Check-in at the Five-Star Hotel XAVER: How the Swiss LiveCom Industry Celebrated Its Best

The LiveCom industry demonstrated that evening—not only through its efficient, modern time management but above all with a charming touch of wit—that it has a masterful grasp of how to create events with dramatic impact. The spacious, architecturally rather austere hall of the Festhalle Bern was instantly transformed for the several hundred guests into the elegant lobby of the fictional five-star hotel «XAVER.».

Behind the reception desk, the hostess shone in the role of head receptionist, flanked by a dapper concierge. Instead of room keys, the coveted XAVER trophies were passed across the counter at this check-in desk. The winning projects were announced in a nostalgic, analog fashion via an old rotary-dial telephone from the pre-smartphone era, before the award recipients were personally escorted by the concierge to the elevators on the left and right of the stage. A production full of energy, wit, and a palpable sense of atmosphere—perfectly rounded out by ample time for networking before and after the show, which was clearly just as important to the organizers as the awards ceremony itself.

Künzli: «Even a »no’ must stand up to scrutiny”

Earlier that afternoon, the industry had already gathered at the premiere of the XAVER Live Convention sought a substantive dialogue. Moderated by Kiki Maeder, industry leaders such as Lea Frisch (BERNEXPO), Lukas Meier (Aroma), Maximilian Souchay (Live Lab AG), and Iwan Funk (Bellprat Partner) discussed the future, creativity, and technology on an equal footing in an “unconference” format.

That evening, Association President Christian Künzli opened the awards ceremony with a candid look behind the scenes at the judging process: «We ask questions, we scrutinize, we discuss, we criticize. We’re critical, we’re emotional—and of course, we compare.» Künzli emphasized that the overall picture is deliberately examined before final decisions are made, especially for projects that don’t win: «Because even a »no« must stand up to scrutiny when viewed in the broader context.» Given the nearly 50 projects submitted and their increasing complexity, he announced plans for further developments. A newly created advisory board is tasked with developing additional criteria and guidelines that will take effect as early as XAVER 2027: “Our goal is to make the evaluation process more rigorous and the decisions more transparent for applicants.”

The Winners Take It All: Two Gold Awards for Emotional, Large-Scale Productions

The most coveted award of the evening—the XAVER in Gold – was awarded only twice this year:

Gold for «Best Corporate Event»: 200 Years of Mobiliar – «Better Together»

The ceremony marking Mobiliar's 200th anniversary was transformed by Nadine Imboden Production – Entertainment in Motion into a highly emotional total work of art. Directed by Nadine Imboden and with Michel Gicot serving as artistic director for the anniversary celebration, the result was a 70-minute show that seamlessly blended theater, dance, and contemporary circus with technical precision. Behind the scenes, maverick Roman Riklin brought additional depth and poetry to the production—including through the final song.

«They have succeeded in translating Mobiliar's DNA into an artistic masterpiece of the highest quality.», was the announcement made during the ceremonial handover on stage.

Gold for «Best Public Event»: 2025 Eurovision Song Contest in Basel – «Arena Plus»

As a co-submission by the SRG and of the Canton of Basel-Stadt «Arena Plus» set new standards for public viewings at St. Jakob Park. 36,000 fans experienced not only a big-screen broadcast, but a standalone, five-and-a-half-hour live show featuring the world’s largest audience choir performing ABBA’s ’Waterloo.« A monumental logistical and emotional feat that put Basel on the international stage in May 2025.

Reactions to the Gold Medal Victory: «Simply Overwhelming»

In a direct conversation with m&k Those in charge of the Mobiliar ceremony gave free rein to their emotions. The director Nadine Imboden was visibly moved:

«I can’t even describe it right now. It’s so emotional. It took so much work—and to be holding this in my hands now is just overwhelming. This award belongs to the entire team and to Mobiliar, which placed its trust in us to tell its story through an artistic production.»

When asked about her personal defining moment of the performance, Imboden recalled:

«The best moment was when the red curtains closed at the end, we were all standing backstage, and the tears were flowing. We were all just so happy because we’d been able to grow together into such a strong team during that intense time.»

Also Michel Gicot, head of Mobiliar's anniversary celebrations, was beaming in the m&k-Interview:

«This is a wonderful recognition of the work done by the entire project team. It was a very successful event, full of emotion and featuring an artistic performance of the highest caliber.»

Gicot also offered two clear pieces of advice for anniversary productions:

«First: Stay true to the company’s values. And second: Have the courage to take risks, and trust the creative team. As someone in corporate, you sometimes feel like it’s a gamble—but in the end, it’s worth it because the result turns out truly amazing.»

Standing Ovations for Urs Kessler: A Life Dedicated to the Total Experience

The most moving moment of the evening came during the presentation of the XAVER Lifetime Achievement Award to Urs Kessler, the long-time CEO of Jungfraubahnen AG.

The laudatory speech was delivered by Olympic snowboard champion Gian Simmen, who aptly summed up Kessler’s visionary creativity:

«It would be simply wrong to reduce Urs Kessler to just one industry. Under his leadership, the Jungfrau Railways were never just a mountain railway—they were a PR agency, an event agency, and a travel agency all in one.»

Simmen recalled the legendary SnowpenAir, which premiered in 1998 on the Kleine Scheidegg, as well as spectacular highlights on the Jungfraujoch at 3,454 meters above sea level. —from tennis matches featuring Roger Federer and Lindsey Vonn to piano performances by world-renowned star Lang Lang.

In his acceptance speech, the award winner shared a clear philosophy:

«No risk, no reward. These days, people often just want business plans—but sometimes you just need the courage to take a chance.»

Drawing on his decades of experience in the Asian market, he highlighted the cornerstones of successful cooperation:

«Know each other, trust each other, respect each other—if we live by these principles, nothing will stand in the way of the event industry's success.»

Bala Trachsel on Trends: «Back to the Roots, Back to Contact»

On the sidelines of the awards ceremony, [name] spoke m&k also with Bala Trachsel, the association’s co-president and owner of the Republica agency. When asked about the class of 2026, she offered a positive assessment:

«The 2026 class was very mature. The 43 projects submitted were of very high quality. Major milestones such as the Osaka Year, the ESC, and Mobiliar’s 200th anniversary had a significant impact on our industry.»

Regarding her new leadership role in the association, she made it clear:

«We have a co-presidency—woman power! Together with Nicole Pandiscia from Ticino, we share this responsibility with the entire board and the members.»

When asked about future trends in live communication, Trachsel summed up the development as follows:

«It’s a return to our roots: »Back to the roots, back to contact,’ one-on-one. The more digital the world becomes, the more important physical contact becomes. The live experience and genuine human interaction remain at the very heart of it all.”

Audience favorite MUNI MAX and gleaming silver

The other awards also reflected the tremendous diversity and innovative strength of the Swiss LiveCom scene. Among the big winners was the Aroma AG: Its 24-meter-tall wooden colossus «MUNI MAX» For ESAF 2025, not only did Silver not only won in the «Best Brandworlds & Installations» category, but also came out on top in the public vote with 315 votes, taking home the Public XAVER 2026.

Additional silver trophies went to MYI for the HeroFest 2025, a standing ovation for the fusion production «Unwritten», Bureau Hindermann for «REFLECT AGAIN for Ruckstuhl», WWP for UBS × SwissSkills as well as Bellprat Partner for the Azerbaijan Pavilion at the Osaka Expo.

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An Overview of All Winners of the 2026 XAVER Award