Nominated for CMO of the Year 2026: Veronika Elsener and the Art of Staying True to a Global Brand
Veronika Elsener has been shaping Victorinox for over 30 years. As Chief Marketing Officer, she combines iconic Swissness with modern, international brand management—and demonstrates that strong brands don’t have to compromise their identity to remain relevant in a world of constant change. For this, she was nominated by the jury as a finalist for the «CMO of the Year 2026» award.
«Right now, I’m working on rethinking brand management,» says Veronika Elsener. This doesn’t mean breaking with over 140 years of history, but rather building on it. Her goal: to bring the essence of Switzerland to life around the world and turn customers into true brand ambassadors.
Rethinking Brands, Preserving Identity
One of the greatest challenges facing modern marketing leadership is particularly evident in the age of AI, when technologies, markets, and customer needs are constantly changing. Brands must remain relevant without losing their identity. This is precisely where Elsener sees her role: «Strong brands don’t have to constantly reinvent themselves. They must stay true to their identity and continue to evolve at their core.»
People Become Brand Ambassadors
Veronika Elsener has been with Victorinox for over 30 years and has been responsible for global brand management since 2009. Under her leadership, the brand has evolved far beyond the legendary Swiss Army Knife to become an international lifestyle brand with a global presence and regional relevance.
Her approach to leadership is particularly evident within the company. More than 500 employees have participated in the new global brand training program over the past year and a half. For Elsener, strong brand leadership doesn’t start with campaigns, but with the people who embody the brand every day.
«I develop brands and marketing strategies, I empower people, and I build teams—for me, that's the recipe for strong brands.»
Swissness as a Global Strength
The jury particularly commends the company’s ability to combine iconic Swissness with internationally relevant brand management. The global anniversary campaign «Made to be prepared» marking Victorinox’s 140th anniversary, the company’s win of the gfm Marketing Award, and its strong success in the Asian luggage market underscore this development. At the same time, Victorinox consistently focuses on durable products, sustainable brand management, and emotional storytelling—values that are understood worldwide.
For Elsener, transformation is therefore much more than just digitalization or artificial intelligence. It begins with openness.
«For me, transformation begins with curiosity. Those who are willing to learn and bring together different perspectives discover new opportunities and paths.»
Leadership Starts with Attitude
Anyone who listens to Veronika Elsener quickly realizes that her vision of leadership is shaped less by short-term successes than by long-term development. She speaks openly about how she has often learned more from failures than from successes. This attitude has been a common thread throughout her career—from building an international brand organization to the ongoing development of one of Switzerland’s best-known brands.
When asked for her most important piece of advice, she doesn't offer a marketing strategy, but rather a sentence that sums up her career:
«Never, never give up.»
Perhaps this very sentence best explains why Veronika Elsener is among the six finalists for the «CMO of the Year 2026» award. Not because she keeps giving a brand a new look, but because for decades she has demonstrated how a strong identity, combined with courage, curiosity, and perseverance, can pave the way to a successful future.
