Using the power of the brand
to advance great companies

Fabian Hotz VR-Präsident, BLC
E-Mail
+41 41 748 44 54

In the Nineties already, Fabian forced a radical shift of thinking in his father's enterprise and pushed the reorientation of the printing company, transforming it into a group of enterprises for brand-oriented business development. In 2007 he became sole owner of the group, which he positioned at the interface of brand, management and technology, calling it Brand Leadership Circle in 2011. Being an entrepreneur, Fabian has got extensive experience and knowledge in building and transforming companies. Presently, he is founding several companies in the field of paper and writing culture. In addition he is still consulting clients regarding their strategy.

Career: Chairman of the Board and Owner, Brand Leadership Circle; Chairman of the BLC Board; Managing Director, Hieronymus < CEO, Hotz Group < Managing Director, Hotz Brand Consultants < Brand Designer, Di Plano Design, New York < Apprenticeship as typographer

Alex Herrmann Strategy Director, HBC
E-Mail
+41 41 748 64 12

Alex has been living the principle of holistic brand management for 15 years. After his studies, he gained experiences in strategic and operative brand development in Switzerland, Germany, France and the US. On the consulting and agency side Alex has consulted big and small companies and fostered change processes with different teams. As former head of strategy of a renowned Branding Agency, Alex is now responsible for strategy & innovation at Hotz Brand Consultants. He consults clients on all questions concerning brand positioning, brand implementation, and brand visualisation. Alex shares his expertise not only as a consultant, but also as lecturer and docent. He is the director of the CAS-program Brand Management and Communication at the University of Bern and holds a teaching position for the Design Management bachelor’s program at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts.

Andreas Seiler Director Implementation, GateB
E-Mail
+41 41 748 44 65

Besides getting a degree as an electrical engineer and a Master in Business Administration (MBA Lucerne), Andreas was constantly educating himself further on technological issues. For over ten years he has been working as software developer and project leader. He came to GateB in 2014, where he was heading the Engineering team for three years. Since February 2017 Andreas is Director Solution Design and giving consultancy in designing software and system solutions allowing GateB's clients to create their marketing-relevant data fully automatized; to use them most efficiently in different formats, channels or campaigns; and to measure and visualize the success of their marketing activities with analytical processes. His focus is always on the processes and methods to implement technological requirements with modern software development processes most efficiently and target-oriented.

Career: Director Solution Design, GateB < Director Implementation, GateB < Master of Advanced Studies in Business Administration (MBA Lucerne), Lucerne University of Applied Sciences < Head Technology and Innovation, Zetavision < Co-Head Technical Direction, Amatic < diverse positions in the field of software development < Bachelor in Electrical Engineering, Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture

Bastian Schneider Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer, BLC
E-Mail
+41 41 748 64 22

Bastian is responsible for the strategic development of the brand leadership circle. For more than 15 years, he has been consulting companies in over 40 branches in Switzerland, Germany and Austria in the field of strategic and operational brand management. His main focus is on developing brand-driven strategy, brand analysis and positioning, brand and assortment architecture, concepts for brand mobilisation, employer branding as well as the realisation of brand-oriented transformation processes in complex organisations. Bastian is regularly publishing papers in the field of brand management and is holding lectures at companies, universities and conferences.

Career: CSO, BLC < Strategy Director, Hotz Brand Consultants < Consultant, Institut für Markentechnik in Geneva < Partner of the company and mangement consultancy NOHETO! in Witten < Studies of economics, University of Witten/Herdecke < Banker, Marcard, Stein & Co, Hamburg.

Bettina Schoch Director Consulting, Calydo
E-Mail
+41 41 748 44 14

While still studying, Bettina collected first experiences in product and marketing management at Swisscom. She started her career in executive search, before specializing in corporate communication at a renowned PR agency. There she managed integrated communication projects for notable clients like Oerlikon Metco or Visa. At Calydo she was as Director Consulting and Deputy Managing Director responsible for key accounts like Wüest & Partner, Walter Meier and Zug Estates. Since 2017 she ist Managing Director of Calydo, bringing in her vast know-how in consulting, developing content strategies and integral stories in her daily exchange with clients and her team.

Career: Managing Director, Calydo < Deputy Managing Director, Calydo < Head of Communications, Knobel Corporate Communication < Consultant, BiermannPartners < Studies of media and communication sciences, business administration, University of Freiburg

Chris Steinacker Managing Director, HBC
E-Mail
+41 41 748 64 15

Chris has seen and practiced brand-based management from different angles in his occupational career. He first went to an agency, before switching sides and gaining insights in the sponsor’s side of strategic planning and communication by working for a Fortune 500 enterprise. As Managing Director he brings these experiences into Hotz Brand Consultants. His main focus is on brand management, brand architecture, brand transformation projects, marketing consulting as well as development and management of digital brands.

