Wirz Cocktail 2009: Recipes for survival in the crisis
The 39th annual Wirz Cocktail took place yesterday. Over 300 guests accepted the Wirz Group’s invitation. Under the theme «Survival of the Fittest,» entrepreneur Giorgio Behr, headhunter Thomas Frei, Avenir Suisse Director Thomas Held, and journalist and former chief physician Oswald Oelz discussed the skills and qualities needed for individuals and companies to succeed in the marketplace.
Urs Binggeli, CEO of Wirz Corporate and member of the Wirz Group Executive Board, opened the evening and also noted that, in addition to the right qualities and skills, companies always need a dose of luck to survive. Moderated by Esther Girsberger, this was followed by an interesting and entertaining panel discussion on the best survival strategies in ever faster changing market conditions. Influenced by his experiences as an alpinist, Oswald Oelz relies entirely on human instinct to overcome critical situations. Giorgio Behr, on the other hand, is convinced that companies that remain lean in the sense of lean management, even in the boom phase, can react much more flexibly and better to any crises. Thomas Held also emphasized the rapid adaptability of companies. After all, it is not the best fitness, but the "perfect fit" to the respective framework conditions that determines the fight for survival. However, Thomas Frei from the Shikar Group emphasized that this adaptability does not mean conforming to the masses when it comes to asserting oneself on the personnel market. Rather, it is about the ability to learn and emphasizing the uniqueness that makes you stand out from the crowd.
The panel agreed that although there is no universal recipe for survival, there are some sure-fire ways to ensure successful failure. Staying in the crisis is just as dangerous as trying to change everything from one day to the next.
A summary of the panel discussion with the most important comments made by the panelists and the guests' comments on the evening will be available on Wirz.ch from November 20, 2009.
The panel agreed that although there is no universal recipe for survival, there are some sure-fire ways to ensure successful failure. Staying in the crisis is just as dangerous as trying to change everything from one day to the next.
A summary of the panel discussion with the most important comments made by the panelists and the guests' comments on the evening will be available on Wirz.ch from November 20, 2009.
Panel discussion: Dr. Thomas Held (Avenir Suisse), Prof. Dr. Giorgio Behr (CEO Behr Bircher Cellpack BBC Group), Prof. Dr. med. Oswald Oelz (alpinist, former chief physician), Thomas Frei (SHIKAR Group), Dr. Esther Girsberger (publicist). (Source: tilllate custom)
Urs Binggeli (CEO Wirz Corporate, member of the Wirz Group Executive Board), Prof. Dr. med. Oswald Oelz (alpinist, former chief physician), Thomas Frei (SHIKAR Group), Dr. Esther Girsberger (publicist), Prof. Dr. Giorgio Behr (CEO Behr Bircher Cellpack BBC Group), Dr. Thomas Held (Avenir Suisse). (Source: tilllate custom)
Wirz Group Management: Michel Juhasz (Assai Dialog & Digital), Urs Binggeli (Wirz Corporate), Geri Aebi (Wirz Advertising), Rinaldo Poltera (CFO Wirz Group). (Source: tilllate custom)
