Swiss Trade - SwissCham

Swiss Trade 

– Your guide to exporting successfully 

Chambers at work 

Planning to enter a new market? Prepare 

yourself in advance! The Swiss Foreign 

Trade Chambers know their markets, provide in 

depth analyses and have an extensive network 

of partners. They know the peculiarities and the 

challenges you will come across. 

“Rogerise” your business 

Swiss export companies can draw in- 

15 

spiration from the Swiss national hero 

Roger Federer’s success abroad, by acting in 

a more self-confident, youthful and dynamic 

manner, enhancing the already strong Swiss 

quality brand. 

6 24 

Manage your export risks 

The product is not sold until you get 

paid. Swiss exporters have multiple solutions 

to counter the risks of doing business 

abroad, a precious support in a time of crisis. 

The key is to assess the precise needs of the 

exporting company. 

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Swiss Trade November 2010 3 

Welcome to the World of SwissCham 

Founded in 1935, the non-profit organization 

SwissCham’s role is to make 

a private sector contribution to promote 

and support Swiss foreign economic relations 

in general and Swiss exports 

of products or services in particular. 

It represents the common interests of 

its members in administration, parliament 

and other public institutions and 

works towards free market access for 

Swiss exporters worldwide. Our member 

chambers are private organizations, 

representing the economic interests of 

Switzerland in their respective countries 

and helping our export industry to gain 

access to new markets, making contacts 

with the right partners and foreign authorities. 

SwissCham and its members seek a 

good and reliable partnership with the 

state export promotion agency, which is 

obliged to work on a non-competitive basis 

with the private initiative. The state export 

promotion agency structure is needed 

where potential opportunities arise for 

Swiss Trade 

– Your guide to exporting successfully 

is produced by NextMedia in 

cooperation with SwissCham 

Project manager Kaija Kurki-Suonio 

Journalists Ivonne Büttner, Cyril Demaria, Martina 

Gyger, Peter Mulry 

Graphic Design Andreas Lathe, Stellan Stål 

Editorial assistant Sandra Ahlqvist 

Printing Zieglerdruck AG 

Distribution Published in Bilanz on 5th of November 

2010 and distributed through the chamber network 

Arab Countries www.casci.ch 

Argentina www.suiza.org.ar 

ASEAN Countries www.sacc.ch 

Australia www.sacci.com.au 

Austria www.hk-schweiz.at 

Baltic States www.sbcc-chamber.com 

www.swissbalticchamber.com 

www.baltics.ch 

Belarus www.jointchambers.ch 

Brazil www.swisscam.com.br 

Bulgaria www.bsccbg.com 

www.swisscham-bulgaria.com 

Central Europe www.sec-chamber.ch 

Chile www.swisschile.cl 

China www.sccc.ch 

Colombia www.colsuizacam.com 

Cuba www.swisscuban.org 

Czech Republic www.hst.cz 

Denmark www.dshk.ch 

England www.bscc.co.uk 

For more information about the content, please contact 

Barbara Möckli-Schneider, Managing Director SwissCham 

Phone: +41 41 620 66 83 

E-mail: swisscham@chambersservices.ch 

For more information about publications in daily press, 

please contact NextMedia 

Phone: +41 41 726 90 50 E-mail: info@nextmedia.se 

Get Your Benefits & Services from the Members of SwissCham 

SwissCham, the Association of Swiss Foreign Trade 

Chambers, has been operating since 1935. This private 

sector organization promotes Swiss exports and 

a Swiss economic presence abroad through its global 

network of member chambers of commerce. 

www.swisscham.ch 

Swiss exporters and private chambers are 

not yet active. 

Where wellorganized chambers have 

established a presence, we invite the state 

financed export promotion agency to collaborate, 

not to compete, and to finance 

state or private company services in a 

cost-efficient way, thereby strengthening a 

structure already financed by the membership 

fees of Swiss export companies. For 

some member chambers it is difficult to 

fully finance themselves privately. Reasonable 

public support could develop their capabilities 

to promote our export industry. 

SwissCham has 56 member chambers, 

which represent the Swiss export industry 

in 105 countries. In our chambers – as 

well as the association – members do a lot 

of voluntary work in the interests of the 

Swiss economy. It is therefore in the public 

interest that in the future, a fair share 

of the state export promotion budget goes 

to our members. 

At SwissCham, we look forward to 

continuing to contribute to Switzerland’s 

SwissCham Members 

export success. Our members welcome 

you and invite you to join our worldwide 

networking platform as we celebrate 75 

years of SwissCham this year. 

Peter Silberschmidt 

President, SwissCham 

Finland www.sveitsi.fi 

Germany www.handelskammer-d-ch.ch 

www.sdwc-ffm.de 

www.vsud.ch 

Hungary www.hsu-zuerich.ch 

www.swisscham.hu 

India www.sicc.ch 

Israel www.swissisrael.ch 

Italy www.ccis.ch 

www.ccsi.it 

Japan www.sccij.jp 

www.sjcc.ch 

Kazakhstan www.jointchambers.ch 

Korea www.sacc.ch 

www.skbckorea.org 

Kyrgistan www.jointchambers.ch 

Latin America www.latcam.ch 

Lichtenstein www.hk-schweiz.at 

Malta www.maltacham.ch 

Mexico www.aems.com.mx 

Moldova www.jointchambers.ch 

www.chmd.ch 

Morocco www.ccsm.ma 

Pakistan www.sacc.ch 

Peru www.swisschamperu.org 

Polen www.swisschamber.pl 

Portugal www.camsuica.com 

Republic of Moldova www.chmd.ch 

Romania www.ccer.ro 

Russia www.jointchambers.ch 

Slovakia www.hssr.sk 

South Africa www.scsa.ch 

Spain www.aehs.info 

Sweden www.schweiziskahandelskammaren.se 

www.swecham.ch 

Turkey www.tr-ch.org 

Ukraine www.jointchambers.ch 

Uruguay www.swisschamuruguay.org.uy 

USA www.amcham.ch 

Venezuela www.camarasuiza.org


The Success of Swiss exports 

– a joint state, private and industrial effort 

Doris Leuthard, President of the Swiss Confederation, and Jean-Daniel Gerber, 

State Secretary and Director of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, 

reflect on Swiss export potential, Strategies and challenges. 

Government 

Written by Martina Gyger 

Switzerland has recovered 

from the economic crisis, and 

Swiss economic output reached 

prerecession levels in mid-2010. 

At SwissCham’s 75th annual 

general meeting in May in Interlaken, 

President Doris Leuthard 

said that Switzerland was able to 

maintain the strong position it 

had before the crisis. 

“We continue to be the most 

competitive country in the 

world, the most innovative in 

Europe, and we are second in 

the world in vocational training. 

In 2009, our macro-economic 

debt ratio according to Maastricht 

was reduced to 38.8%. 

Our unemployment rate has decreased 

six months in a row and 

is currently at 3.5% (September 

2010). These figures are the result 

of solid work in politics and 

the economy, steady investment 

in research and companies that 

were flexible enough to adjust 

their internal structures.” 

At the same time, the export 

industry is facing new challenges, 

and Swiss exports have 

started to lose momentum over 

the last few months. 

“The strengthening of the Swiss Franc 

against the Euro and the US-Dollar poses 

a big challenge, as Swiss export firms will 

have to struggle to maintain their price 

competitiveness on the world markets. 

Furthermore, economic growth prospects 

for the EU and the US are rather modest, 

as many countries are suffering from debt 

problems and fragile financial systems. 

Therefore, a cooling period is expected for 

Swiss export growth, from 7% in 2010 to 

only 2% next year”, explains Mr. Gerber. 

Doris Leuthard, President of 

the Swiss Confederation 

Switzerland’s success 

is due to an 

active foreign trade policy, 

which includes efforts on a 

multilateral level. 

Switzerland’s prosperity is heavily dependent 

on international trade. Good 

macroeconomic and innovation framework 

conditions, and in securing market 

access abroad are crucial elements for 

the success of exporting companies, 

he says. As Leuthard puts 

it, “Switzerland’s success is due 

to an active foreign trade policy, 

which includes efforts on 

a multilateral level, free trade 

agreements both on a bilateral 

level and within the framework 

of EFTA as well as the influence 

of export organisations. All 

those endeavours are helped by 

the export platforms which were 

created as part of the economic 

stabilisation measures.” 

“Export platforms in the field 

of Cleantech, Medtech, Architecture/Design 

and Engineering are 

designed to help SMEs in these 

industry sectors to strengthen 

their presence and profile 

abroad”, Gerber specifies. “In 

addition, Osec, a private association, 

has a government mandate 

to inform, advise and support 

SMEs on questions relating to 

business internationalisation”, he 

adds. 

Leuthard also points out that 

“Swiss chambers of commerce 

are important links between 

Swiss companies and the different 

regions of the world.” 

“The Swiss official promotion 

efforts are designed to complement 

private ones. In this set-up, 

bilateral chambers 

of commerce 

play an important 

role. For instance, 

they often have 

the most specific 

knowledge of local 

markets, and 

maintain important 

business net- 

State Secretary Daniel 

Gerber 

port SMEs”, Gerber adds. 

works. They are 

thus partners in 

the effort to ex

6 Swiss Trade November 2010 

Chambers at work 

– your local partners worldwide 

About 37,000 Swiss companies export goods and services worldwide. 

