ZPRG Board Election: Four New Faces for the PR Network
At its general meeting in June 2026, the Zurich Public Relations Association elected four new board members. At the same time, two long-standing members were honored upon their departure.
From left to right: Kathrin Nesemann, Riccarda Engi, Michael Mirz
ZPRG Board Election Brings New Energy to the Board
At its general meeting on June 10, 2026, the Zurich Public Relations Association (ZPRG) held an election for its board of directors, resulting in the addition of four new members. The new members of the board are Bettina Gebhardt, owner of Kontx Kommunikation; Katrin Nesemann, partner at BoldtBPI; Nico Nabholz, media spokesperson for Helsana Insurance; and Michael Wirz, head of media and communications for the Winterthur City Police. At the same time, two long-standing board members stepped down: Roland Baumann, co-head of thematic areas in university communications at ETH Zurich, and Marie-Françoise Ruesch, head of marketing and communications at Platten Meilen.
Riccarda Engi, Communications Manager at the City of Zurich Water Supply Department; Katharina Krämer, Co-Director of the MAS in Communication Management & Leadership at ZHAW; and President Dominik Allemann, owner of Bernet Relations, were all reappointed to their positions.
Broad Expertise and New Perspectives
The newly appointed Executive Board aims to strengthen the ZPRG as a platform for professional exchange and further expand its role as a leading network for communications professionals. ZPRG President Dominik Allemann is pleased with the broad level of engagement: «The ZPRG thrives on its quality as a platform for networking, learning, and inspiration—offering exciting insights into business, technology, and society, and looking beyond the confines of our industry. I am very pleased that we have such a diverse and competent team to carry this mission forward.»
New board member Katrin Nesemann emphasizes the commitment to addressing substantive industry issues: «Our industry is changing rapidly—and so are the expectations placed on a professional association. We provide a forum where pressing issues in our profession are addressed and discussed in depth—above all, what responsible communication actually means today.»
Bettina Gebhardt sees the ZPRG’s role as a networking hub as a key priority: «The Swiss communications landscape is fragmented. The ZPRG brings together what belongs together—practice and research, agencies and in-house teams, young talent and experienced professionals. We want to systematically expand this bridging role.»
Strengthening the Dialogue Between PR and Journalism
For Michael Wirz, the focus is on further developing the professional profile: «As the communications director of an emergency services organization, I know how important trust, transparency, and clear messaging are. The ZPRG provides a forum for us to discuss together how we can meet these expectations in the future.»
Nico Nabholz brings a dual perspective to the table: «As a former journalist and current media spokesperson, I know both sides. I’d like to bring these perspectives together on the ZPRG board and thereby strengthen the dialogue between PR and journalism—with practical ideas and formats that provide real added value for our members.»
