Using the power of the brand
to advance great companies

Brand Leadership

In today’s world of constant change, companies enjoy greater success when the brand becomes the central focus of their strategic thinking and operations. Brand leadership is based on this conviction and is our understanding of brand-oriented management.

Management teams with a brand-oriented approach take the right decisions - even during uncertain times - which pay dividends in the long run. They provide meaning, take their employees along on the path into the future and make them into active standard bearers for the ambitions of the company – in all divisions and across all value-adding stages.

Altogether they generate a new level of agility and determination. They create the momentum necessary in today’s market environment for a company to move in the direction it chooses, based on its own strengths, and to continue successfully along this path in the future.

The Brand Leadership Circle aspires to establish all facets of brand orientation in the market and bring about a fundamental change in the management of companies.

Circle of Competence

The Brand Leadership Circle is an association for brand-oriented business transformation. Over 150 specialists pool their competences in a new approach. Together they support their customers in building great, unique companies.

These days exceptional businesses, which enjoy above-average and long-term success, are best achieved through intelligent interplay between many, highly diverse specialists. The constellation of the Brand Leadership Circle is based on this conviction. The focus is placed on building up leading specialists in a wide variety of relevant areas of competence and then, depending on the project definition, deploying them effectively in active collaboration with each other and with clients and partners.

The Brand Leadership Circle specialists are all entrepreneurial and autonomous in their own fields. Following the principle of «Excellence through Specialization», they dedicate themselves to their own clients and hope to take a leading role in their specialist area. They network whenever possible, taking optimal advantage of the interdisciplinary opportunities of this constellation. This lively association of specialists and competences is the source of the strength of the Circle and its uniqueness.

The Brand Leadership Circle maintains intensive relationships with opinion leaders in both business and academic communities, it initiates research projects, and with its brand-oriented management approach it builds its own brands, such as the Swiss manufacturer Hieronymus, which gives a new definition to personal paper and writing culture in contemporary style of the highest quality.

Circle of Competence

Companies

Strength for the future in strategy, appearance and culture. Relevance in services, content and interactions. Intelligence and performance in marketing and operations. These are the main fields of activity of the Brand Leadership Circle companies.

The Brand Leadership Circle companies offer their clients an integrated range of services from consulting to implementation. The result is overall solutions of the highest quality - tailored to individual needs - which are reliable and long-lasting.

Your employees are provided with highly reputable platforms where they can exchange views with like-minded colleagues and also develop their competences, interests and skills to the best possible advantage.

Strength for the future in strategy, presence and culture

Hotz Brand Consultants is a consulting firm for strategic brand development. We mobilise the entrepreneurial potential of the brand and realise substantial steps forward in companies' self-image, presence and culture.

Brand Strategy
Defining the future of the business
Brand Design
Creating a window to the future
Brand-driven Change
Effectively implementing strategic initiatives
Internal Engagement
Making employees into standard-bearers
Employer Branding
Attracting the right employees
To the Hotz Brand Consultants website

Relevance in performance, content and experience

Calydo is a marketing and communications consultant. We systematically shape customer and stakeholder relationships from the perspective of the target group and provide effective concepts and methods to help businesses increase the relevance of their portfolios, messages and experiences.

Customer Experience
Creating experiences which inspire
Product and Service Marketing
Reaching, moving and attracting people
B2B Marketing
Winning over professional decision-makers
Corporate Communications
Sustainably strengthening reputations
Storytelling
Conveying content effectively
Community Management
Maintaining a close dialogue with stakeholders
To the Calydo website

Intelligence and performance in marketing and operations

GateB is a consulting firm for marketing performance. Using evidence-based methods, we deliver decision bases for effective and efficient marketing. And by using leading software solutions, we make it possible to automatically coordinate campaigns and content across all channels.

Customer Intelligence
Generating and using customer intelligence
Marketing Analytics
Making Big Data usable for business activities
Campaign Management
Addressing target groups in a focused and efficient way
Marketing Resource Management
Orchestrating budgets, assets, deadlines and technology
Multichannel Publishing
Communicating content across all channels in joined-up way
To the gateB website

Team

The Management Team is the engine of the Brand Leadership Circle. It represents the leading managers, encourages the transfer of knowledge on the subject of brand-oriented leadership, and promotes further development of the Circle from the front line.

