Cyril Meier says goodbye to the HWZ - Claudia Meier-Biedermann takes over
Upon reaching retirement age at the end of May, Cyril Meier, Director of the HWZ Center for Communications, is stepping down from HWZ after 15 years of work in planning, development, and leadership. He will be succeeded by Claudia Meier-Biedermann, who has served as head of the newly formed HWZ Department of Marketing & Business Communications since fall 2017.
"Cyril Meier has significantly and successfully shaped the HWZ with his work. I would like to thank him sincerely for his tireless efforts," Peter Petrin, rector of the HWZ Hochschule für Wirtschaft Zürich, said in a statement. Cyril Meier was a member of the HWZ School Board from 2003 to 2016 and most recently a member of the extended School Board. As the person responsible for the then newly launched HWZ study area Communication. he designed and managed the part-time Bachelor study program Communication, now Business Communications. Since then, this has produced over 1000 graduates.
In the years that followed, he launched the successful master's degree programs in Business Communications and Live Communication, as well as the certificate course (CAS) in Marketing Communications. For other courses, he established partnerships with renowned educational institutions such as the Swiss School of Journalism MAZ and the Swiss Text Academy.
Foundation stone for the digital pioneering role
At the end of 2010, Cyril Meier laid the foundation for the HWZ's current leading position in the field of digital business: He brought in digital expert Manuel P. Nappo and developed the Social Media Management and Mobile Business certificate courses with him. In 2014, this gave rise to the Center, or today's Institute for Digital Business, under Nappo's leadership. Finally, in 2015, Cyril Meier developed a third area of the university's offerings under the name HWZ Academy with seminars and services. Today, this is headed by Dr. Daniel Schmid.
Still at the HWZ on a selective basis
Cyril Meier will remain active at the HWZ as a subject matter expert on an ad hoc basis as well as Chairman of the HWZ Advisory Boards for Communication and Digital Business. "My successor Claudia Meier-Biedermann will take over a proven and successful team around the division heads Bernhard Schweizer (Bachelor) and Stefan Eggenberger (continuing education programs)," he comments on his retirement.
