Fabian Duss takes over management of Maag Music & Arts

Fabian Duss previously worked as Deputy Director at the Hotel Schweizerhof in Zurich and has a degree in hotel management and an Executive MBA.

Conferences&Events: What attracted you to switch from the hotel industry to the event industry?

Fabian Duss: My daily motivation in my professional life is to make people satisfied or even happy. At a time when there is a lot of "bad news" and major political and economic challenges, this is often neglected. What I have always loved about the hotel industry is that you can let people forget their everyday lives for a moment and pamper them. As part of MAAG, I can now do this in a slightly different way, but no less strongly.

The portfolio is diverse.

That's what makes Maag special. On the one hand, we have the two event locations - the Maag Halle near Hardbrücke and Halle 622 in Oerlikon - which are both super centrally located, just one minute from the train station.

What are the advantages of these locations?

The halls impress with their multifunctionality - from a small event for 50 people to the AGM of a major bank to a rock concert for 3500 people, everything is possible - and always in top quality. We are also active in the event sector. We have our own shows, organize and stage concerts, host trade fairs and exhibitions.

At the moment, we are renting the concert hall of the Tonhalle Zurich, whose guests we are delighted to welcome and spoil with culinary delights.

And are you also involved in the culinary world?

Exactly (laughs). We run various food outlets. Our latest venture is the trendy summer concept "Zum Frischen Max" near Oerlikon station. And we are part owner of "Frau Gerolds Garten". This diversity results in countless synergies.

There is no comparable company of this size in Switzerland that is simultaneously an organizer, restaurateur and location operator in a similar context.

What are you particularly proud of?

This is the casual, young and motivated team that makes Maag what it is. I am delighted to be working with these great, creative minds.

How would you describe your work?

Very varied and exciting. The trick is to dance on different stages at the same time and keep an overview. It's not a one-man show, but teamwork. And that requires a dynamic and well-coordinated team that is in control of the day-to-day business. My job as Managing Director is to support and coach this team and work with them to further develop our business areas.

What is the most interesting thing about your job?

Every day, we at Maag deal with many different people from different cultures, companies and sectors. I really appreciate being in close contact with people from the worlds of art, culture, politics and so on. I benefit greatly from this network, but also from our employees, and I learn something new every day.

Interview: Anna Kohler