Career: Managing Director, HBC < Senior Brand Consultant and Deputy Managing Director, HBC < Assistant Leader Digital Marketing and Senior Project Manager Strategic Projects Online, Migros-Genossenschafts-Bund < Project Manager Strategic Planning Market Cultivation, Migros-Genossenschafts-Bund < Studies of business administration, marketing, controlling, TH Köln – University of Applied Sciences < Consultant, Meyer Waldeck – Society for Communication & Brand Profile < Commercial apprenticeship for marketing communication / Advertising merchant

Lukas Hotz Director of Ventures, BLC
E-Mail
+41 41 748 44 68

Even before completing his studies, Lukas set up an agency for the development of mobile applications. He interrupted his MA studies at the University of St. Gallen (HSG) for an indefinite period to launch his second business, a start-up in the second-screen field. With his start-up he was a speaker at various congresses, thus influencing developments in the second-screen area at an international level. After his exit from the start-up, he joined the Brand Leadership Circle as Director of Digital & Motion and played an influential role at Calydo as a member of the Management Board right from the start. Due to his business-minded spirit and his broad media, marketing and technology knowhow, Lukas is engaged on a wide variety of issues. Since his internal transfer to gateB, Lukas has been responsible as Director of Digital Business Development for projects in the area of marketing automation and campaign management. In addition, as Director of Ventures, Lukas is the first port of call for the entire BLC in connection with young companies, at present particularly in the blockchain sector.

Career: Director of Ventures, BLC < Director of Digital Business Development, gateB < Director of Digital & Motion, Calydo < CEO, Layzapp < General Manager appricot < Trainee Consulting, Sensorial Surroundings < BA in Management & Economics, University of Zürich

Marco Wyler Director MRM, GateB
E-Mail
+41 41 748 44 18

Marco has studied business administration at the University of St. Gallen (HSG), where he also got a Master of Arts in Marketing, Services and Communication Management. After a brief time in corporate finance and M&A consultancy he came to GateB and is since shaping the company's development – from the small spin-off to the leader in marketing performance management. Among his most important activities are consulting and long-term steering of client projects with the aim of improving efficiency, effectivity and automation in marketing. His main focus is in implementation of global branding and marketing portals under consideration of the whole value chain of modern marketing: from client-oriented marketing planning, campaign and media management to publishing processes and added services as flanking measures on the way to automation.

Career: Director MRM, GateB < Consultant, GateB < Master of Arts in Marketing, Services and Communication Management, University of St. Gallen (HSG) < Trainee Corporate Finance/M&A, PricewaterhouseCoopers < Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration, University of St. Gallen (HSG)

Michael Zehnder Executive Vice President, GateB
E-Mail
+41 41 748 44 12

With more than 15 years of experience in data analytics, project management, and consulting, Michael has been relentless about finding customized solutions for companies facing challenges of digital business transformation and customer intelligence. As Executive Vice President at GateB, Michael has successfully founded the business unit Customer Intelligence & Analytics and now leads Data Science, Digital Marketing, and Business Development teams. He is responsible for data product and service design, strategically positions and develops his business unit, and is targeting new growth opportunities in the U.S. and South East Asia. Michael currently participates in the world-leading TRIUM Global Executive MBA. He holds a PhD. in Economics / Staatswissenschaften (Univ. of Basel), an M.A. in Economics (Univ. of Zurich), an M.A.S. in Business Intelligence (Lucerne Univ. of Applied Sciences), and a D.A.S. in Data Science (Zurich Univ. of Applied Sciences). Besides, Michael is a Certified Project Manager IMPA, a Certified Professional for Requirements Engineering CPRE, and has participated in executive leadership courses at IMD and INSEAD.