Fabian Hotz Daniel Meier André Ryf Andreas Seiler Bastian Schneider Bettina Schoch Carmelo Iantosca Chris Steinacker Dominik Streich Lukas Hotz Marco Wyler Michael Zehnder Olaf Gijseman Patrick Ensslin Patrick Lippuner Rahel Steppacher René Affolter Robert Schumacher Samir Ganouchi Thorsten Traber Uli Meier Pius Widmer
  • Fabian Hotz

    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

  • Daniel Meier

    Daniel Meier CEO, BLC
    E-Mail
    +41 41 748 44 80

    Daniel is responsible for the operational management and the strategic development of the Brand Leadership Circle. He is pushing the integrated advancement of the group and its units, always focusing on the brand-oriented consultancy approach and its influence on all aspects of corporate management. In his many years of work as consultant for brand-oriented transformation processes he supported companies from all kinds of branches in their developing strong market positions. He is apt for strategic challenges and operational management as well as for creative implementation of novel methods that focus on systemic thinking and the human.

    Career: CEO, Brand Leadership Circle < Managing Director, Calydo < Managing Director, Hotz Brand Consultants < PR Consultant, Loepfe & Partner < Research associate, Gruppe Corso < Studies in business administration, University of Zurich

  • André Ryf

    André Ryf COO, BLC
    E-Mail
    +41 41 748 64 95

    After 8 years as Managing Partner and CEO at PARX, Zurich, André came 2014 as COO to GateB where he is bringing in his very broad range of experience from different areas. For many years now he has been working at the interface of business and information technology, in a wide range of branches, from assurances and telecommunication to trading and consultancy. His extensive know-how compasses consultancy and project management as well as information systems and the implementation of diverse software applications, mainly based on web technologies or the platform Salesforce.com. His main focus is on processes and data. At the Brand Leadership Circle, André is responsible for the whole IT and is with his team providing that all systems are safe and up to date, that they are working smoothly and being enhanced expediently.

    Career: COO, BLC < Managing Partner and CEO, PARX < EMBA in Leadership & Ethics < EMBA in Business Information Management < Studies in business administration < Commercial apprenticeship

  • Andreas Seiler

    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

    Bastian Schneider Strategy Director, HBC
    E-Mail
    +41 41 748 64 22

    For more than 15 years, Bastian 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 stringent brand-driven strategy, brand analysis and positioning, brand and assortment architecture, concepts for brand mobilisation, employer branding as well as the realisation of extensive brand development 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: Strategy Director, BLC < Consultant, Institut für Markentechnik in Geneva < Partner of the company and mangement consultancy NOHETO! in Witten < Studies of economics, University of Witten/Herdecke

  • Bettina Schoch

    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

  • Carmelo Iantosca

    Carmelo Iantosca Director Data Science & Development, BLC
    E-Mail
    +41 41 748 64 25

    Camelo is Director Data Science & Development at GateB and lecturing at several colleges in Switzerland. He studied data analysis an process design at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences and graduated with a record score and the Swiss Engineering Award. Afterwards he specialized in several data science and big data disciplines. From 2006 to 2011 he worked for AZ Direct (Bertelsmann), where in 2008 he became Head of Data Mining and Geo Marketing. Then he went to the SAS Institute, where as Leader Data Science he was active for the biggest companies in retail, pharma, banking, insurance and other industries in the field of data science and big data. Besides heading the unit Data Science & Development he is assisting the Executive Vice President in building and expanding these business areas. Carmelo has been active for more than 10 years in the field of data science.

    Career: Director Data Science & Development, GateB < Leader Data Science & Deputy Director PreSales, SAS < Solution Specialist Analytics, SAS < Head of Data Mining and Geo Marketing, AZ Direct < Senior Expert Data Mining and Assistant of the CEO, AZ Direct < Graduated Engineer FH in data analysis and process design, Zurich University of Applied Sciences < Project Leader and Automation Specialist, Steinlin & Partner < Project Leader and Automation Specialist, Model AG < Project leading electrician, Grossenbacher AG < Apprenticeship as electrician

  • Chris Steinacker

    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

  • Dominik Streich

    Dominik Streich Creative Director, HBC
    E-Mail
    +41 41 748 64 51

    Zusammen mit seinem Team hilft Dominik als Creative Director den Kunden dabei, ihre Position zu finden, eine Strategie zu entwickeln und diese in einer stringenten, kreativen Lösung zum Ausdruck zu bringen. Sein Ziel ist es, flexible und dynamische Marken zu gestalten, die einer klaren Idee folgen, aus der sich immer wieder neue und unterschiedliche Erlebnisse kreieren lassen. Er blickt zurück auf über 12 Jahre Erfahrung bei den kreativsten Markenagenturen in Europa. Insbesondere seine langjährigen Aufenthalte in London und Amsterdam prägten seine Offenheit und Kreativität im Denken und Handeln. Er denkt und arbeitet vernetzt, ist stets auf der Suche nach Neuem und verbindet Design, Animation, Film, Digital und 3D zu differenzierenden Markenerlebnissen.

