Interview mit CEO Edgar Bachmann - SOCAR ENERGY Switzerland

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What are SOCAR's ambitions in Switzerland?
We want to be recognised as a new premium brand in the filling station and energy sector and to play
a leading role in Switzerland.
You talk about a premium brand. For customers, the only thing that matters is the price of the
petrol at the pumps!
Of course our prices must be competitive. However, many customers don't just want attractive prices
but also good shopping opportunities and other services. That's what SOCAR can offer: outstanding
customer service. And with our partner migrolino, our shop business is also very attractive.
Furthermore, we believe that part of being a premium brand is maintaining very high safety
standards and conducting our business in an exemplary way.
So the people at BP, Shell and so on should prepare for stormy weather ahead?
Our competitors, and, especially, our customers, can look forward to a big shake-up in the market.
What is your assessment of the Swiss energy and filling station market?
I can see that nearly all the big global brands are represented here. There are still some very strong
national brands operating too. On the whole, Switzerland - compared with its neighbouring countries -
has a very diverse and highly competitive market. However, the cards in the Swiss business have been
dealt out in the same way for years: the arrival of SOCAR on the market is the biggest change in the
Swiss filling station market for over 20 years.
Does SOCAR want to trigger a restructuring in the Swiss market?
There are currently no definite plans for any further expansion of our network here in Switzerland.
However, it is no secret that SOCAR would like to become one of the leading integrated energy
companies, and so it will continue to check out suitable investment opportunities, both in Switzerland
and in other European markets.
Is SOCAR using Switzerland as a springboard for expansion in Western Europe?
The experience gained in Switzerland will certainly help SOCAR to become one of the leading
integrated energy companies in Europe. But, as of today, the next steps in implementing our
expansion strategy have not yet been clearly defined.
With increased environmental awareness, fossil fuels like oil and gas are becoming less highly
regarded. Does the industry actually still have a future?
In recent years, our industry has invested a great deal in protecting the environment. Oil and gas are
very important energy sources for the whole economy. That's not going to change in the foreseeable
future. On the contrary: with the decision to phase out nuclear energy, gas will become considerably
more important as an energy source.
How strong is the influence in Switzerland of the parent company in Azerbaijan?
The filling stations and energy business in Switzerland will be run by the Swiss company SOCAR
Energy Switzerland. The six-person management team led by me is responsible for day-to-day
business. Our owner is represented on the Management Board and lays down the strategic guidelines,
as is the norm in good corporate governance in Switzerland.