Career: Executive Vice President, GateB < TRIUM Global Executive MBA, HEC Paris / LSE London / NYU Stern < Leading For Results, INSEAD Singapore < Leading Digital Business Transformation, IMD Singapore < Scientific Expert and Project Manager, Suva < M.A.S in Business Intelligence, Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU) < D.A.S in Data Science, Zurich University of Applied Sciences ans Arts (ZHAW) < Certified Project Manager IPMA < Certified Professional for Requirements Engineering CPRE < Ph.D. in Economics (Staatswissenschaften), University of Basel < Analyst, Ernst & Young (EY) < Scientific Associate & Consultant, Ruetter Soceco AG < M.A. in Economics, University of Zurich

Olaf Gijseman CEO, GateB
E-Mail
+41 41 748 44 72

Olaf has got more than 16 years of experience in leadership, consulting and project management in the area of optimizing marketing efficiency and efficacy – for companies in most diverse branches. He came to the Hotz Group in 2001 and initially was heading the media center at the Victor Hotz AG. Due to his passion for technical software solutions, he developed with his team implementation and integration services in the field of publishing and marketing resource management. As this division was rapidly growing, it was outsourced to GateB in 2011 and expanded with marketing analytics and customer intelligence. Since then, Olaf is Managing Director of GateB and leading the companies in Switzerland and Los Angeles.

Career: CEO, GateB < Managing Director, GateB < Managing Director, Victor Hotz AG < Teamleader PrePress, Victor Hotz AG < Managing Directer, Virtual Media Design GmbH < Business Technician FH (Corporate Management), Private College for Economics < Polygraphic Engineer FH, Professional College for Polygraphics, Communication and Management < Apprenticeship as lithographer

Patrick Ensslin Brand Experience Director, HBC
E-Mail
+41 41 748 44 59

Patrick is a lot of things: a developer of ideas, an inspirer and an implementer. His wide experience and his many qualities as conceptualizer, brand and motion designer, storyteller and brand consultant he brings in at Hotz Brand Consultant. The all-rounder not only has creative but also analytical abilities. Having graduated as a graphic designer, he has been working for our companies in a lot of different functions. Avocationally, he was engaged for some time in his own company which specialized in film and sound design. Since 2016 he is Brand Experience Director at Hotz Brand Consultants, mainly creating brand inspirations and touching brand experiences on a conceptual level.

Career: Brand Experience Director, HBC < Founder of Sensorial Surroundings < Brand/Motion Designer and Conceptualizer, Hotz & Hotz < Studies of graphic design, Hochschule Luzern

Rahel Steppacher Director Business Development, Hieronymus
E-Mail
+41 41 748 44 66

Already while studying psychology and economics at the University of Zurich, Rahel was engaged intensely in the field of brand psychology. Consumer behavior, brand development and advertising psychology were her key topics during studies. For her master's thesis she conducted a Swiss-wide study about the image effect. After getting her degree, she complemented her psychological knowledge with collecting marketing experiences at an international fashion brand in Switzerland and New York. 2011 she came to Hotz Brand Consultant as consultant and was supporting companies to create an economically successful brand image. By the end of 2014 she switched to Hieronymus – initially temporarily – to open the flagship store in Zurich. As Director Business Development at Hieronymus, Rahel now is responsible for the development of new business areas as well as for marketing and sales.

Career: Director Business Development, Hieronymus Stationers AG < Brand Consultant, Hotz Brand Consultants < Retail Marketing and PR, Hugo Boss International Markets < Marketing, La Praire Group > Studies of social and business psychology and economics, University of Zurich (lic. phil. / Master of Science in Psychology)

René Affolter Director Business Development, GateB
E-Mail
+41 41 748 64 16

After having graduated from University of St. Gallen (HSG) with a degree in business administration, René obtained a master’s degree in strategic marketing at the Cranfield School of Management in the UK. For more than ten years now he has been working in the field of enterprise software, eight of which as Head of European Business Development for a provider of rights and royalties management software in London, where he was consulting companies across industries. René Affolter joined GateB as a Director in August 2014 and is responsible for global business development and partnerships with various marketing software providers. His main focus is on the marketing operations and marketing automation areas, ranging from brand and marketing portals to publishing solutions.

Career: Global Director Business Development, GateB < Managing Director, Marmot Balboa AG < European Sales Manager, REAL Software Systems < Master in Strategic Marketing, Cranfield School of Management (UK) < Bachelor in Business Administration, University of St. Gallen (HSG)

Robert Schumacher Director New Business Development, GateB
E-Mail
+41 41 748 44 86

Robert studied business administration at the University of Bern (focus: marketing management) and e-commerce at the Franklin University, Columbus OH/USA. Robert is one of the leading pioneers in data-driven marketing and CRM within Switzerland. His extensive business experience over the past 20 years stretches from various positions in direct marketing, marketing and CRM management in the global finance industry (CH and USA) to CEO Central Europe of a leading global software company. He also founded and helped grow multiple start-ups. In his last engagement, Robert was heading the Customer Intelligence Solution Department of SAS Switzerland. As of November 2015, he is directing GateB’s Customer Analytics Department. Robert teaches at colleges, is a speaker and presenter and is on advisory boards and technical committees in the CRM and marketing industry.

