The SEF is a reputed annual event in Interlaken that brings together businesspeople and decision-makers from the highest levels. Once again this year, the SWISS Management Board will have a strong presence at the gathering, with Chief Executive Officer Dieter Vranckx, Chief Financial Officer Markus Binkert and Head of Operations Oliver Buchhofer all taking the opportunity to meet and trade news and views with their fellow leading executives. CEO Dieter Vranckx will also take part in a panel discussion on "Switzerland's Energy Future" on Thursday 8 June, at 17:20.

Sustainability the focus at this year’s SWISS Lounge

SWISS has steadily expanded its presence at the SEF over the past few years, and the exclusive SWISS Lounge for the 2023 event will feature both a rest and relaxation area and a work zone that includes facilities for more private meetings and talks. Visitors to the lounge will also be able to find out about the company’s various endeavours on the sustainability front via a number of interactive resources. And once again, SWISS cabin crew members will be on hand to ensure that all the lounge’s visitors are optimally looked after.

The SEF puts a particular emphasis on promoting entrepreneurial spirit and on supporting younger companies. For SWISS, the event provides an important platform for cultivating contacts and relations with decision-makers and business partners, and thereby further strengthening its position and role within the Swiss economy.

Four questions for SWISS CEO Dieter Vranckx

Dieter Vranckx, what were the highlights for you of last year’s SEF?
Several come to mind. I found the podium discussion that was hosted by Urs Gredig particularly memorable. It prompted a number of interesting questions from the audience and some really interesting debate. I also enjoyed the CEO Programme, the Networking Lunch on Day One, and the Spaghettata.

What panels will you make a point of attending at this year’s SEF?
I’ve got a number of panel events and talks marked in my diary already, and I hope I can get to them all. The opening address by Swiss President Alain Berset; the 2023 economic outlook from Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas and Thomas Jordan; ‘The World in Cartoons’ with NZZ am Sonntag cartoonist Patrick Chappatte; and the ‘Hidden Champions’ panel, which will be looking at the challenges currently being faced by Switzerland’s SMEs. Plus, of course, the ‘Switzerland’s Energy Future’ discussion, where I’ll be on the panel myself. I’m really looking forward to hearing all these debates and all the different expert opinions at this year’s SEF!

What role does SWISS feel the aviation sector should play in promoting economic development, and how does your company support innovative start-ups in the ways envisaged by the SEF?
Aviation has a vital role to play in promoting economic development. And as Switzerland’s leading airline, we are committed to supporting innovative start-ups within the SEF framework and offering them a platform to present their projects and ideas. We’re convinced that collaborations between these start-ups and the aviation sector can help to generate innovative business models and technologies that will drive on Switzerland’s economic development.

One great example of this is our own collaboration with Synhelion, the spinoff company from Zurich’s ETH. Synhelion, SWISS and the Lufthansa Group have been working together for more than two years now on developing solar fuels for the aviation sector. With our financial involvement here we’re playing a vital part in enabling Synhelion to scale up the production of its innovative sustainable fuel product and bring it to a broader market.

SWISS will also be taking advantage of this year’s SEF to publicize its own sustainability initiatives. How important is sustainability at SWISS
Conducting business and operations in a responsible and sustainable way is a cornerstone of our SWISS corporate strategy. Decarbonizing air transport is a huge challenge, and one that demands the evolution and the wide availability of numerous new technologies. Our company is playing its role in this sustainability drive by participating in research and pilot projects and by forging alliances to develop and scale up the innovative technologies required. In providing our ‘Sustainability Corner’ in our SWISS Lounge at this year’s SEF, we’re giving attendees the opportunity to find out more about the many and various ways we’re helping to make air travel more sustainable, and how they can play their part in all of this, too.Sustainability-Ecke" in unserer SWISS Lounge beim SEF möchten wir den Teilnehmenden die Gelegenheit geben, sich über unsere Nachhaltigkeitsbemühungen zu informieren und sich für eine nachhaltige Zukunft zu engagieren.