    Werdegang: Creative Director, Hotz Brand Consultants < Freelance Design Director, London < Senior Designer Interbrand, London < Senior Designer, Interbrand Amsterdam < Designer, Interbrand Zintzmeyer & Lux < Freelance Designer, KSP Krieg Schlupp Partner < Diplom Visuelle Kommunikation, Zürcher Hochschule der Künste < Diplom Primarschullehrer, Lehrerseminar Zug

  • Lukas Hotz

    Lukas Hotz Director Digital & Motion, Calydo
    E-Mail
    +41 41 748 44 68

    While still studying, Lukas already founded an agency for the development of mobile applications. He interrupted his master's studies at the University of St. Gallen (HSG) for an indefinite period to build his second enterprise, a start-up in the field of second screen. For more than two years he studied intensely the future of the media and technology branch. With his start-up he was a speaker at congresses and shaping the developments in the second screen field on an international level. After he quit his start-up he came to the Brand Leadership Circle as Director Digital & Motion. Due to his entrepreneurial spirit and his vast know-how in media, marketing and technology he is active in a lot of different areas.

    Werdegang: Director Digital & Motion, Calydo < CEO, Layzapp < CEO, appricot < Trainee Consulting, Sensorial Surroundings < Bachelor of Arts in Management & Economics, University of Zurich

  • Marco Wyler

    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

    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

    Olaf Gijseman Managing Director, 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: 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

    Patrick Ensslin Creative 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

  • Patrick Lippuner

    Patrick Lippuner CFO, BLC
    E-Mail
    +41 41 748 44 15

    Patrick came to the Brand Leadership Circle in 2007. First he built the Shared Services unit for all overarching support services, and shaped optimal structures and processes for the growing group of consultancy companies. As CFO he is bearing the overall responsibility for the financial management of the Brand Leadership Circle and all strategic investment decisions. Together with COO André Ryf, Patrick takes care of the further development of all superordinate structures and processes. He assists the Managing Directors in their financial management and is responsible for all legal questions, construction and reconstruction projects.

    Career: CFO, Brand Leadership Circle < Commercial Manager Finance and Organisation, Herren Globus < Studies in business administration, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Winterthur

  • Rahel Steppacher

    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

    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

    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 Betriebswirtschaft, University of Berne (lic. rer. pol. / Master of Science Business Administration)

  • Samir Ganouchi

    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

    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

  • Uli Meier

    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

  • Pius Widmer

    Pius Widmer Director Business Development Digital Marketing, GateB
    E-Mail
    +41 41 748 64 56

    Pius is heading the Multichannel Campaign Management at GateB, which functions as bridge between operations and analytics. In his career he has led several strategic projects and built new product and service areas, as service provider as well as sponsor. He therefore has acquired a broad range of experience and is acting as sparring partner in strategic concepts, operational implementation and marketing. His maxim is: Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication and the key to success.

    Career: Director Business Development, Digital Marketing & Campaign Management < Strategic Business Development, arvato AZ Direct < Executive Master CRM, Zurich University of Applied Sciences < Head of CRM, Database Marketing & Consulting, AZ Direct AG < Marketing Expert FH

Simon Grand Fabian Hotz Daniel Meier
  • Simon Grand

    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

    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

  • Daniel Meier

    Daniel Meier CEO, BLC
    E-Mail
    +41 41 748 44 80

    Daniel is responsible for the operational management and the strategic development of the Brand Leadership Circle. He is pushing the integrated advancement of the group and its units, always focusing on the brand-oriented consultancy approach and its influence on all aspects of corporate management. In his many years of work as consultant for brand-oriented transformation processes he supported companies from all kinds of branches in their developing strong market positions. He is apt for strategic challenges and operational management as well as for creative implementation of novel methods that focus on systemic thinking and the human.