The economic crisis, the strong Swiss franc and the slowing economic 

recovery have weakened Swiss exports tremendously. A good knowledge 

of the global market is more important than ever, as companies search 

for ways to turn the current situation to their advantage by finding new 

markets and niches for their product. 

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Market expansion 

Written by Ivonne Büttner 

If you are planning to enter a new 

market, a few rules generally apply, no matter 

what continent or country you are looking 

to expand into. The most important 

one: Prepare yourself! Thorough 

preparation and extensive 

knowledge of the target market 

are essential! You can use the 

help of the chambers in Switzerland 

and in your local market. 

The chamber representatives 

know their markets, provide 

in-depth market analyses 

and have an extensive network 

of potential partners and useful contacts. 

Many of them have worked and lived in 

their respective countries for years. They 

know the peculiarities of their markets 

and the challenges you will come across. 

Dedicate time to research and gathering 

information; it is better in the long run 

than taking action too soon and failing 

because nothing worked out as expected. 

Ignorance of local practices is one of the 

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There 

are a lot 

of other markets 

around the 

world worth 

looking into. 

biggest mistakes Swiss exporters make. 

Another thing the chambers will give 

you is honesty. They will tell you if the 

market you want to conquer is not for 

you, and that may save you a lot of trouble 

and money. 

Export nation Switzerland 

Switzerland is a successful export nation. 

The most important market 

is Germany, the destination 

of almost 20% of exports last 

year. In second place is the 

USA, with about 10%, Italy 

and France with more than 

8 % each, and China including 

Hong Kong with 5%. 

However, there are a lot 

of other markets around the 

world also worth looking into. 

Brazil and wider South America 

Take South America, for example: Brazil is 

Switzerland’s most important trading partner 

in South America, but with an export 

value of only about 1.5%. The country has 

undergone big changes in the last 15 years. 

“Brazil has developed into a socially and 

economically stable country with a sol-


id currency. Furthermore it wields a purchasing 

power not to be underestimated: 

namely 200 million people”, says Christian 

Hanssen, president of the Swiss-Brazilian 

chamber of commerce (SWISSCAM). 

This new stability and purchasing power 

has triggered a dramatic increase in 

consumption. 

Food is a large part of this, of 

course, as well as white goods like 

television sets or fridges, energy, 

gas, oil, and infrastructure. In a 

growing economy demand rises, 

and Brazil’s 2010 growth rate is 

an impressive 7%. 

“One thing is very important, 

though, when you are interested 

in doing business in Brazil”, 

stresses Hanssen, “you should be 

able to fund the business venture yourself, 

because with an interest rate of 25% 

a year and inflation at 4% you cannot be 

dependent on Brazilian banks.” 

Malaysia, China and wider Asia 

One of the most important factors of 

Swiss export values 

19 % 

President Christian 

Hanssen, SWISSCAM 

breaking into a new market is being open 

to a different culture. 

“In Asia, Malaysia and Singapore 

are the countries with a 

mentality most similar to that 

of the west, due their history 

of being a British colony”, says 

Patrick Kriesemer, member of 

the Executive board 

at the Swiss Asian 

SwissCham members 

Local office 

Representation 

Chamber of Commerce 

(SACC), Chairman 

of the Malaysia 

and Brunei Commit- 

tee, and managing partner of 

Kriesemer & Partners. That 

makes doing business with 

them a little bit easier. 

Culture and ethnicity is very 

important in Asia; you have to know 

about the differences, especially if you 

hire local employees. There are certain 

positions that are traditionally filled 

by the Malay, Chinese or Indians, and 

Kriesemer is convinced that not playing 

Executive board member 

Patrick Kriesemer, 

SACC 

by the prevailing rules can cost you success. 

Of course, the product or 

service you are providing will be 

the decisive factor, but even the 

best product can fail if you are 

not playing the markets properly. 

Kriesemer recommends involving 

experts with a strong local 

network and who knows how to 

prepare a successful market entry 

into any Asian country. 

“You have to offer something 

unique but cannot ignore 

the culture and its local rules. Sell Swiss 

Made quality with an Asian face, that’s 

how it’s done”, says Kriesemer. 

The Swiss Made label can turn out to 

be the key to success, especially for young 

SMEs, because a lot of positive attributes 

are associated with it; quality, precision 

and reliability, to take a few examples. 

Japan is still Switzerland’s most important 

trading partner in Asia with almost


4%, but bilateral trade with China is developing 

dynamically, at a higher rate 

than Switzerland’s overall foreign trade. 

It is already Switzerland’s third largest 

supplier of goods after the EU and the 

USA, and the fourth largest market for 

Swiss products. 

“The huge market and the flourishing 

economy appeal to Swiss companies”, 

says Susan Horváth, 

executive director of the Swiss- 

Chinese Chamber of Commerce 

(SCCC). 

Negotiations on a free trade 

agreement between Switzerland 

and China will be launched to 

improve market access, making 

business prospects even more 

interesting. 

Although the economic cri- 

sis had some negative affects on the Sino-Swiss 

trade in 2009, the trade surplus 

for Switzerland still reached 300 million 

Swiss Francs, with a total trade vol- 

Executive director 

Susan Horváth, Swiss- 

Cham 

ume of CHF 10.7 billion. Switzerland is 

one of the very few countries, which has 

a continuous trade surplus with 

China in the past years. 

This year marks the 60th anniversary 

of diplomatic relations 

with China and the 30th anniversary 

of the Swiss-Chinese Chamber 

of Commerce, and 

proves that cooperation 

remains solid. 

“However, the Chinese 

market is extremely 

competitive”, warns Horváth. 

“Furthermore there are still 

many restrictions and the regulatory 

environment is complicated. 

It is important to do your 

homework first and get support 

at an early stage.” 

Eastern Europe with focus 

on the Baltic States and Russia 

The Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia and 

Lithuania) are suitable trading partners 

You have to 

offer something 

unique but cannot 

ignore the culture and 

its local rules. 

Director Peter Wolfensberger, 

SCCL 

for Switzerland for as simple a reason as 

their sizes, or as Peter Wolfensberger, director 

of the Swiss Chamber 

of Commerce in Latvia (SCCL) 

puts it: 

“It is your size! – Therefore 

you know exactly what you are 

dealing with.” Wolfensberger is 

talking about each of the three 

states individually. A lot of peo- 

ple make the mistake of seeing 

the Baltic States as just one market. 

“That would be like assuming Switzerland 

and Austria are one and the same 

because they are both Alpine countries”, 

compares Wolfensberger. “The Baltic 

States are three individual countries, with 

some shared history but still three different 

cultures.” 

If you want to enter the eastern European 

markets you have to base that decision 

on a thorough analysis of the differences 

between them to find the one best suited 

for you – with the help of the local chambers.


“A big difference between the chambers 

of the Baltic States and others is, that you 

get service from one hand”, Wolfensberger 

points out. “The chamber representatives 

also service the mandates. They have 

to, or otherwise they would not be able to 

survive.” 

Joining the EU marked a turning point 

for the Baltic States and caused a boom 

during the years 2004–2007, but then 

the economic crisis hit. The Baltic States 

are gradually recovering from that blow 

and therefore offer promising conditions 

for market expansion at present because 

of low wages and real estate prices – a 

great opportunity also for SMEs, to set up 

a business base in secure EU legal conditions, 

with best possible access to Eastern 

Europe beyond EU. 

“The choice of the right partner is essential”, 

emphasises also Gabriel Taus, 

Director of the Joint Chambers of Commerce 

(JCC), unifying several CIS chambers. 

“You can not underestimate the 

value of expert advice and good chemistry 

between partners.” 

In addition to solid financing, flexibility 

and patience are needed in markets such 

as the CIS countries. 

“Expect your business to take twice as 

Managing Director Thomas 

Seghezzi, SABC 

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Next event: 18 November 2010, Zürich 

More information and registration: www.sabc.ch 

FOUNDING MEMBERS: 

Director Ralf J. Bopp, 

Chamber D-CH 

With its 

ever-growing 

middle-class 

it is a big market 

for consumer 

goods. 

long and to cost twice 

as much”, Taus says. 

Africa 

“Thorough preparation is 

crucial before entering an 

African market”, says Thomas 

Seghezzi, Managing 

Director of the Swiss-African 

Business Circle (SABC) 

and Managing Partner of 

Rainbow unlimited. “Africa 

consists of 53 countries, 

and that means 53 markets, 

each one working differently.” 

But it also means 53 prospective markets 

for your product. 

At the moment only a meagre 1.9% 

of Switzerland’s exports go to Africa. 

Thanks to the World Cup, South Africa 

has experienced a 

slight boom, but there 

are many less traditional 

markets that deserve 

a closer look as 

well. 

“With 150 million 

people Nigeria is the 

biggest market”, says 

Director Gabriel Taus, 

JCC 

Seghezzi. “And with its 

ever-growing middle- 

Doing business in Africa? Interested in exclusive networking opportunities, in sharing 

experience and fostering partnerships with other Swiss- and Africa-based companies 

and investors active on the continent? 

Castel Group 

class it is a big market for consumer goods.” 

One thing applies to the whole continent: 

There is huge potential because demand 

is greater than supply. 

“You can pretty much do anything 

there”, Seghezzi says. “And as far as resources 

go, Africa has everything that will 

be sought after in coming years.” 

In 2050 two billion people will live in 

Africa; that is, two billion consumers. 