Career: Director New Business Development, GateB < Head Customer Intelligence, SAS Institute AG, Schweiz < Head Business Development Dixendris AG & Gaggohaas GmbH < Managing Director & Member of the Board, Insightful AG, Schweiz (today: TIPCO) < CRM Manager, moneycab.com < Marketing Manager, Bank One & emoneymail.com (today: Chase) < Associate Director, UBS AG < Certified Studies e-commerce & e-marketing, Franklin University, Columbus OH/USA < Master of Science Business Administration, University of Berne

Samir Ganouchi Managing Director, Victor Hotz
E-Mail
+41 41 748 44 64

For more than 20 years Samir has been working for the companies of the Brand Leadership Circle. With his background as polygraph and graphic designer and his year-long experience in project management, he is very familiar with the companies – and their competences – within the Brand Leaderships Circle and therefore consulting clients across the departments. But his passion still belongs to communication that can be physically experienced. Since 2014 Samir is Managing Director of Studio Victor Hotz, where unique first-class objects out of paper are conceived and realized.

Career: Managing Director, Studio Victor Hotz < Consultant, Mintberry < Designer and Consultant, Hotz Brand Consultant < Apprenticeship as graphic designer < Apprenticeship as polygraph

Thorsten Traber Creative Director, Hieronymus
E-Mail
+41 41 748 44 87

After finishing his studies at the Institute of Communication Design at the University of Applied Sciences in Konstanz, Thorsten went as Art Director to the design agency Simon & Goetz in Frankfurt am Main before he changed as Executive Creative Director to the agency Claus Koch in Düsseldorf. Since 2005 he is a firm part of the Brand Leadership Circle, where he started as Design Director and Team Leader at Hotz Brand Consultant, and now – since 2011 – is Creative Director at Hieronymus. All products and designs of Hieronymus were conceived by him and his team – or with external partners, as is the case for example with the design concept for the flagship store in Zurich. Moreover, he is responsible for the strategic development of the brand and overseeing all conceptional approaches across all media.

Career: Creative Director, Hieronymus < Design Director and Team Leader, Hotz Brand Consultants < Executive Creative Director, Claus Koch, Düsseldorf < Art Director, Simon & Goetz, Frankfurt am Main < Studies in communication design, University of Applied Sciences Konstanz

Tobias Baumann Director Consulting, HBC
E-Mail
+41 41 748 64 94

Tobias can look back on 12 years’ experience in all aspects of branding, marketing, communication and business development. He began his career as a product manager and in business development at a technology company. After completing two extensive training courses, he transferred from the client side to consulting. Since then he has worked for various leading agencies, advising large and medium-sized companies in all industry sectors on generating as well as implementing brand and communication strategies. Tobias studied business management and gained an MA in marketing, services and communication management from the University of St Gallen. At Hotz Brand Consulting, Tobias advises clients on all aspects of branding and also leads the team of consultants.

Uli Meier Director Multichannel Publishing, GateB
E-Mail
+41 41 748 64 60

After a formation as print and digital media designer, Uli got a diploma in project management. For more than 10 years he has been consulting companies of diverse branches (publishing sector, mail-order trade, industry, banking and insurance sectors, retail trade) in Switzerland, Germany and Austria with regard to the launch and implementation of communication and publishing systems. His know-how extends to all fields of digital asset management systems, PIM & e-commerce, web-to-print solutions, brand management as well as partial or full automation of publishing. His main focus is on selling, implementing and expending multichannel publishing solutions. Uli Meier came as Director to GateB in 2013, prior to which he was Head of Project Management at Censhare (Switzerland) for 5 years and as such significantly responsible for the establishment and success of the Zurich branch.

Career: Director Multichannel Publishing, GateB AG < Managing Director, Mondays Corporate Publishing < Head of Project Management, Censhare (Schweiz) AG < Assistant Business Unit Manager for Publishers, w&co Media Services GmbH & Co. KG < Media Consultant, Infowerk AG

Robert den Otter Director Digital Consulting, Calydo
E-Mail
+41 41 748 44 13

Ever since he was very young, Robert den Otter has understood the power of a thrilling story; after all, the tales his father used to tell him on Sundays were what inspired his dream of becoming an astronaut. Today Robert describes his career as having his feet very firmly on the ground, but he still wants to reach for the stars with his achievements. Robert has been in the communications branch for 20 years and, by using dynamic storytelling at ever-developing touchpoints, has made a real contribution to the success of each particular business, whether as a journalist, consultant or marketer in different national and international companies. As Director Digital Consulting, Robert manages the Digital und Motion Teams at Calydo and is responsible for the further development of the agency in these areas.

