel featured Eugen Peterhans, CEO of Howag, who discussed his company’s expansion to Bulgaria. He emphasized the importance of establishing a fully functional and independent entity and highlighted that selecting the right partners were crucial for success. Similarly, Daniel Hauri, Chairman of the Board at INSTA ELECTRIC FOCSANI, talked about the challenges of expanding to Romania. He stressed the importance of fostering cooperation instead of competition, as well as understanding and embracing the local culture. Finally, Marc Walder, CEO and Managing Partner of Ringier, explained the company’s strategy of being an early entrant in markets and striving for market leadership through mergers and acquisitions. Ringier apart from strong business results is now receiving more inputs regarding innovation from its CEE teams than Switzerland exports.

 

Panel Past Success and Future Opportunities

The day concluded with a panel featuring Jan Tomáš Podivínský, the newly appointed Czech Ambassador to Switzerland, Julia Lipovecz, Director of Swisscham Hungary, Mischa Mensik, Founding and Honorary Member of SEC and Schmid Mensik Lawyers, and Daniel Schmid of HR Campus. The panel explored future opportunities for Swiss-CEE collaboration, focusing on geopolitical shifts in Europe and how these affect partnerships. Ambassador Podivínský emphasized the value of synergies and cooperation over competition, reaffirming his commitment to Czech-Swiss diplomatic and economic ties. Mischa Mensik reflected on the Chamber’s founding in 1999, highlighting its crucial role in mediating between embassies and businesses. Daniel Schmid stressed the historical and ongoing significance of Eastern Europe’s contributions to Switzerland, calling for greater awareness of the region’s impact. Julia mentioned the Chamber’s role in facilitating cooperation between Swiss and Hungarian businesses and expressed a desire for increased visibility and new partnerships from Switzerland to enhance their economic collaboration.

As a great surprise, Ambassador Podivínský presented a very personal gift to SEC’s president Oliver Bertschinger. It is a wooden sculpture symbolizing the power of partnership that he had on his desk for the last 10 years. Oliver Bertschinger thanked him sincerely for this special gesture, which he feels is even more significant given that the Swiss-Czech Chamber of Commerce was the primary driver behind the founding of SEC 25 years ago.

Conclusion

CEE Day 2024 was a resounding success, celebrating 25 years of partnership and exploring the immense potential for future collaborations between Switzerland and the CEE region. We extend our sincere thanks to all speakers, participants, and partners for making the event possible. As we look forward, we are excited to continue growing our SEC community and driving positive change in Swiss-CEE relationships.

Stay tuned for our next event on October 30th, where we’ll discuss ESG in the context of Swiss-CEE business relations.