ANNUAL REPORT 2008/09 - Sonova

Dr. Valentin Chapero Rueda
CEO
Management Board
The Management Board is responsible for the operational
management of the company. Furthermore, it prepares
for and later executes decisions made by the Board of
Directors. According to the Organizational Regulations of
Sonova Holding AG, the Management Board consists of
at least the Chief Executive Offi cer (CEO) and the Chief
Financial Offi cer (CFO) as well as other members added to
suit strategic requirements. The Management Board is
appointed by the Board of Directors, as recommended by
the CEO.
Members of the Management Board
Dr. Valentin Chapero Rueda (born in 1956, Spanish citizen)
joined Sonova as CEO in October 2002.
Before joining Sonova, Valentin Chapero Rueda was CEO of
the Mobile Networks Division of Siemens. Prior to this,
between mid-1996 and the end of 1999, he was CEO of
the Siemens Audiology Group, the world’s largest hearing
instrument manufacturer at that time. He took the company
into the digital era, tripling sales and signifi cantly
improving profi tability. Valentin Chapero Rueda began his
career within the R&D department of Nixdorf Computer.
Valentin Chapero Rueda, whose parents are Spanish, grew
up and completed his education in Germany. He graduated
in Physics at the University of Heidelberg, Germany, and
was awarded his doctorate with a thesis in the medicine/
physics fi eld.
Other activities:
Chairman of the industry body European Hearing Instrument
Manufacturers’ Association (EHIMA)
42 CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Oliver Walker
CFO
Oliver Walker (born in 1969, Swiss citizen) was appointed
CFO of Sonova in October 2004.
Before joining Sonova, he held the position of CFO of
Stratec Medical Group Oberdorf, Switzerland, since 2000.
Stratec was a leading international medical devices company,
specializing in the development, manufacture, and
marketing of instruments and implants for the surgical
treatment of the human skeleton. Prior to Stratec, Oliver
Walker worked for seven years with the Von Roll Group,
a diversifi ed industrial company. His most recent position
there was as Vice President Finance and Controlling for
the division Von Roll Infratec.
Oliver Walker studied economics at the University of
Berne, Switzerland; he holds a Masters Degree in Business
Administration.