Urs Riedener

Urs Riedener, born in 1965, has been CEO of Emmi, Switzerland's largest milk processor, since 2008. He began his career at Kraft Jacobs Suchard and worked at Lindt & Sprüngli in various management roles from 1995 to 2000. Until 2008, he headed the Marketing Department at the Federation of Migros Cooperatives and was a member of the General Management. Emmi relies on strong brands such as Caffè Latte and Kaltenbach and is expanding thanks to product innovations, acquisitions and internationalization.Riedener chose marketing as his focus while studying economics, law and social sciences at the University of St.Gallen - a favorite discipline that accompanied him on his steep career path. After graduating in 1992, he entered professional life as Group Brand Manager at Kraft Jacobs Suchard. In 1995, he moved to Lindt & Sprüngli, where he worked his way up from Product Group to Sales Manager. The successful manager took a decisive step in his career when he swapped his sales role for the position of Chief Marketing Officer of the Migros Group in 2000 and became a member of its General Management. After eight years at the Federation of Migros Cooperatives - and a further educational excursion to the Stanford University Graduate School of Business - the time was ripe for the ultimate change: In 2008, the man from eastern Switzerland became CEO of the Emmi Group, which he led single-mindedly to success with expansions abroad and the fine-tuning of existing products at home. The visionary marketing professional, who is also a popular speaker, demonstrates his commitment to performance not only when focusing on his core business, but also after work: on the cross-country ski trail in winter and on his racing bike in summer.