    Career: CEO, Brand Leadership Circle < Managing Director, Calydo < Managing Director, Hotz Brand Consultants < PR Consultant, Loepfe & Partner < Research associate, Gruppe Corso < Studies in business administration, University of Zurich

Antonio Farati Mirella Kleiner-Greber Daniela Haltiner Fabrizio Marra Corinne Meyer Marco Odermatt Feride Rexhepi Stephanie Sidler-Zürcher Sandra Soltermann Laura Straub Carmen Zenuni Christian Zürcher
  • Antonio Farati

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

  • Mirella Kleiner-Greber

    Mirella Kleiner-Greber Human Resources
    E-Mail
    +41 41 748 44 24

  • Daniela Haltiner

    Daniela Haltiner Hospitality/Office Management
    E-Mail
    +41 41 748 44 11

  • Fabrizio Marra

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

  • Corinne Meyer

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

  • Marco Odermatt

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

  • Feride Rexhepi

    Feride Rexhepi Mitarbeiterin Gastro
    E-Mail

  • Stephanie Sidler-Zürcher

    Stephanie Sidler-Zürcher Human Resources
    E-Mail
    +41 41 748 44 61

  • Sandra Soltermann

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

  • Laura Straub

    Laura Straub Personal Assistant, BLC
    E-Mail
    +41 41 748 44 27

  • Carmen Zenuni

    Carmen Zenuni IT Supporter
    E-Mail
    +41 41 748 64 30

  • Christian Zürcher

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

Building

Home of the Brand Leadership Circle and setting for its further development is the Brand Leadership Building in Steinhausen/Zug. All BLC companies are headquartered here.

The Brand Leadership Building is a fully integrated open office building, enabling a new dimension of interactive working. More than 150 specialists, with a maximum of diversity, combine their competences and form a unique think tank for brand-oriented leadership, in an ongoing process of exchanging and developing ideas, experience and knowledge.

News

With over 150 employees and on average 70 projects running at any one time, there is plenty happening every day at the Brand Leadership Circle. Here are some examples:

March 2017 A perfect start of the marketing and communication consultancy Calydo

Calydo is a consultancy for marketing and communication and part of the Brand Leadership Circle. It was founded in April 2016, and as it already gained a lot of notable clients in 2016, the team could be expanded to 25 employees. At the beginning of 2017 there was a change in the management. Daniel Meier, CEO of the Brand Leadership Circle, who led Calydo since its foundation ad interim, handed over the management to Bettina Schoch (Managing Director) and her deputy Lukas Hotz (Deputy Managing Director).

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January 2017 Bastian Schneider to speak at Marketing Day 17

On March 7, 2017 Strategy Director Bastian Schneider will be speaking on the following topic during this year’s Marketing Day 17 at the KKL Lucerne: “The brand as the driving force in business transformation in a digital world”.

The Marketing Day has been organized by the Swiss Marketing Forum since 1977 and is noted for being the most traditional and important of all Swiss marketing events. Using the theme of “The dead thread – digital turns everything upside down“, Marketing Day 17 conveys the latest marketing expertise and this year, for the first time, will be conducted in a festival format.

October 2016 Make a lighthouse project shine

Something unique is growing in Risch-Rotkreuz: the gardentower Aglaya with high-quality freehold flats. Starting with naming and key visual, we are making this flagship project noticeable and to come alive throughout all touchpoints. A job that exactly fits us because we think ahead for the future. The teaser website is live already aglaya-rotkreuz.ch.

September 2016 Our growth continues.

Since its founding in March 2016, Calydo goes at full throttle on the success path. Thanks to a full pipeline with mandates, we are growing constantly and look forward to new colleagues sharing the passion and joy of our work. New specialists have already joined our consulting, design and copy writing teams. Nevertheless, we are still looking for additional coworkers. Have a look at our faces here calydo.com/ueber-uns. and become a new calydo specialist here calydo.com/jobs.

September 2016 The future of brand leadership

In his technical paper "corporate development: the future of branding" Strategy Director Bastian Schneider explains how companies can tap the full potential of their brand.

September 2016 Understanding digital transformation as entrepreneurial opportunity

In this years Swiss Marketing Leadership Study Robert Schumacher, Director Customer & Marketing Intelligence gateB and Bastian Schneider, Strategy Director Hotz Brand Consultants, explain how companies can master digital transformation and shape a powerful future.

