Commuter between worlds
Lorenz Brügger, head of Migros Media, is a tough publishing executive who has nevertheless retained his human side. And it is this side of him that makes him a compassionate father and a popular boss—one who is demanding but also supportive. And he has a sense of humor. His wife calls his offbeat jokes “Brügger humor.”.
It’s February 11, 2009. High above Zurich’s Limmatplatz, in the so-called Migros Media House, Lorenz Brügger is sitting across from me. The man has thinning hair and a broad smile—actually, it’s more of a mischievous grin, as if he knows something we don’t… especially since it somehow doesn’t seem to fit his (energetic) officer’s demeanor. Statements run through my mind that describe him as a tough, downright tenacious communicator who speaks directly and honestly. Words like «abrupt» and «stubborn» have also been mentioned in this context. But as his brother, Chris Brügger, will later confide in me, the 41-year-old has “a soft core inside his hard shell.” Lorenz Brügger still has a close relationship with his brother Chris today. Not least, their offbeat sense of humor binds the two of them together. They can burst out laughing together at the slightest cue, while those around them are completely baffled. That’s why his wife, Niska, coined the term “Brügger humor.”.
Well, I’ll find out just how «soft» he really is as our conversation progresses. For now, though, I’m sitting across from the “tough publishing executive,” as his coworkers describe him.
Brügger speaks candidly and in depth about his career, his «commuter lifestyle»—which takes him to Ticino on the weekends—and his family: his wife Niska and his two daughters, Ambra and Giorgia, while he spends his workweek right here in Zurich.
This early riser seems to have several hours of work ahead of him. I’ll admit, we journalists aren’t exactly known for our early-morning work ethic; Brügger, however, seems fresh, full of energy, and—which makes me, still a bit nostalgic for my lunch break, feel a little uneasy—100 percent ready. Seriously: Is this a human being or a workhorse? I wonder if Lorenz Brügger is one of those executives for whom failure is a foreign concept—at least when it comes to their subordinates—and for whom there’s no such thing as free time; only work and success matter. At this point, I have no idea that I’m completely wrong.
To lighten the mood a bit and put myself on the same level as him, I ask about his move from Espacemedia—where Brügger worked for five and a half years—to Migros Media. After he mentions the major challenge and opportunity that this new position—which he’s held for just under a year—brings him, we engage in a bit of small talk. It can’t hurt. But Lorenz Brügger makes it unmistakably clear to me, still smiling, that he doesn’t think much—in fact, nothing at all—of small talk. And as words like «abrupt» flash through my mind, I change my strategy. Or maybe I’m simply where Lorenz Brügger has been for a long time: right in the middle of the conversation. He is indeed «determined, organized, and results-oriented,» as his former colleague at Espacemedia, Dr. Urs Schweizer, would put it. Or as his current boss, Jean-Pierre Pfister, puts it: «Tough when it counts, but with ethics.».
The longer we talk, the clearer it becomes who is actually sitting across from me. Lorenz Brügger loves lively debate—and certainly not small talk. As we discuss publishing strategies, he juts out his strong chin defiantly, as if to say, «There’s no point in arguing.» My position is clear. His endearing smile underscores his point rather than contradicting it. It almost seems as if, in Lorenz Brügger, hard-nosed business and humanity have formed a perfect symbiosis. A pleasant harmony.
I ask him where that comes from. How he manages to retain that humanity—and thus his personality—which is, after all, a rarity among far too many managers. Again, that friendly smile, as he answers me clearly and directly.
The secret lies in Ticino—or rather, it lives there. Lorenz Brügger has lived here ever since he and his wife, Niska, decided eight years ago to move to Switzerland’s «sunny corner.» At least as far as his private life is concerned. They’ve settled in Niska’s hometown of Balerna, with her parents living right nearby. Their daughters, Ambra, 12, and Giorgia, 9, attend the same school that Niska once attended. Tradition and family: Does that keep anyone from getting completely swallowed up by business? One thing is clear: Lorenz Brügger can count on a strong woman by his side. A woman like Niska, who has been supporting her «Sunnyboy» for nearly 20 years now. It is here with her that his softer side has taken root. This is the haven of peace to which Lorenz Brügger retreats—indeed, must retreat—on weekends to recharge his batteries for his professional challenges. Of course, even here, the manager in him gets the better of him every now and then. Then Lorenz Brügger grows impatient and seeks out in picturesque Sottoceneri the very same challenges he tackles in Zurich. Niska Maspoli Brügger calls these outbursts «dictating the agenda,» and she knows all too well how to handle them: a stern look into his eyes is enough, and the publishing executive gives way to the responsible husband and father that he also is. There it is again, that soft core… A core from which not only his wife and daughters benefit. Lorenz Brügger wouldn’t be a “good boss, a man of class” if he didn’t let his colleagues, his business partners—simply his Zurich circle—share in his true nature.