True, Africa does not have the best image, 

but only success stories can gradually 

change that stereotype. Travel there 

(the chambers can set up trips for you), 

get your own idea of and feel for the continent, 

and identify the market most suit- 

SWISS–AFRICAN 

BUSINESS CIRCLE 

Gateway to sub-Saharan Africa


able for what you have to offer. 

Germany 

2009 was one of the most difficult years for 

business transactions between Switzerland 

and Germany in the post-war period. 

“It reached its dramatic peak in the second 

quarter, with a 25% drop in trade volume”, 

explains Ralf J. Bopp, director of the Chamber 

of Commerce Germany-Switzerland. 

Even in 2010, the numbers are not back 

up to their former level, partly due to the 

mutual integration of the countries. Both 

operate in the same sectors – such as electronics, 

the chemical- and pharmaceuticalindustries, 

machinery and textiles – and the 

same world-markets and branches. 

Outsourcing projects, of course, 

turned out to be an advantage for both 

sides, but the close interaction and similar 

economic structure of the states has not 

helped to stabilize or re-inflate the market. 

Ralf J. Bopp is confident that the already 

strengthened dynamics of the global market 

will definitely bring about positive growth rates 

for business transactions. For 2010 the chamber 

forecasts expect a 6–7% growth in trade 

volume between Germany and Switzerland. 

“Make no mistake, even with this slump 

in trading, with almost 20% of all exports 

Germany is still by far Switzerland’s most 

important trading partner.” 

The personal network is and will 

be key for your success in Asia! 

Our heritage and family tradition bears more than 100 years 

experience of industrial activity in Europe and Asia. The network 

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improvements in their market entry and expansion into Asia. 

KRIESEMER & PARTNERS 

MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS AND INTERNATIONAL ADVISORS 

Falkenstrasse 12 - 8008 Zurich / Switzerland 

Phone +41 (0) 44 383 67 10 Fax +41 (0) 44 383 67 20 

www.kriesemer.com


Tools for capturing new markets 

Establishing a presence in a new market is a complex procedure. Roger J.M. 

Hutter, board member of the Swiss-Czech Chamber of Commerce (HST) and 

Managing Director of SwissCEE Agency, encourages us to regard working with 

or in other countries as an opportunity, rather than a risk. 

Consultancies 


What challenges does a firm face 

when thinking about market expansion? 

It is not something to decide half-heartedly, 

everyone has to be committed. Cultural 

differences often turn out to be the biggest 

hurdle. If the intercultural aspects aren’t 

managed properly the SME is bound to 

fail within the next two–three years. The 

best example are the Swiss-German relations. 

We are neighbours, speak the same 

language, have a similar mentality – but 

of all the expansions the ones to Germany 

are most likely to fail. 

Your Swiss 

business platform 

in Brazil 

Established in Brazil 

since 1945, we provide 

reliable information, an 

excellent network of 

contacts and our expertise 

in the Brazilian market. 

Tel +41 (44) 586 3741 

Tel +55 (11) 5683 7447 

swisscam@swisscam.com.br 

www.swisscam.com.br 

di t b i 

leading to business 

l 

� Swiss stands at trade fairs 

� Start-up assistance 

� Business partner search 

� Expert know-how 

� Market studies 

What can private consultancies do to help? 

The first step is to identify the most suitable 

market, the country most compatible 

with the product and the resources 

of the SME. A consultancy 

then accompanies the project from 

A to Z; applying for subsidies, recommending 

trustworthy partners 

for tax and legal matters, everything 

concerning outsourcing or 

off-shoring, recruitment or temporary 

management. As soon as the 

project has outgrown the fledgling stages 

– usually after nine to twelve months – the 

work of the business developer is done. 

Roger J.M. Hutter 

Outsourcing or off-shoring? 

The Swiss are stereotypically cautious. 

An SME with little international ex- 

perience probably starts out with outsourcing 

to a neighbouring market like 

Germany. After a while they consider a 

market where profits are higher – in eastern 

Europe, for example. After being successful 

in a market for a couple of years, 

the time for off-shoring has come. They 

establish a local branch, open up offices, 

recruit personnel, buy machines 

and so on. 

How do consultancies and the 

chambers cooperate? 

A reputable consultancy has to 

have a close working relationship 

with the chambers. Normally, 

the chambers are the first 

source of information. They 

have the contacts and the established 

network, and basically hold together the 

Swiss communities abroad. Consultancies 

step in when matters get operational. 

They are your partners on location, coordinating 

all the steps necessary to export 

goods successfully. 

O R D E M E P R O G

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From the Alps to the Himalayas: 

Cleantech exports 

Will Switzerland become synonymous with environmental technologies, just as it is with 

quality, chocolate, precision mechanics, cheese and watches? 

“It is well positioned to do so”, says Barbara Möckli-Schneider, Secretary General and 

Member of the Executive Board of the Swiss-Asian Chamber of Commerce, Managing 

Director of SwissCham and Secretary General of the SwissCham Southern Africa. 

Cleantech 

Written by Cyril Demaria 

“Switzerland consistently ranks as 

one of the world’s most energy-efficient 

economies thanks largely to advances in 

renewable energy, green buildings, waste 

management and sustainable transportation”, 

reminds Möckli-Schneider. 

“Switzerland is doing well but our international 

competitors are doing better”, 

says the minister for environment Doris 

Leuthard. “We need to adapt our way of 

life and look towards sustainability.” 

Leuthard announced a “cleantech masterplan” 

in October, jointly with the outgoing 

minister for environment Moritz 

Leuenberger, with the aim to reduce the 

use of resources to environmentally sustainable 

levels. The plan envisages Switzerland 

becoming top in 

clean technology research 

and production within 

ten years. This 

includes renewable 

energy, information 

technology 

and eco-friendly 

transport. 

The swisscleantechassociation’s 

new 

cleantech strategy 

switzerland sets up 

binding climate targets 

and conditions for 

the economy. These 

are concrete measures 

to demonstrate, how 

Switzerland can profit 

from the fast growing 

global cleantech market 

and profile itself 

as a leading cleantech 

nation. 

Barbara Möckli- 

Schneider 

“Ambitious and future-oriented visions 

are important”, says Nick Beglinger, Chairman 

of swisscleantech, and mentions the 

NEAT break-through deep in the Gotthard 

massive as an example. “The tracks for the 

future have to be laid today!” 

Asia on the rise 

Performing well at home, however, might 

not prove to be sufficient by itself. Global 

warming is affecting the Swiss glaciers 

and the polar ice caps even if both 

regions emit very low levels 

of carbon dioxide. 

“In that respect, 

Switzerland’s hightech 

solutions in the 

fields of biotechnology, 

microtechnology 

and nanotechnology 

are an ideal 

complement to 

our country’s traditional 

strengths in the 

fields of precision, mechanical 

and electrical 

engineering”, explains 

Ms. Möckli-Schneider. 

And just as Switzerland is a major 

Switzerland consistently 

ranks as one 

of the world’s most energy- 

efficient economies. 

exporter of the latter technologies, it is becoming 

a leading exporter of the former 

ones, which could help to save the Himalayan 

glaciers too. Unexpectedly, the swift 

and relatively sudden rise of Asia is clearly 

evident. 

“There will be great opportunities and 

immense growth in India, China, South 

Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, 

Indonesia and Vietnam”, states Ms. 

Möckli-Schneider. 

Switzerland has developed an expertise 

based on a home market for cleantech estimated 

at USD 30 billion in 2009. It is 

expected that by 2020, cleantech will represent 

5.5 to 6% of the economic activities 

worldwide. 

So far, it is estimated that cleantech 

employs 160,000 people in Switzerland – 

that is to say 4.5 percent of the total workforce. 

“Switzerland has 

seen notable successes 

in the global cleantech 

arena through multinationalmanufacturing 

giants such as ABB 

and Oerlikon Solar. 

Other standout com- 

panies include Geberit, 

Schulthess Group, 

Ernst Schweizer, Mey- 

Nick Beglinger 

er Burger, Hoval Herzog, Landis+Gyr, 

TRITEC International and Renggli”, says 

Ms. Möckli-Schneider. 

To provide a framework for these developments 

in Asia, and to protect intellectual 

property rights, the Swiss-Asian 

Chamber of Commerce has signed various 

agreements with local Chambers of Commerce 

in all the ASEAN countries, South 

Korea and Pakistan. 

“This is also strong support for Swiss 

SMEs”, explains Ms. Möckli-Schneider. 

“Sustainable technologies can only be developed 

and brought to market when suitable 

general conditions are in place.”


“Rogerise” your export business 

For the Swiss the best 

chocolate in the world obviously 

comes from Switzerland. For the Japanese 

however, the world’s best chocolate is Belgian or French. 

We Swiss take it for granted that Swiss products are seen as 

superior to other products. Welcome to the globalised 

world, where the reality is often different. 

Swiss branding 

Written by Alessio Giacomel 

Believe it or not, Swiss national hero 

Roger Federer, the best tennis player of 

all time, is Switzerland’s most important 

brand! The unbeatable combination of 

classic Swiss virtues with the power and 

dynamism of Federer provide the best example 

of branding to successfully promote 

your small- and medium sized company in 

the global marketplace. 

When Roger Federer was leaving the ultramodern 

tennis stadium at final of the 

Shanghai Masters in October 2010, he 

could see heavy traffic through his car window. 

