«Unlike Anyone Else»

DANIELLE HAUSMANN Her name is inextricably linked to the Jungfrau Railways and the V-Bahn, the project of the century. She worked for the company for nearly 40 years, 17 of them as CEO. During that time, she not only shaped the infrastructure but also pioneered new ways for people to experience the mountains. What vision has guided you over all these years?

URS KESSLER My guiding principle has always been: You can only be innovative and creative through personal contact with customers. That’s why I’ve made numerous trips to Asia, because that’s where the Jungfrau Railways have enjoyed their greatest market success—nearly 70 percent of our guests come from Asia. In Japan, Korea, and Singapore, everything is different—maintaining a direct line of communication with customers and markets has always been the most important thing to me. But just as valuable to me was the contact with our employees—from the snowplow operator all the way up to the executive board member. On weekends, I was often out in the area with my team, since there was little time for that during the week.

Events have always played a major role in your career. With your spectacular productions, you have not only shaped Swiss tourism but also the Swiss events industry. That is why the Swiss LiveCom Association EXPO EVENT is now presenting you with the Lifetime Achievement Award for your life’s work. What does this award mean to you?

It is a token of appreciation and recognition for decades of hard work. My motto for these events has always been: The more memorable the experience, the more lasting the emotional impact it leaves. Our first major event on the Jungfraujoch was the 2007 kickoff event for UEFA EURO 2008 in Switzerland and Austria. This led to around 20 major events, always in collaboration with strong partners such as UEFA, Lindt & Sprüngli, and Omega. These events garnered global attention: Lang Lang’s concert reached 500 to 700 million people in China via social media in 2022. The 2014 tennis match between Roger Federer and Lindsey Vonn and a 2018 golf tournament featuring Rory McIlroy also garnered global attention. To this day, they all still rave about their appearances on the Jungfraujoch. Incidentally, not a single one of these events cost Jungfrau Railways more than 50,000 Swiss francs in cash.

In 1998, you also founded SnowpenAir on the Kleine Scheidegg, one of Switzerland’s most extraordinary festivals. How did the idea to organize an open-air festival in the middle of the mountains come about?

It was originally conceived as a marketing initiative to show winter sports enthusiasts that the slopes were still in top condition even at the end of March, thereby extending the winter season. From the very beginning, there were no cross-subsidies from the Jungfrau Railways—the festival has always been its own profit center with the goal of at least breaking even. All of this takes place against the unique backdrop of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. In 1998, 3,100 visitors attended—and with performances by DJ Bobo and Bryan Adams, the festival began to grow steadily.

In addition to Bryan Adams, you’ve brought international stars such as Joe Cocker, Deep Purple, Zucchero, Status Quo, Simply Red, and Amy Macdonald to the Jungfrau region. How do you convince world-famous stars to perform at an altitude of over 2,000 meters?

The setting spoke for itself, and whenever possible, I negotiated directly with the stars. One of the highlights was Bryan Adams in 2004, who went straight from the stage to the ski slope after his performance—we organized special equipment for him and had the Lauberhorn lift reopened just for that. Afterward, he raved about how amazing it was on the Kleine Scheidegg. I also have fond memories of Roxette’s last big concert, with OneRepublic as the opening act, as well as performances by Joe Cocker and Zucchero. Numerous artists were supported, including local acts like Trauffer. Zucchero’s involvement was also special: He came during the COVID-19 pandemic for a fee comparable to that of a Swiss artist and played for 500 people for practically next to nothing—that’s how close the relationships had become. But it was always important to me that the whole thing remained profitable.

SnowpenAir took place for the last time in 2024. As part of the agreement regarding the V-Bahn, it had to leave Kleine Scheidegg—a place that was inextricably linked to the festival. How difficult was it for you to give up this project that was so close to your heart?

Shortly after the last edition, I looked back on SnowpenAir with great nostalgia, especially on the many encounters with amazing artists whom I would never otherwise have met. At the same time, it was always a source of excitement and a lot of work for the Jungfrau Railways team and myself. But I always enjoyed doing it—in my free time, without any compensation or reimbursement for expenses.

What will it take for Switzerland to continue creating unique experiences that attract international attention?

Without innovation and entrepreneurial risk, there is no success. Making decisions always means taking risks. The main problem is that today, everyone wants to play it safe and avoid taking on any responsibility. For me, the most important thing has always been: «4×A—different from everyone else.»

The XAVER Lifetime Achievement Award honors outstanding individuals who have shaped and significantly advanced the live communications industry over many years. The award recognizes visionary thinking, entrepreneurial courage, and exceptional dedication to the industry.

Urs Kessler (64) joined Jungfraubahnen at the age of 24 and served as its CEO from 2008 to 2025. Under his leadership, the Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe became Europe’s leading mountain destination, complemented by the V-Bahn, which opened in 2020. In 1998, he also founded SnowpenAir and, over the years, brought numerous international stars to the region. Today, he is Chairman of the Board of Directors of Kursaal Interlaken Holding AG, as well as a member of the Board of Directors of the Grand Hotel Beau Rivage in Interlaken and of Made in Bern.