Paul Frutiger Takes the Helm at SwissMediaCast
Effective July 1, 2026, Paul Frutiger will succeed Bernhard Schmid as CEO of SwissMediaCast. An electrical engineer and business administrator, he brings more than 25 years of experience in the telecommunications, IT, and broadcast industries.
Paul Frutiger Takes Over as CEO of SwissMediaCast
The Board of Directors of SwissMediaCast has appointed Paul Frutiger as the new managing director, effective July 1, 2026. He succeeds Bernhard Schmid, who has led the company as CEO since 2017 and is retiring. Schmid will continue to work alongside his successor until the end of 2026 to ensure a smooth transition.
Paul Frutiger (61) is an electrical engineer (HTL) and business administrator with more than 25 years of experience in the telecommunications, IT, and broadcast industries. He is familiar with the broadcast sector from various perspectives—including his time at Swisscom—and, according to his own statements, has proven experience in the operation and governance of critical communications infrastructures. Most recently, as a partner at ProAct Projektmanagement, he led a team of 18 employees and was responsible for revenue of approximately five million Swiss francs. His core competencies are said to lie in the strategic development of technology-driven companies, the transformation of digital infrastructures, and business development.
Building on a Solid Foundation
Florian Wanner, Chairman of the Board of Directors, explained the decision as follows: «With Paul Frutiger, we are gaining an experienced leader who combines technological expertise with an entrepreneurial mindset.»
Frutiger himself sees his predecessor as having laid an important foundation: «Bernhard Schmid has built an impressive foundation. I intend to build on that and further develop SwissMediaCast into a reliable, forward-looking platform for the Swiss radio landscape—technologically advanced, close to our customers, and sustainable in its operations.»
Results Under Bernhard Schmid
Bernhard Schmid has had a significant impact on SwissMediaCast: Elected to the Board of Directors in 2009, he took over operational leadership as CEO in 2017. Under his leadership, the company grew to become Switzerland’s largest private DAB+ network operator—today, SwissMediaCast broadcasts 45 radio programs across six networks and 188 transmitters. Florian Wanner pays tribute to this achievement: «Bernhard Schmid has built and led SwissMediaCast with foresight, technical expertise, and great dedication. The Board of Directors extends its heartfelt thanks to him for his extraordinary commitment and wishes him all the best for this new chapter in his life.»
SwissMediaCast plans, builds, and operates its own broadcasting networks for the DAB+ digital radio standard in German-speaking Switzerland and coordinates the launch of various radio stations. Since October 2009, the company has been broadcasting its programming on the regional network, thereby supplementing the SRG’s programming lineup.
More information: https://www.swissmediacast.ch