When not thinking of Andy Murray, 

Federer could glimpse affluent Chinese men 

driving their Mercedes Benz limousines, 

wearing Rolex watches on their wrists, and 

probably using Gillette razorblades to shave 

in the morning – just some of the global 

companies capitalising on brand Federer, 

the man’s appearance and image. In 2010, 

Shanghai is a typical Roger Federer market. 

The Swiss brand benefits from a distinctive 

reputation on a worldwide level. 

Products and services with the ‘Swiss 

Made’ label are associated with reliability 

and high value. Unlike Europe, 

where neighbouring countries constantly 

evaluate the Swiss brand (sometimes 

politically), from an Asian perspective the 

Swiss brand is almost free from political 

associations. The Swiss brand and the label 

‘Made in Switzerland’ are regarded in 

highly positive terms in China and Japan. 

However, Swiss brand perception is relatively 

weak in terms of innovation. 

The formula for success lies in the proper 

application of Roger Federer’s virtues, 

the key to success in a global marketplace 

for Swiss SMEs. Roger Federer combines 

the best qualities, such as self-confidence, 

open-mindedness, dynamism, freshness, 

eloquence and style. Hence, the young 

tennis star is a great inspiration for all 

exporting Swiss companies, perfectly 

complementing the distinctive Swiss 

traits of quality 

and precision. 

Swiss companies 

can “rogerise” 

their export 

business by acting 

in a more 

self-confident, 

youthful and 

dynamic manner, 

positively 

enhancing the 

already strong 

Swiss quality 

brand. 

Alessio Giacomel holds a PhD in Business Administration. 

He is the author of “Successful luxury marketing 

in Asia”, works for a Swiss watch company in 

Tokyo and started his career with a scholarship from 

the Swiss-Japanese Chamber of Commerce.


Connecting people 

– Getting your message across 

In a globalised world, the keys to success are 

knowing what is going on in your target markets, 

getting your message across and understanding 

what your business contacts and clients are saying. 

Information 


New technologies have revolutionized 

communication and 

information fl ows. swissinfo.ch, 

an internet news and information 

platform in nine languages, provides 

timely reports about Switzerland 

with text, photos, video 

and audio slideshows. 

“We are the only Swiss news 

portal aimed at explaining the 

context of Swiss news to an international 

audience”, says Editor-inchief 

Christophe Giovannini. 

Relevant topics for global business 

partners include Swiss-EU 

relations, export promotion, 

double taxation 

agreements, taxes 

and levies, government 

spending, and Switzerland 

as a business location. 

This also makes 

swissinfo.ch a valuable 

source of information 

Editor-in-chief Christo- for the chambers of 

phe Giovannini commerce. 

“We have very good relationships with the 

chambers in our markets, and we are members 

of many of them”, Giovannini points 

out. swissinfo has a strong social media 

presence on platforms 

such as Facebook or 

Youtube as well. 

CEO Doris Albisser, 

CLS Communication 

Overcoming clichés 

“Globalisation is a 

fact, but most markets 

remain local. Knowing 

your customers, 

shareholders and staff 

members in a remote 

location means communicating in their own 

language”, says Doris Albisser, CEO of CLS 

The swissinfo.ch website. 

Communication, an international language 

and technology service provider. As a fastgrowing, 

internationally orientated company, 

it cooperates with several chambers of 

commerce, such as the Swiss-American, the 

Swiss-Chinese, or the British-Swiss Chambers 

of Commerce. 

“Translation is still our core business, but 

we are adding a wide range of services such 

as content analysis, writing 

and editorial services”, Doris 

Albisser explains. 

One of the new tools offered 

by innovative technologies 

are online dictionaries. 

Companies can draw on databases 

of specialist terms in 

several languages, or have customized corporate 

dictionaries. One of their newer services 

offers online reputational analyses. By 

investigating independent statements available 

in the digital media they can provide 

helpful information to companies with a global 

presence by supplementing traditional 

surveys. For example, a recent CLS analysis 

of 23,000 statements about Switzerland by 

Facebook users around the world revealed 

that the country is widely referred to using 

We provide 

an accurate 

picture of Switzerland 

beyond the 

usual clichés. 

Journalist Ting Song from swissinfo.ch 

making an interview. 

clichés related to food, holidays or products 

such as chocolate, cheese, and watches. 

Overcoming this perception is one of 

swissinfo.ch’s most important roles, according 

to Christophe Giovanni. 

“We provide an accurate 

picture of Switzerland beyond 

the usual clichés”, he 

says. “Just one example: outsiders 

might think the Swiss 

economy is just made up of 

banks, Nestlé, Novartis and 

Swatch. But the fact is that 

small and medium-sized enterprises account 

for 99.7% of the 307,000 companies 

in the Swiss private sector and provide jobs 

for 66.8% of the workforce. And 87.9% of 

SMEs have fewer than ten employees.” 

“Internationalisation and globalisation 

have created great opportunities for small- 

and medium-sized enterprises, and Switzerland 

has an excellent opportunity to play a 

major role in a globalised world”, Doris Albisser 

adds.

Other companies may also know how to do 

business in Bangkok, or connect you with the 

right people in Hong Kong. But what about 

in Vientiane or Koh Kong? 

We go where others don’t. That’s how it was over 140 

years ago when we first came to Asia. And that’s how it is 

today. We do business and cultivate relationships even in 

the remotest parts of Asia. 

We are the global leader in Market Expansion Services, 

employing 22,000 specialists in 560 business locations all 

over the world. We help companies to grow their busi- 

nesses in and with Asia, providing all the knowledge, advice, 

relationships, and on-the-ground logistics they need. 

To find out more about us and the services of our 

specialized Business Units Consumer Goods, Healthcare, 

Performance Materials, and Technology, visit us at 

www.dksh.com


Women in International Business 

Gender equality is an integral part of today’s political agenda. In the harsh reality of day-to-day business, efforts 

to improve equality often seem fruitless – at least as far as executive positions are concerned. Business 

continues to be to a large extent dominated by men. However, according to the concept of “womenomics”, 

companies with more women in top management positions have better results. 

On the plus side 

women look at 

things in a multitasking way. 

36311-ISM-Economist-180x115 9/06/06 16:19 Page 1 (Noir/Process Black film) 

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Womenomics 


“Switzerland is one of the world’s 

most important importing and exporting 

countries, but women are scarce in teamleading 

positions in logistics, import and 

export”, says Claudia Feusi, managing director 

of the School of International Business 

in Zurich and organiser of the first 

all-female foreign trade congress. 

“If something like a ‘traditional’ field of 

work for women exists, it would be the 

operative processes.” 

The question remains, why are there 

IU_90x118_A_Q_swisstrade_mag_IU still so few 28.09.10 women 16:57 in high Page1 powered positions? 

According to the Corporate Gender 

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Michaela Merz Alessandra Modenese 

Kauffmann 

Gap report 2010, the average number of 

women holding a CEO-level position is a 

little less than 5 %. 

“I don’t think that demands on women 

differ much from the ones on men, 

but women still need to prove themselves 

more, especially in technical professions. 

They need to show more commitment and 

more dedication to get accepted for their 

professional competence”, elaborates 

Claudia Feusi. Women striving for a career 

at the international level have a lot of 

opportunities, but they need to stand up 

for themselves. 

“Women usually demand 

too little from their 

superiors in terms of salary 

increases, career opportunities, 

or further 

education and development”, 

says Michaela 

Merz, Tax & Legal Services, 

Partner at PwC 

Switzerland. The outcome 

of the Swiss earnings 

structure survey 

proves that. Women still earn about 19% 

less than men in similar positions. 

Claudia Feusi 

Courage and culture 

Working in an international business environment 

can prove to be a problem for women 

in one specific field: Culture. Encounters 

between western businesswomen and businessmen 

from countries where females are 

not seen as equals and are not usually part 

of the working world, can be challenging for 

both sides. 

“On the plus side women look at things 

in a multitasking way”, says Alessandra 

Modenese Kauffmann, Secretary General 

and General Director of the Swiss Chamber 

of Commerce in Italy and Head of 

Swiss Business Hub Italy. “We are more 

intuitive, and this helps us to make fast decisions 

with little data available. We are 

flexible thanks to our systemic approach 

to challenges, resulting from our millenarian 

multilevel activity that has forced us to 

learn how to tackle many challenges and 

tasks simultaneously.” 

“All too often, male superiors do not 

make use of these feminine characteristics 

to their advantage and therefore do not support 

and develop their female staff’s talent 

properly”, Merz points out. “However, demographic 

developments will support the 

younger generation of women in Europe 

achieving better careers than their mothers.” 

For Modenese Kauffmann there is one essential 

quality that will lead you to success: 

courage. 

”The courage to endure and resist, and 

to fight with passion for what you believe 

in body and soul. Man or woman, it is the 

same.” 

Let us guide you to Success 

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A word from... 

Daniel Küng, 

CEO of Osec 

Osec is currently 

developing socalled 

export 

platforms. What 

does this mean? 

Osec is developing 

export platforms 

on a state mandate, as part of broader 

stabilisation measures to support 

the export industries. The platforms 

function as associations, to a large extent 

independent from Osec, and they 

complement existing organisations. 

The idea is to help certain promising 

branches access export markets with 

great potential. The supply of Swiss 

goods becomes more concentrated, 

foreign demand is clearly identified, 

and the two are brought together efficiently 

through the platform. 

What are the existing export 

platforms? 

There are currently three export platforms: 

Cleantech, Medtech and the Ingenious 

for architecture, engineering 

and design. They are led by Uwe Krüger, 

Erwin Locher and Nelly Wenger. 