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September 2016 Big-Data-Pilotprojects without any up-front investment

At this year's Swiss CRM Forum Robert Schumacher and Carmelo Lantosca premiered the Swiss Data Labs, the ideal Cloud-solution with it’s location in Switzerland. This enables the needed success and agility in the implementation of Big Data pilot projects without making significant up-front investments and therefore rapidly generating added value.

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August 2016 And the nominees are...

With the project "Mission Communication for the Swiss Post, Post Offices and Sales", Hotz Brand Consultants was nominated as one of six projects for the Swiss Award Corporate Communications 2016.

August 2016 Giving a housing project drive

Primus Property is a regular customers of Calydo and takes care of real estate marketing and sale in the greater Zurich and Aargau area. Until fall 2017 new housing for young people arises on the former Electrolux site in Aarau. We are supporting this project with ideas, design and content. The website fiftylux.ch is already live and now we are working on a magazine.

August 2016 The 5 key requirements for successfull marketing in a digital world

Robert Schumacher, Director at gateB and one of the leading experts in the fields data-driven marketing and CRM broaches the hype around big data in his article «The 5 most important requirements of marketing in a digital world» short and concise.

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July 2016 We're showing relevance

Currently, we are getting a lot of mandates from the real estate industry. Because this work gives us so much pleasure, we want to share our competence with even more people. Therefore, we are currently running an ad campaign depicting a series of images by Spanish artist Víctor Enrich who perfectly illustrates the uniqueness of our ideas.

July 2016 Taking care about health

Health should be taken seriously. Especially health care. However, services and finances differ significantly depending on what health model you choose. To provide customers understandable information packed in an entertaining format, we made five animation films for Helsana explaining those differences.

June 2016 Wüest & Partner staff day

Conveying the brand to employees. Nothing’s better for this then getting the knowledge directly from the experts. Therefore Wüest & Partner held its staff day in the Brand Leadership Building, where we prepared a journey through the world of their brand.

Using games and small workshops, 120 employees dealt with the brand identity, the competitioners, the target group, the success drivers and the portfolio of Wüest & Partner.

At the end of the station circuit the staff enjoyed the evening with a DJ and cocktails.

June 2016 Sports Challenge BLC vs. Wüest & Partner

We are working with passion: for our customers and their projects. We regard them as partners and we are pushing each other to top performances. Where can this be proved any better than in a sports event? So the entire BLC has challenged his common customer Wüest & Partner to a competition. We ended in a draw, but started a friendship.

June 2016 GateB at SAS Forum Switzerland 2016

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May 2015 GateB am SAS Forum Switzerland 2015

Das SAS Forum Switzerland 2015 findet am 12. Mai im Marriott Hotel in Zürich statt. Das Forum zeigt, wie neue Denkansätze rund um Business Analytics zum Wettbewerbsfaktor für Anwender werden.

PRAXIS UND VISION

Seit 2008 suchen und finden Branchen- und Fachspezialisten auf dem SAS Forum Switzerland Ideen und Inspirationen, um mit Business Analytics und Business Intelligence neue Geschäftswege zu bestreiten. Im Gespräch mit rund 350 Teilnehmern und Experten trifft sich eine Community, die Trends setzt.

Die Mischung aus Best-Practice-Beispielen und Visionen wird auch am siebten SAS Forum im Vordergrund stehen und Konferenzstruktur und Programm prägen. Anmeldung und weitere Informationen zum SAS Forum Switzerland 2015.

June 2016 GateB at Richemond Marketing Forum 2016

GateB ist wieder mit dabei am Richmond Marketing Forum vom 23. bis 25. Juni 2016. Jedes Jahr treffen sich im schönen Grand Resort Bad Ragaz über 150 der wichtigsten Marketingvertreter von führenden Schweizer und internationalen Firmen. GateB ist seit mehreren Jahren einer der Anbieter, welche am Forum als Supplier teilnehmen um dort wichtige neue Kontakte zu knüpfen und bestehende Kunden zu treffen.

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June 2016 Bastian Schneider as Keynote-Speaker at SuisseEMEX

On August 30, 2016 Strategy Director Bastian Schneider will give a speach on brand-oriented business development at this years`s SuisseEMEX, the largest and most important trade fair for Marketing and Communication in Switzerland with approx. 15 000 participants.

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June 2016 Backstage-Event #5 with Helsana Versicherungen: How can we develop our brand boldly yet with confidence?