As simple as the term «human» may be, it hits the nail on the head when it comes to Lorenz Brügger. Few managers are so clear and open—and always fair. No matter how difficult the situation may be, Lorenz Brügger «is a good judge of character and possesses a sensitivity that one wishes others would have.» The workplace might then perhaps seem a little more human… snu
Well, I’ll find out just how «soft» he really is as our conversation progresses. For now, though, I’m sitting across from the “tough publishing executive,” as his coworkers describe him.
Brügger speaks candidly and in depth about his career, his «commuter lifestyle»—which takes him to Ticino on the weekends—and his family: his wife Niska and his two daughters, Ambra and Giorgia, while he spends his workweek right here in Zurich.
This early riser seems to have several hours of work ahead of him. I’ll admit, we journalists aren’t exactly known for our early-morning work ethic; Brügger, however, seems fresh, full of energy, and—which makes me, still a bit nostalgic for my lunch break, feel a little uneasy—100 percent ready. Seriously: Is this a human being or a workhorse? I wonder if Lorenz Brügger is one of those executives for whom failure is a foreign concept—at least when it comes to their subordinates—and for whom there’s no such thing as free time; only work and success matter. At this point, I have no idea that I’m completely wrong.
To lighten the mood a bit and put myself on the same level as him, I ask about his move from Espacemedia—where Brügger worked for five and a half years—to Migros Media. After he mentions the major challenge and opportunity that this new position—which he’s held for just under a year—brings him, we engage in a bit of small talk. It can’t hurt. But Lorenz Brügger makes it unmistakably clear to me, still smiling, that he doesn’t think much—in fact, nothing at all—of small talk. And as words like «abrupt» flash through my mind, I change my strategy. Or maybe I’m simply where Lorenz Brügger has been for a long time: right in the middle of the conversation. He is indeed «determined, organized, and results-oriented,» as his former colleague at Espacemedia, Dr. Urs Schweizer, would put it. Or as his current boss, Jean-Pierre Pfister, puts it: «Tough when it counts, but with ethics.».
The longer we talk, the clearer it becomes who is actually sitting across from me. Lorenz Brügger loves lively debate—and certainly not small talk. As we discuss publishing strategies, he juts out his strong chin defiantly, as if to say, «There’s no point in arguing.» My position is clear. His endearing smile underscores his point rather than contradicting it. It almost seems as if, in Lorenz Brügger, hard-nosed business and humanity have formed a perfect symbiosis. A pleasant harmony.
I ask him where that comes from. How he manages to retain that humanity—and thus his personality—which is, after all, a rarity among far too many managers. Again, that friendly smile, as he answers me clearly and directly.
The secret lies in Ticino—or rather, it lives there. Lorenz Brügger has lived here ever since he and his wife, Niska, decided eight years ago to move to Switzerland’s «sunny corner.» At least as far as his private life is concerned. They’ve settled in Niska’s hometown of Balerna, with her parents living right nearby. Their daughters, Ambra, 12, and Giorgia, 9, attend the same school that Niska once attended. Tradition and family: Does that keep anyone from getting completely swallowed up by business? One thing is clear: Lorenz Brügger can count on a strong woman by his side. A woman like Niska, who has been supporting her «Sunnyboy» for nearly 20 years now. It is here with her that his softer side has taken root. This is the haven of peace to which Lorenz Brügger retreats—indeed, must retreat—on weekends to recharge his batteries for his professional challenges. Of course, even here, the manager in him gets the better of him every now and then. Then Lorenz Brügger grows impatient and seeks out in picturesque Sottoceneri the very same challenges he tackles in Zurich. Niska Maspoli Brügger calls these outbursts «dictating the agenda,» and she knows all too well how to handle them: a stern look into his eyes is enough, and the publishing executive gives way to the responsible husband and father that he also is. There it is again, that soft core… A core from which not only his wife and daughters benefit. Lorenz Brügger wouldn’t be a “good boss, a man of class” if he didn’t let his colleagues, his business partners—simply his Zurich circle—share in his true nature.
As simple as the term «human» may be, it hits the nail on the head when it comes to Lorenz Brügger. Few managers are so clear and open—and always fair. No matter how difficult the situation may be, Lorenz Brügger «is a good judge of character and possesses a sensitivity that one wishes others would have.» The workplace might then perhaps seem a little more human… snu