What advantages are there? 

Primarily, Swiss SMEs profit from the 

export platforms, which foster networking 

between companies and information 

exchange between Swiss 

and foreign players. Under the common 

umbrella brand the platform ensures 

that the SME and its innovative 

and high quality products are better 

perceived in target markets. 

Apropos target markets: which 

areas are covered? 

In principle the platforms try to help 

SMEs with requests regarding all markets. 

But to be able to produce a specific 

effect, they have to focus on the markets 

where there is most trade potential 

for Swiss companies. In the Cleantech 

branch this means mainly the USA, 

Canada, India, UK and Poland. For the 

“Ingenious” there are greater opportunities 

in Germany, France and Singapore. 

The Medtech platform covers the 

USA, China, Japan, France, Germany 

and the Netherlands. 

City breaks and business 

travel on the rise 

Jürg Schmid, Director of Switzerland Tourism, comments on the 

growth potential of tourism and the meaning of luxury travel. 

Tourism 


Tourism is Switzerland’s third biggest 

export industry. During the recent 

international economic downturn, Swiss 

tourism has proven to be resistant to the 

crisis. However, it is not independent of 

economic developments. 

“We will probably notice the effects of 

unfavourable currency rates, especially 

the weak Euro, from this fall onwards”, 

Jürg Schmid says. 

This summer, the Swiss Federal Council 

launched a tourism growth strategy with 

the objective of better utilizing the potential 

of this business sector. 

“It requires sufficient funding, otherwise 

it will remain a mere intention 

that cannot be translated into a sustainable 

strategy”, Jürg Schmid states. Last 

year, as part of the government’s stimulus 

programme, Switzerland Tourism received 

CHF 12 million in funding, plus 

CHF 3 million from regions and partners, 

which were invested in additional marketing 

activities in Switzerland, France, Germany 

and Italy. 

“Those measures, which focused on 

promoting value-added offers, generated 

sales of approximately 378 million Swiss 

francs and 1.35 million additional overnights”, 

Jürg Schmid explains. 

According to Mr. Schmid, there is great 

potential for growth in city tourism, as 

people tend to travel more frequently but 

Places of 

international 

attraction 

such as St. Moritz 

are well- 

positioned, but 

Switzerland is 

not limited to 

such brands. 

Jürg Schmid, Director 

of Switzerland 

Tourism 

make shorter trips. Business travel has 

started to recover. One of the main campaigns 

is centred around convention tourism, 

he says. 

“We put a lot of effort into researching, 

evaluating and advising potential clients 

who would hold meetings in Switzerland.” 

Even an alpine hut can be luxurious 

The cooperation with the chambers is excellent, 

Schmid says. 

“Swiss tourism is a typical shop window 

product – highly attractive and authentic. 

It is exactly this image of Switzerland that 

the Swiss chambers of commerce can use 

when representing their interests with the 

decision-makers abroad”, Jürg Schmid 

says. 

Many people abroad equate travelling 

to Switzerland with luxury. 

“Places of international attraction such 

as St. Moritz are well-positioned, but Switzerland 

is not limited to such brands”, he 

says. 

Both low budget accommodation and 

premium hotels in Switzerland offer top 

quality and good value for money. Mr. 

Schmid sees room for improvement in 

the rural and alpine mid-range options in 

terms of quality and service. 

“Personally, having time for myself is a 

real luxury – to relax, to enjoy the beauty 

of the Swiss landscape”, he says. For this 

reason, he recommends: “Spend your winter 

holidays in Switzerland. It’s the best 

place for authentic travelling and outdoor 

experiences.”


No wine tasting on the web 

While new technologies are increasingly being used as marketing tools, 

personal meetings remain a necessary part of doing business. Chambers 

of Commerce can help to provide suitable platforms. 

Marketing 


Small and medium-sized enterprises 

are making greater use of their websites as 

a main marketing tool, and increasingly focus 

developing direct e-marketing. In the 

wake of the financial crisis and the resulting 

budget cuts, the number of exhibition 

stands at trade fairs has fallen sharply. This 

is also evident in a recent study about import 

and export trends in Europe commissioned 

by the European business directory 

EUROPAGES. 

What chambers can do for SMEs… 

Chambers of commerce provide companies 

with affordable opportunities to promote 

their businesses: 

“We take part in a number of fairs, setting 

up pavilions that allow Swiss SMEs 

to display their products using our space 

and infrastructure, as well as the servic- 

Companies ask us 

for support in finding 

the right contacts when 

setting up meetings. 

SCHOOL FOR INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS 

YOUR ADVISOR IN EXPORT QUESTIONS 

es of experienced, multilingual staff. One 

advantage (apart from costs being shared) 

is the opportunity to present ‘Swissness’, 

an important concept in Brazil”, says 

Stephan Buser, Executive Director of the 

Swiss-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce 

(SWISSCAM). 

…and for larger companies 

“For big corporations – as they usually 

don’t need us for promotion purposes – 

we organize events and seminars, which 

they support. Instead of the company, 

the focus is a topic of interest which 

they would like to raise awareness of, 

such as property rights”, Stephan Buser 

adds. 

This is also the concept of the “Swedish-Swiss 

Business Forum”, an annual 

event organized by the Swedish-Swiss 

Chamber of Commerce (SSCC). 

“The Forum is a chamber event, 

where big corporations are the sponsors. 

We choose a topic of general interest 

to our members, and arrange and 

market the event. A mix of members and 

representatives from different branches 

and businesses thus 

have the opportunity 

to get together”, 

Managing Director 

Johan Mannerberg 

explains. 

Hans Ulrich Märki, 

the Chairman of the 

Executive Director 

Stephan Buser, 

SWISSCAM. 

Managing Director 

Johan Mannerberg, 

SSCC 

Board, highlights another 

advantage: 

“Companies ask us 

for support in finding 

the right contacts 

when setting up meetings, 

something we as 

a chamber gladly assist 

with.” 

As with any organisation, 

SSCC uses all 

kinds of media. 

“We have an interactive 

website and 

use social media like 

LinkedIn to market 

our activities”, Mannerberg 

says. 

“Not to forget 

printed media, such 

as yearbooks and invitation 

letters, in order 

to reach members 

who do not use the 

web”, Hans Ulrich 

Märki adds. Both are 

convinced that even 

in the age of online 

and e-marketing, social media 

and blogging, face-to-face-meetings 

are still indispensable. As 

Hans-Ulrich Märki points out: 

“It is difficult to taste a wine 

through the internet.” 

Chairman of 

the Board 

Hans Ulrich 

Märki, SSCC 

Helping you • Succeed SCM Management in Export Markets 

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• Customs Formalities 

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• EU - VAT 

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• Federal Degree in Export Management 

www.eiab.ch 

in Export Markets



Beat Moser, 

Director General, SGCI Chemie Pharma Schweiz 

Almost 40% of the total value of all Swiss 

exports is generated by the pharmaceutical 

and chemical industry. What are the biggest 

challenges facing it today? 

European societies tend to focus on risk, underestimating 

the potential future benefits of 

new technologies. The lack of talented staff is 

another important factor in this. 

What does it take to maintain the industry’s innovative performance? 

The international competitiveness of the Swiss chemical and pharmaceutical 

industry is determined by its capability to keep generating 

innovative products. Companies need a firm commitment to the 

latest technological developments that translates into a real culture 

of innovation.Since companies pay their R&D investments out of 

revenues from existing products, our industry needs excellent access 

to world-wide markets combined with strong protection of 

intellectual property rights. 

What do you expect from politics? 

A regulatory framework that is favorable to our innovation activities. 

This includes: help with overcoming the business culture’s 

zero risk mentality, financial funds for public research, a precondition 

for educating people, energy and environmental costs comparable 

with those of other countries, quick market authorization 

of products and market access guaranteed by WTO agreements 

or FTAs. We would like to see further FTAs, especially with China 

and other BRIC countries. 

How does SGCI Chemie Pharma Schweiz co-operate with the 

chambers of foreign trade? 

Our members appreciate the experience, networking opportunities 

and support in market access they can draw on from different 

chambers and their representatives all over the world. 

Swiss business sc 

Swiss graduate 

institutions and 

business schools 

offer superior 

networking and 

employment 

opportunities to 

students because 

of the vast amount 

of international 

companies based in 

Switzerland. 

Swiss-Asian Chamber of Commerce – your partner in 

doing business in the ASEAN region, Korea and Pakistan! 

Please contact sacc@sacc.ch or www.sacc.ch 

The programs 

at 

Swiss business 

schools are traditionally 

more 

geared towards the 

global economy.


hools – hot spot for networking 

Education 


“Geneva is a major hub for multinationals 

and the European headquarters of 

the United Nations. Students have access 

to a network of decision-makers in business 

and governmental agencies based here. For 

example, they are able to attend lectures at 

the United Nations Palace, and the faculty 

organizes visits to multinationals, such as 

Nestlé and Hewlett Packard, who are based 

in the region”, confirms Eric Willumsen, 

President of the International University in 

Geneva (IUG). 

In his opinion, 

undergraduate and 

graduate programs 

in business administration, 

international 

relations, trade and 

media in Switzerland 

are unique. 

“The programs at 

Swiss business schools 

Eric Willumsen, President 

of IUG 

are traditionally more geared towards the 

global economy than other European countries, 

due to the Swiss economy’s dependence 

on exports.” 

