Change of leadership at Y&R Group Switzerland - CEO Andreas Widmer leaves

An external search is underway for a new CEO to succeed Andreas Widmer. Discussions to this effect are already underway. "The most important thing," says Joachim Bader, Wunderman Central Europe CEO and in this role also responsible for Y&R Group Switzerland, "is to ensure continuity in customer service as well as in the quality of the agency's work. We want to continue setting standards in the future and have a broad-based and experienced management team in the Y&R Group to do so," says Bader. At the same time, he thanks Andreas Widmer, Claus Bornholt and Bruno Rambaldi: "Andreas Widmer and his team have shaped the Swiss communications market and made Y&R one of its most successful players. For this, they deserve our great thanks. We regret their decision extraordinarily and thank them for their outstanding performance."

Andreas Widmer formed the Y&R Group in 2007 from the brands Advico Young & Rubicam, Futurecom, Wunderman and Allaccess, and has successfully led it as CEO for the last ten years. Prior to that, he was CEO of the agency Futurecom Interactive for ten years, which he founded in 1996, and CEO of Wunderman Switzerland since 2003. Today, Andreas Widmer is one of the most prominent figures in the Swiss marketing and communications industry. In addition to his CEO and VRP function at Y&R Group Switzerland, Widmer is President of the Swiss Chapter of the International Advertising Association IAA and sits on the Board of Directors of the MCH Group, among others. He has also been actively involved in the Swiss startup scene for several years.

"I'm leaving Y&R with a heavy heart".

Andreas Widmer says about his decision to leave Y&R Group: "After more than 20 years with Y&R Group, it was time for me to reflect on the past and ask myself what I still wanted to achieve in the future. Therefore, after careful consideration and with a heavy heart, I have decided to leave Y&R. At the same time, I am looking ahead with confidence. I am very much looking forward to new professional challenges with a stronger entrepreneurial commitment to myself. And I leave the Y&R Group today in great shape. With its combination of communications expertise and technical competence, it is excellently positioned and equipped for the future."

Bornholt leaves after 19 years with the company

Claus Bornholt, COO of the Y&R Group, has been with the company for 19 years and has been instrumental in its development and expansion. He joined Futurecom Interactive in 1998, became Head of Consulting in 2003 and COO of the newly formed group in 2007. In addition to his role in the Y&R Group, Claus Bornholt is Vice President of the Internet Advertising Bureau IAB as well as a member of the Communications Council of the umbrella association for communications in Switzerland "ks/cs". He says of his decision: "I had 19 exciting years at Y&R, and I don't regret any of them. After almost 20 years, I would now like to take on another challenge."

The outgoing Bruno Rambaldi joined the Y&R Group as CTO in 2015 after holding various top management positions in Swiss industrial companies. Prior to that, he had already held a senior IT position at Futurecom interactive AG and Wunderman in Stockholm from 1996 to 2001.

Joachim Bader is positive about the future. In the future, new international impulses are to be set and the topic of "Data meets Creativity" is to be increasingly promoted: "Our customers can trust that they will continue to receive excellent creative campaigns as well as communication and experience solutions from our company in the future. With a view to the digital challenges of our customers, we are strengthening cooperation in the Wunderman network in the areas of analytics, customer experience and technology consulting."