Career: Director Digital Consulting, Calydo < Marketing Communications Manager at LK International AG (KJUS) < Senior Consultant, Farner Consulting < National Communications Manager, Red Bull Schweiz AG < National Communications Manager, Migros Genossenschafts-Bund < Head of Crossmedia Promotion Department, “20 Minutes” in Zürich < Communications Instructor on the staff of MIKA (Swiss Army Management, Information & Communication Training) < Studies in journalism and organization communications, ZHAW Winterthur

Simon Grand Member of the BLC Board, BLC
E-Mail
+41 41 748 44 00

Simon Grand is a Member of the BLC Board and is contributing to the BLC Lab as well as strategic projects of the Brand Leadership Circle. He has over 20 years’ experience in holding strategic dialogues with experienced entrepreneurs and executives. Our common goal is the consistent advancement of the executive management’s capability to make decisions, take action and be innovative. As a strategy designer, knowledge entrepreneur and management researcher, he is committed to defining viable long-term strategies more clearly, embedding them into practised strategy processes, transforming them into persuasive strategy communication, and testing them with innovative initiatives and strategic experiments. Simon also holds responsibilities as a Member of the Board at several entrepreneurially managed companies.

Career: Member of BLC Board < Professor of Strategic Management & Management Innovation at the University of St. Gallen & Research Fellow at Zurich University of the Arts < Academic Director of RISE Management Innovation Lab & co-author of the St. Gallen Management Model, as well as co-curator of the CreativeEconomies Venture < various key positions at the interface of strategy, brand and design < Graduated in organization studies after studies in economics, sociology and philosophy in Zürich & Paris (sponsored by the Swiss Study Foundation)

Fabian Hotz VR-Präsident, BLC
E-Mail
+41 41 748 44 54

In the Nineties already, Fabian forced a radical shift of thinking in his father's enterprise and pushed the reorientation of the printing company, transforming it into a group of enterprises for brand-oriented business development. In 2007 he became sole owner of the group, which he positioned at the interface of brand, management and technology, calling it Brand Leadership Circle in 2011. Being an entrepreneur, Fabian has got extensive experience and knowledge in building and transforming companies. Presently, he is founding several companies in the field of paper and writing culture. In addition he is still consulting clients regarding their strategy.

Career: Chairman of the Board and Owner, Brand Leadership Circle; Chairman of the BLC Board; Managing Director, Hieronymus < CEO, Hotz Group < Managing Director, Hotz Brand Consultants < Brand Designer, Di Plano Design, New York < Apprenticeship as typographer

Bastian Schneider Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer, BLC
E-Mail
+41 41 748 64 22

Bastian is responsible for the strategic development of the brand leadership circle. For more than 15 years, he has been consulting companies in over 40 branches in Switzerland, Germany and Austria in the field of strategic and operational brand management. His main focus is on developing brand-driven strategy, brand analysis and positioning, brand and assortment architecture, concepts for brand mobilisation, employer branding as well as the realisation of brand-oriented transformation processes in complex organisations. Bastian is regularly publishing papers in the field of brand management and is holding lectures at companies, universities and conferences.

Career: CSO, BLC < Strategy Director, Hotz Brand Consultants < Consultant, Institut für Markentechnik in Geneva < Partner of the company and mangement consultancy NOHETO! in Witten < Studies of economics, University of Witten/Herdecke < Banker, Marcard, Stein & Co, Hamburg.

Antonio Farati IT Supporter
E-Mail
+41 41 748 44 51

Fabrizio Marra IT Project Manager/Requirements Engineer
E-Mail
+41 41 748 64 91

Corinne Meyer Mitarbeiterin Finance
E-Mail
+41 41 748 44 09

Marco Odermatt Human Resources
E-Mail
+41 41 748 44 30

Sandra Soltermann Köchin
E-Mail
+41 41 748 44 63

Laura Straub Executive Assistant & Office Manager, BLC
E-Mail
+41 41 748 44 27

Christian Zürcher Teamleiter Accounting
E-Mail
+41 41 748 64 26

Christine Schneider Media Relations
E-Mail
+41 41 748 44 00

Loriana Mistretta Lernende Kauffrau, BLC
E-Mail
+41 41 748 64 29