Zurich, of course, is another international 

hotspot. 

“For many people, Zurich represents 

the financial capital of the world, and it 

has been consecutively ranked among the 

top five in the world for quality of life”, 

www.ubs.com/sme-international 

says Marijana Karanfiloska, registrar and 

founder of SBS Swiss Business School, a 

member of the Belgian-Swiss chamber of 

commerce. 

“It is a truly international 

city, the base 

of many international 

companies, and offers 

an excellent professional 

platform for 

our students to put 

what they have learnt 

into practice.” 

In today’s dynamic 

SBS Registrar & founder 

Marijana Karanfiloska 

marketplace, successful managers must be 

innovative and entrepreneurial, combining 

a general knowledge of business functions 

with specific skills in their area of responsibility. 

In addition to traditional educational 

programs, many Swiss business schools 

offer flexible MBA programs for professionals, 

where studying can be done while 

continuing to pursue a career. 

Quo vadis? Where 

do we go from here? 

“The university benefits from its relationship 

with the Chambers of Commerce by 

being able to invite its students to attend 

some of the activities and conferences organized 

by the former”, explains Willumsen, 

whose school is a member of several 

Swiss and bilateral chambers of commerce. 

There are also different kinds of cooperation. 

“As networking organisations and facilitators, 

chambers of commerce with 

strong roots in the target country play a 

very useful role, particularly by disseminating 

information about the dual vocational 

education and training model used 

in Switzerland”, explains Franz Probst, 

Chairman of the Swiss-Indian Chamber of 

Commerce (SICC). “This is done through 

organizing events in the target country, 

opening up doors and suggesting that 

member companies participate in these efforts.” 

Swissmem and the Swiss Federal Institute 

of Vocational Education and Training 

(SFIVET) are the key knowledge partners 

in the joint initiative to implement basic elements 

of the Swiss dual-track Vocational 

Education and Training System (VET) in 

India, an initiative launched by SICC and 

the Indian Federal Office for Professional 

Education and Technology (OPET). 

University cooperation initiatives can 

also be useful for the development of the 

Chambers. The Lucerne 

University of 

Applied Sciences and 

Arts launched a “SEC 

Quo Vadis” project, 

where students studying 

for a Master of 

Science in Business 

Administration are 

working out a new 

business model and 

Chairman Franz 

Probst, SICC 

networking strategy for the Chamber of 

Commerce Switzerland-Central Europe 

(SEC). The results should be available 

soon! 

Helping you 

succeed abroad. 

Take advantage 

of our global skills. 

© UBS 2010. All rights reserved.


No calm after the storm: financial 

services and risk management 

At times, it is impossible to see the 

wood for the trees, as illustrated by 

the current state of financial services. 

Switzerland is known for its leading 

international banks, which have weathered 

the crisis with mixed results. 

Export finance 

Written by Cyril Demaria 

“After the immense damage done to 

the image of banking globally, the Swiss 

banking sector has emerged strengthened 

from the global crisis and has managed to 

keep its reputation abroad intact. The sector 

is returning to its roots, promoting the traditional 

values of Swiss banking, which include 

an uncompromising focus on clients, 

expertise, modesty, and stability”, confirms 

Daniel Brunner, Board Member of Swiss- 

Cham Southern Africa (SCSA), Swiss- 

Latin American Chamber of Com merce 

(Latcam) and Head of Financial Institutions 

at Credit Suisse. 

However, small and mid-size financial 

institutions are also very active, and have 

emerged stronger from the crisis. 

“From a European perspective, Swiss 

companies are very healthy, and we have


seen a better recovery in Switzerland than 

in Europe in general”, states Tim Marschall, 

board member of the Danish Swiss Chamber 

of Commerce (DKSH), Honorary Consul 

for Denmark and Managing Director of 

Jyske Bank Switzerland. 

Nevertheless, small and medium size financial 

institutions remain out of export financing. 

As a result, credit remains scarce. 

This is confirmed by Herbert Wight, Director 

of Swiss Export Risk Insurance (SERV): 

“Almost all SMEs were faced with a 

sharp decline in orders. As a result, the revenue 

of affected companies slumped and 

their liquidity suffered. These liquidity 

shortfalls still affect the companies today.” 

One of the dominant analyses is developed 

by Jacqueline Keefer, board member 

of SwissCham, the Swiss-Central European 

Chamber of Commerce and Executive Director 

at UBS: 

“The attitude of banks to providing 

credit has not changed. 

In fact, small businesses face 

more obstacles than before in 

reaching credit standards.” 

Whether it is due to the tightened 

credit policies of the banks 

or to the decline in the situation 

of SMEs, the access to credit of 

SMEs has been suffering. 

SMEs are recovering 

Figures are showing that SMEs have recovered. 

“SMEs account for 89% of credit limits 

granted and 91% of credit utilisation. Provided 

they do not operate exclusively using 

equity, bank loans represent the most important 

source of corporate financing for 

SMEs. Utilisation of credit by SMEs rose 

2.4% year-on-year to CHF 264.5 billion, 

General Insurance 

Life Insurance 

Risk Management 

Daniel Brunner, 

SCSA, Latcam 

We have 

seen a 

better recovery 

in Switzerland 

than in Europe 

in general. 

while credit utilisation by large companies 

declined 0.5% to CHF 25.7 billion. Back in 

December 2009, the year-on-year growth in 

credit utilisation by SMEs was 1.5% and 

28.7% in the case of large companies”, 

states Mr. Brunner. 

The situation remains particularly difficult 

for small businesses, with large order 

books to finance. 

“While the volume of orders 

is improving, companies 

now lack the funds to finance 

production”, says Mr. Wight. 

“To accept new orders, many 

exporters need loans but their 

guarantee and credit limits 

are often exhausted. Exporters 

need to provide additional 

collateral to get the loans or guarantees required, 

further straining their liquidity.” 

“In severe cases, banks are unable to 

increase credit limits or grant new loans, 

which would result in business losses. This 

is why SERV introduced new products within 

the stabilisation program of the Swiss 

Government, providing the SMEs with new 

liquidity”, explains Herbert Wight. 

Although the credit outlook remains 

gloomy, Tim Marschall points out that the 

strength of the Swiss Franc is a bigger issue 

Tim Marschall, DSHK Herbert Wight, SERV Jacqueline Keefer, 

SwissCham, SEC 

for exporting companies than tightening of 

credit policies. Small and medium size financial 

businesses are well positioned to benefit 

from the recovery. 

“They often react faster to changes than 

larger companies”, states Mr. Marschall. 

“Financial services are not about tax management 

anymore, as the industry is realising 

these days. Adjusting the business model 

to be based more on professionalism, quality 

and real added value to the client is a key 

to success.” 

“In exporting financial services the ‘Swiss 

label’ has a considerable, although not exactly 

quantifiable impact. It is associated 

with trust, reliability (seriousness), quality 

and stability”, explains Mr. Brunner. 

Jaqueline Keefer suggests the best prospects 

may lie in emerging markets. 

“Such as Asia, which appears to be less 

affected by the crisis, and Africa. Swiss businesses 

have to broaden their horizons”, she 

suggests. For Mr. Brunner the most attractive 

are APAC, especially China, India and Indonesia, 

and Latin America, especially Brazil. 

These markets can prove to be tricky, as 

they are politically and economically unstable. 

More than ever, the combination of 

banking and insurance is the key to success 

in this tightened environment. 

Trade credit 

Political risk 

Surety 

Promoting trade flows and 

assuring financial stability 

Zurich Insurance Company Ltd



...Jules Kappeler, 

Managing Director Euler 

Hermes Switzerland 

How would you describe 

the impact of 

the 2007-2009 crisis, 

particularly with regard 

to the issue of 

solvency? 

In terms of business 

insolvency, 2009 was 

the worst in the last ten years in the 

US, UK, France and Finland. It was 

the worst of the history of Spain, the 

Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland. 

2008 had already seen a 28% 

increase in the number of businesses 

worldwide which went into insolvency. 

2009 further increased the problem 

with a 29% increase over the 

already high number of 2008. 

What is your outlook for the coming 

six to twelve months regarding the 

health of Swiss SMEs focused on 

exports? 

We expect that businesses will remain 

under pressure, keeping business insolvency 

at record levels historically 

until 2011. The business environment 

remains fragile overall. SMEs should 

monitor the quality of their business 

relationships. Debt collection services 

combined with trade credit insurance 

can help them, for example, to manage 

their exposure to potentially bad 

debts. 

Focusing on Swiss businesses: what 

are the sectors the most exposed 

to business insolvency, according 

to you? 

We believe that the risks related to 

private consumption contraction, an 

increased public debt worldwide and 

the projected tax hikes are very important. 

For that reason, certain private 

expenses will be delayed. The 

related industries, such as textile, furniture 

and consumer electronics, as 

well as machinery and equipment, 

will suffer the most. 

Euler Hermes is the worldwide leader in credit 

insurance and has developed a credit intelligence 

network that enables it to analyse 

the financial stability of 40 million businesses 

across the globe. 

Europe remains a driving 

force in global trade 

Emerging markets 

Written by Roger Thomet 

Throughout the downturn, we have 

witnessed global trade, albeit itself impacted 

by economic circumstances, acting 

as a driving force behind global economic 

recovery. Further testament to the impact 

of global trade is the enthusiasm 

businesses worldwide hold for trading 

internationally and the positive benefits 

it can bring; HSBC’s latest Trade Confidence 

Index found that of the seventeen 

markets surveyed globally, all were confident 

about trade prospects in the next six 

months. A high proportion of businesses 

across many countries and continents also 

said they expected their need for trade finance 

to increase. 

