Last SAWI meeting under Jürg Engi
Jürg Engi, SAWI’s long-time director, is stepping down at the end of April. From a financial standpoint, the general meeting had to acknowledge yet another setback.
Jürg Engi, long-standing director of the Swiss Training Center for Marketing, Advertising and Communication SAWI, will be leaving the operational management at the end of April. This was one of the central topics at the members' meeting in Zurich on Friday. Engi wants to clear the way for a comprehensive realignment of the structures, as stated in a press release. After a short break, however, he will continue to work for SAWI as the responsible head of various important projects. Executive Board members Cedric Hinderberger, Director of SAWI in French-speaking Switzerland, and Manfred Kranich will form the Executive Board from May 1. Georg Stoller, 59, will take over as Chairman of the Executive Board on an interim basis. Stoller has over 30 years of management experience in the management of Publicitas Basel and Publicitas General Management. According to the press release, the SAWI Board of Directors will make every effort to fill the position of Chairman of the Executive Board as soon as possible. Internal and external candidates are being examined and evaluated for the position. In addition to the personnel situation, the financial situation was also discussed: after a difficult phase, there are signs of a significant improvement in the course of business, the statement continued. However, another setback was reported in financial terms. However, this was significantly lower than in previous years. The current booking figures for the courses on offer suggest a further recovery. The SAWI has also made great efforts since last summer to optimize its business activities and organization. These measures are also beginning to take effect.
In most sub-segments, the training center is facing massively increased competition. The President of SAWI, Hans-Peter Rohner, once again called for more competition on a "level playing field". Today, the SAWI is in competition with universities of applied sciences and universities. Thanks to cross-subsidies, the latter can offer courses at lower prices.
The General Meeting also took note of the Board of Directors' plans to finalize the location issues (currently three training centers in Zurich/Dübendorf, Biel/Bienne and Lausanne) before the end of this year. These will involve cooperation issues with other partners and optimal space utilization concepts. At the beginning of April, Manfred Kranich announced that SAWI would be moving its headquarters to Zurich, which gave rise to controversy.
In most sub-segments, the training center is facing massively increased competition. The President of SAWI, Hans-Peter Rohner, once again called for more competition on a "level playing field". Today, the SAWI is in competition with universities of applied sciences and universities. Thanks to cross-subsidies, the latter can offer courses at lower prices.
The General Meeting also took note of the Board of Directors' plans to finalize the location issues (currently three training centers in Zurich/Dübendorf, Biel/Bienne and Lausanne) before the end of this year. These will involve cooperation issues with other partners and optimal space utilization concepts. At the beginning of April, Manfred Kranich announced that SAWI would be moving its headquarters to Zurich, which gave rise to controversy.