A key insight for European businesses 

considering future growth hotspots was 

that new ‘rising stars’ are appearing on 

the world map. While much has been 

made of the phenomenal growth 

of Brazil, or the economic power 

of China, our latest international 

market report ‘Mapping 

the World’s Trade Connections’ 

found that the brightest prospects 

for global trade also included 

lesser-known trading 

prospects, including Africa – 

most notably South Africa – Vietnam 

and Eastern Europe. Much attention is 

given to the role of emerging markets, 

but the report found that Europe retains 

a strong role in global trade. This role is 

likely to see it defined less as a consumer, 

and more of an innovator, with the continent’s 

renowned leadership in cuttingedge 

research, its strength in high valuing 

manufacturing and design and its access 

to ideals, innovations and networks leaving 

it well placed to trade on skills, not 

products, in the future. 

The view of many of the experts interviewed 

for the report was that while the 

emerging markets may boast greater economic 

growth, a thinking business needs 

to capitalise on the strengths of both 

emerging and developed markets, and in 

the case of Europe and Switzerland in particular 

that means harnessing experience, 

knowledge and skills. Certainly, with 

trade now focused on establishing a global 

supply chain, it is Europe’s expertise and 

leadership in research and development 

that means it will retain an important 

place in this supply chain. In this context 

Switzerland positioned in the heart of Europe 

and globally well-known 

as a leading provider of innovative 

products and top-level service 

offerings should be seen as 

an attractive option for emerging 

markets looking to establish 

strategic partnerships to further 

drive their own growth. 

Roger Thomet is Managing Director, Head HSBC 

Commercial Banking Switzerland, HSBC Bank PLC, 

London, Zurich Branch.

Katarina Lif Burren, KENDRIS private Ltd.: 

“It is important to have a partner who 

thinks outside the box once in a while.” 

In 2005 the leadership of KPMG private, a subsidiary of KPMG Holding, 

initiated a management buy-out. Nine founding partners took full control over 

the shareholder capital and established KENDRIS private Ltd. Today KENDRIS 

is the leading independent and internationally operating Swiss fiduciary. 

Since its establishment, KENDRIS 

has increased its turnover from 

CHF 16 million in 2005 to over 

CHF 40 million in 2010 and its 

number of employees from 75 to 

170. For newly appointed CEO 

Adrian Escher, two factors are 

responsible for this: Quality and 

continuity. “When these two factors 

are right, growths practically 

occurs by itself.” 

Of course, quality and continuity 

combined exemplify one of 

the company’s main values: excellence. 

Continuity in development 

of services and continuity 

in customer care lead to excellent 

services from consultants 

who make it their goal to strive 

for the best, for excellence, supported 

by the fact that many of 

the employees are also shareholders. 

This results in personal re- 

Katarina Lif Burren, KENDRIS private Ltd. 

sponsibility for the company’s 

performance and encourages 

innovative action and entrepreneurship. 

Fields of work 

KENDRIS operates in the classical 

structuring business, (trusts, 

foundations and companies) combined 

with international tax and 

legal services, trust and corporate 

administration, art management, 

family office and accounting, and 

outsourcing services to private 

and corporate clients. Due to reasons 

affecting the company’s independence, 

asset management is 

intentionally excluded from the 

company’s remit. 

For companies looking to ex- 

i 

KENDRIS private Ltd. is the 

leading independent Swiss provider 

of international tax and 

legal advice, trust and corporate 

administration, art management, 

family office as well as accounting 

and outsourcing services to 

private and corporate clients. 

The firm combines a classic 

structuring business with tax, 

legal and accounting expertise. 

KENDRIS clients include high-networth 

individuals and families, 

entrepreneurs, owner managed 

businesses, financial institutions, 

law firms, tax consulting companies 

and Family Offices. 

KENDRIS has its own worldwide 

network of experienced experts 

and is fully owned by its mana- 

pand into Switzerland traditional 

Swiss fiduciary services are especially 

important. These include 

Salary Administration, a big challenge 

due to the increasing flood 

of regulations and laws in the 

fields of social welfare benefits, 

and tax and employment law; 

or flexible accounting solutions, 

which can include traditional 

methods or use “e-KENDRIS”, 

a professional online accounting 

service with AbaWebFiduciary. 

The customer decides which 

program parts and functions he 

wants to work with and which 

work processes should be taken 

over by KENDRIS. The customer 

can choose each of the services 

individually, but of course 

gement and employees. In 2009 

a subsidiary in Vienna, Austria 

was opened. At the head office 

in Zurich and the five branch offices 

in Aarau, Basel, Geneva, 

Lausanne and Lucerne, the 

company employs around 170 

qualified specialists. 

KENDRIS private Ltd. 

Mühlemattstrasse 56 

5001 Aarau 

Switzerland 

Phone: +41 (0)58 450 58 00 

Fax: +41 (0)58 450 58 51 

www.kendris.com 

Advertorial 

27 

KENDRIS offers a whole relocation 

package as well; tailored to 

individual needs. 

Tradition and internationality 

Due to its internationally oriented 

services, KENDRIS proves 

to be the perfect partner. They 

boast years of experiences of 

cross-border activities, and their 

expert teams have in-depth experience 

and specialist knowledge 

of countries throughout the 

world. “Traditional Swiss fiduciary 

services combined with an 

international outlook is a central 

part of what makes KENDRIS 

strong and special”, says Katarina 

Lif Burren, Partner and Member 

of the Executive Committee. 

The strong focus on implementation 

also does this. The best consultant 

is worth nothing if the 

implementation of contracts and 

administration is not done properly. 

The transfer from a good 

consultancy process to its highquality 

implementation is not 

easy, but essential for the overall 

outcome. KENDRIS makes it its 

goal to accompany the customer 

throughout the whole process, 

often over a matter of years. As 

the world gets more and more 

transparent and competitive, and 

the regulatory requirements of 

the financial markets constantly 

change, a good and strong partner 

needs to be reliable and has 

to identify risks and seize opportunities. 

And what does it take? 

Continuity, excellence and an 

entrepreneurial spirit.

28 

Advertorial 

New frontiers in sight at the Forum 

for Swiss Foreign Trade 2011 

Time to break into new markets: The ninth Forum for Swiss Foreign Trade will be held 

at the Zurich Exhibition Centre on Thursday 7 April 2011 – giving Swiss ideas wings. 

Osec, which helps small and 

medium-sized Swiss and Liechtenstein 

businesses set up and 

develop their foreign trade activities 

on behalf of the Confederation, 

is organising the Swiss 

Export Day for the ninth time. 

Apart from entrepreneurs who 

have already successfully con- 

Jean-Claude Biver 

Kjell Nordström 

quered unchartered waters, other 

experts will also be passing 

on their know-how to exhibitors 

from small and medium-sized 

businesses, as well as representatives 

from the worlds of politics, 

economics and administration. 

Cumulative know-how 

Jean-Claude Biver has led the 

Swiss watch brand Hublot to 

worldwide success with the “Big 

Bang” collection. The brand’s 

“The Art of Fusion” concept 

– the combination of various 

materials such as gold and ceramics, 

tantalum and red gold or 

magnesium and titanium – has 

now established itself with the 

Hublot luxury products. Biver’s 

was a meteoric rise: He entered 

the watch industry with Audemars 

Piguet in 1967, in 1983 

he bought the Blancpain brand, 

Peter Kruse 

which he transformed into the 

epitome of mechanised watches, 

and later became a member of 

the corporate management at 

Swatch. 2004 saw him join the 

stricken company Hublot, whose 

sales turnover he quadrupled 

within just two years. At this 

year’s Foreign Trade Forum, Biver 

will draw on his wealth of 

experiences, and explain how he 

has conquered markets all over 

the world in recent years with 

his revolutionary chronographs. 

Renowned scientist Kjell 

Nordström has been advising international 

companies for over 

20 years, his books “Funky Business” 

and “Karaoke Capitalism” 

are considered bibles of 

international management, and 

he was named the world’s 23rd 

most infl uential “business thinker” 

on www.thinkers50.com in 

2009. At the Forum for Foreign 

Trade, the forward and lateralthinker 

will examine the topic of 

exports, and demonstrate how 

to be successful with unconventional 

methods in corporate 

structuring. 

In his presentation, Peter 

Kruse, Honorary Professor for 

General and Organisational Psychology 

at the University of Bremen, 

will explain the knowledge 

the economy can draw from current 

psychological research, and 

the importance trends have as 

signposts. In 2009, “Personalmagazin” 

included Kruse on its 

list of 40 leading HR experts for 

the third time in a row. 

Nurturing personal contact 

Following the expert presentations, 

the panel discussion with 

representatives from small & 

medium-sized businesses and 

the moderator Stephan Klapproth 

will see additional practi- 

cal topics examined. These will 

be dealt with in further detail in 

the workshops, and issues experienced 

by the companies in their 

respective areas can be discussed. 

In the afternoon, the Osec Export 

Award will for the fourth time be 

given to outstanding Swiss projects. 

The networking aperitif 

and subsequent dinner allow the 

opportunity to engage in personal 

discussions with experts, advisors 

and exhibitors from small 

& medium-sized businesses. 

i 

New Territory 

– Land of Opportunity 

9th Forum for Swiss 

Foreign Trade 

Thursday, 7 April 2011 

Zurich Exhibition Centre 

(Messe Zürich), Hall 7 

Osec members benefit from an 

attractive “2 for 1” offer. 

For more information and online 

registration, visit: 

www.awf2011.ch 

Business Network Switzerland

SMEs particularly benefit 

from export risk insurance 

Swiss Export Risk Insurance SERV supports Swiss exporters in overcoming 

liquidity gaps, offers protection against non-payment and provides advice 

for business transactions. SMEs in particular benefit from these offers. 

Export-oriented SMEs are confronted 

with various problems. 

For example, SMEs have more 

difficulties obtaining loans than 

large companies. At present, this 

is having a particularly negative 

effect as some SMEs are struggling 

with a shortfall in liquidity 

in the wake of the crisis. SwissTex 

Winterthur AG was one such 

company. The manufacturer of 

textile machines has about 85 employees 

and depends almost en- 

tirely on exports. Due to the crisis, 

the SwissTex order books were almost 

empty at the start of 2009. 

As a result, revenue slumped and 

liquidity suffered. To protect the 

company, SwissTex was about 

to introduce short-time work or 

lay off personnel. At this point, 

a Russian company expressed interest 

in purchasing a spin draw 

winding machine for the production 

of technical endless yarns. 

However, SwissTex was lacking 

the funds needed to finance the 

production of the machine. Its liquidity 

was so strained that the 

banks were unwilling to grant the 

required amount of credit. 

SERV enables business 

In this difficult situation, SERV 

supported SwissTex with two of 

its products: a counter guarantee 

and working capital insurance. 

Both products protect the 

bank granting the loan or guarantee 

from non-payment by the 

exporter. In this way, they enable 

banks to grant new loans or guar- 

antees without using up the limits 

of the exporter. In the case of 

SwissTex, the bank was also willing 

to increase the existing credit 

limit thanks to SERV’s working 

capital insurance. Thus SwissTex 

had the funds needed to accept 

Part of the spin draw winding machine that SwissTex Winterthur AG exported 

to Russia thanks to SERV insurance. 

the order from Russia. “This deal 

was necessary for our survival”, 

explains Rolf Hürlimann, CFO 

at SwissTex. “It would not have 

been possible without SERV.” 

Secure payments 

SERV insurance not only assists 

i 

Swiss Export Risk Insurance SERV 

insures the export transactions of 

Swiss companies against political 

and economic risks. As an institution 

of the Swiss Confederation 

under public law, SERV operates 

on a subsidiary basis, i.e. in 

addition to the offers of private 

credit insurers. With its insurance 

products, it contributes to the 

competitiveness of Swiss exporters 

in the international arena and 

to the creation and preservation 

of jobs in Switzerland. 

exporters in maintaining their 

liquidity; it also provides them 

with protection against non-payment. 

Exports to politically or 

economically unstable countries 

involve a substantial risk of nonpayment 

for goods and services. 

SMEs suffer considerably from 

Apart from the export of consumer 

and capital goods, 

SERV also insures the export of 

services such as construction, 

maintenance and engineering 

projects or licence and knowhow 

agreements. There are 

no minimum requirements for 

SERV insurance with regard to 

company size or order volume. 

However, the exporter submitting 

the application must be based 

in Switzerland, and the export 

transaction must include a cer- 

Advertorial 

29 

outstanding payments, as they do 

not usually have as much financial 

leeway as large companies. 

“Not receiving our money would 

be fatal for us”, says Hürlimann. 

Among other things, SERV covers 

supplier credits or the production 

costs for export goods. 

In this way, it gives exporters the 

security required for accepting 

risky export orders. On the other 

hand, it makes it easier for exporters 

to assign their claims to 

banks. Thus exporters can offer 

financing to buyers while receiving 

their money immediately: a 

win-win solution. 

Expert advice 

A lack of expertise is another typical 

problem for SMEs. They are 

often unable to hire specialists 

for every area. “Therefore, we 

are glad to be able to draw on the 

expertise of SERV personnel”, 

says Hürlimann. Exporters benefit 

from the experience of SERV, 

especially in the fields of risk 

analysis and export handling. According 

to Hürlimann, SwissTex 

would be unable to accept many 

orders without the advice and insurance 

provided by SERV. He 

concludes: “For us as an SME 

that does not have the opportunities 

of a large company, SERV offers 

are particularly important.” 

tain proportion of Swiss value 

added. 

SERV Swiss Export Risk Insurance 

Kirchenweg 8 

P.O. Box 

CH-8032 Zurich 

T +41 44 384 47 33 

info@serv-ch.com 

www.serv-ch.com

30 

Advertorial 

On top of the Alps 

– the Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains 

The way leads over the Swiss Alps. Suddenly the wide valley offers a 

great view and the Engadine invites you. You can feel a warm welcome 

when your eyes catch the typical corner towers and the sky-blue shatters of 

the Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains. 

Step in and your senses get 

touched by elegance and lifestyle 

– but the other way: sincere, 

unstrained and debonaire. 

“The Kempinski Grand Hotel 

des Bains is a wonderful place 

for everybody. The Relaxed and 

progressive, it appeals to a new 

generation of 5-star guests”, explained 

Rupert Simoner, General 

Manager. 

What are your desires? Start 

with beautiful expectations – 

breathtaking mountains, glittering 

snow, brilliant sunshine and 

an air so clear and refreshing 

that you couldn’t wish for more. 

Scale the mountains – you have 

direct access to the slopes of the 

Corviglia or the wide 

cross country ski trails. 

Or dive in the St. 

Moritz High Alpine 

SPA. Simple, noble, natural 

and alpine – treat 

yourself to the special 

luxury of being cared 

the Kempinski Restaurants has 

the pleasure to spoil you – expect 

the best kitchen 

only. Taste the perfect 

mix of Switzerland at 

its best, Italian lifestyle 

and international 

world class. You have 

the choice between 

the Gourmet Restau- 

for and regeneration. 

rant “Cà d’Oro”, the 

Have a glass of water 

from the Mauritius 

Rupert Simoner, 

General Manager. 

lifestyle “Enoteca”, 

the awarded “Les Sai- 

spring – the origin of St. Moritz sons” and amidst the mountains, 

– and feel its regenerating effect. the traditional chalet “Chesa 

In the morning, for lunch or Chantarella”. That is travelling 

dinner – no matter which of in style. 

i 

The Kempinski Grand Hotel 

des Bains is located right at the 

source of St. Moritz and only a 

few walking minutes from the 

famous lake. In 184 rooms & 

suites a great service is offered 

e.g. 24-hour room & Concierge 

service, babysitter service 

& special kids menus and bathrooms 

with heated floors. You 

will be spoiled in four awarded 

restaurants, in the High 

Alpine Spa with indoor pool 

& extensive sauna landscape, 

Sport Shop & ski school and 

daylight banquet rooms with 

full technical equipment 

Kempinski Grand Hotel 

des Bains 

Via Mezdi 27 

7500 St. Moritz 

Switzerland 

T : +41 81 838 38 38 

info.stmoritz@kempinski.com 

www.kempinski.com/stmoritz

The Dolder Grand – The land- 

mark for exalted standards 

The Dolder Grand is the perfect environment for people who are looking 

for pleasure, exclusivity and relaxation: 173 luxurious rooms and suites, 

exquisite cuisine, a spa covering 4,000 square metres and generous 

banqueting and seminar facilities. The original “Curhaus” dating from 1899 

presents itself anew as the luxury-class City Resort. Its elevated location, 

between the pulsating life of the city and a refreshingly natural green zone, 

provides a magnifi cent view of the city of Zurich, the lake and the Alps. 

Views into a 

surprising world 

The categories of the 173 rooms 

and suites range from single 

rooms to deluxe rooms and suites, 

variously dimensioned and 

appointed. Four top suites aim to 

cater for individual extravagance. 

Largest of the top suites is the 

Maestro, housed in the tower of 

the historic Main Building. 

«Classic traditions 

with a techno beat» 

Encompassing 4,000 square 

metres, the Dolder Grand Spa 

offers a unique range of activities 

for your well-being. European 

and Japanese infl uences take you 

into an inspiring world. Take advantage 

of this invitation to look 

after your health and wellbeing 

and give your body and soul 

back what they need most: your 

inner balance and peace of mind. 

Jewels in the 

gastronomic crown 

Two restaurants, the Bar and the 

Lobby make the Dolder Grand 

an oasis for exceptional gourmet 

delights. All facilities are open to 

hotel guests and the general public 

alike. 

Events in new dimensions 

The Dolder Grand offers facilities 

for 12 to 900 guests for seminars, 

company events and 

conferences, banquets, weddings, 

private dinners or other 

events in Zurich. 

i 

The city resort of 

Zurich since 1899 

The Dolder Resort 

Kurhausstrasse 65 

8032 Zürich 

Switzerland 

Phone: +41 44 456 60 00 

Fax: +41 44 456 60 01 

www.thedolderresort.com 

Advertorial 

31

Your bank for 

International Business 

Our commercial network includes over 8,000 experts in over 60 countries 

so we can combine unique local insight with truly global vision. 

For more information on HSBC Corporate Banking, Switzerland, contact 

Roger Thomet, Managing Director 

roger.thomet@hsbc.com

Swiss Trade - SwissCham

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