Innovative competitors, changing customer requirements, new touchpoints. Brands need constant, resolute development. If they are to remain relevant and successful. If they are to avoid some other brand edging in between you and your customers. But how does a company know in which direction to develop its brand? The possibilities are almost endless. And even when that point is clear: how do we actually achieve the desired development? Which success factors are significant and which challenges will we face?

The Backstage Event with Helsana Versicherungen AG on August 30, 2016 is devoted to the fascinating subject of brand evolution. Based on many years of experience and using a powerful example, we will show you tried and tested methods and solutions for the successful development of brands in the future.

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May 2016 Open House 2016

Die letzten Musikklänge sind verhallt – das 16. Open House ist Geschichte. Gestern durften wir mit über 150 Kunden, Partnern und Freunden des Brand Leadership Circle einen wunderbaren Abend in Steinhausen verbringen. Die Atmosphäre war beschwingt, die Begegnungen bereichernd und die Gespräche inspirierend – eine schöne Art, die Zeit zu feiern.

Wir wünschen Ihnen einen schönen Sommer!

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April 2016 GateB Event: Marketing Performance - Big Data in Marketing

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April 2016 Backstage Event #4 with McDonald's Switzerland: How to surf successfully on the digital tsunami?

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March 2016 S'Tännli Cup 2016: Ein riesen Spass mit klaren Gewinnern

As happens almost every year, the EVZ (Zug Ice Hockey Club) made an early exit from the playoffs, in order to make room for the annual highlight of the Swiss ice hockey scene: the Brand Leadership Circle s'Tännli Cup. On Monday the finalists - to everyone's great surprise - were the Ice Princesses and AF14. While AF14 had lost several key players during the year, the Ice Princesses had managed, with the aid of just a few - but very high-quality - transfers, to strengthen their team significantly. The balance of power was instantly noticeable on the ice so that the Ice Princesses were already leading 4:0 after the first period. Even a concerted effort by AF14 in the second period with 3 goals in succession did not unnerve the Ice Princesses and they sorted out their brief dip in form with more goals to lead 6:3 after two periods. In the last period of play, AF14 tried to compensate their inferior play with physical strength, resulting in a tougher stance, fierce checks and even minor brawls. This did not have much impact on the course of play, though: the Ice Princesses won the match decisively by 9:5 and are now the proud holders for a whole year of what is arguably the finest trophy in the sport of ice hockey.

March 2016 White Paper on Employee Engagement: How can we take our employees along with us into the future?

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March 2016 Calydo ist geboren: Die neue Kraft für Relevanz in Leistung, Content und Interaktion

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February 2016 GateB: Connect Hearing wird neuer Kunde

Connect Hearing, Teil der Sonova Gruppe und Schwesterfirma von Phonak, wird den BrandMaker Marketing Planer einsetzen, um in den verschiedenen Ländergesellschaften die Planung zu vereinfachen und zu standardisieren. In einer ersten Phase wird BrandMaker in Deutschland ausgerollt mit dem Ziel, später weitere Länder auf das System zu nehmen.

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February 2016 Backstage Event #3 with Swiss Post AG: How do we take our employees along with us into the future?

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January 2016 First trial steps: Calydo takes shape

The name has been decided upon and initial visualizations are taking shape. Before a definite announcement is made and Calydo is presented, though, the Calydos are working frantically to ensure that everything is perfect. To be continued...

November 2015 Highlight in collaboration with elipsLife: The future Calydo units create a viral clip for elipsLife - in difficult conditions on the Titlis!

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November 2015 Hieronymus: Flagship Store opens in Zürich

November 2015 GateB secures collaboration with SBB

In future, the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) will handle all their standardized advertising material (flyers, posters, brochures, etc.) with the BrandMaker System from GateB. All SBB employees, from communication specialists to station managers, will be able to adapt the desired materials within the CI/CD guidelines very easily and without the need for an agency.

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October 2015 GateB Webinar on brand consistency with American Marketing Association

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October 2015 Article on subject of brand positioning: What makes your company one-of-a-kind?

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September 2015 Impact in the digital age: Bastian Schneider as speaker at the renowned CMO Conference

September 2015 HBC gewinnt JV von Swisscom, Publisuisse und Ringier als Kunde

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September 2015 GateB Event on subject of Brand & Marketing Portal. The Gateway to successful Marketing

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August 2015 Backstage Event #2 with KJUS and SVC: What drives strong brands to success?

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July 2015 Hotz Brand Consultants: Successful conclusion of strategy development with Wüest & Partner at Schloss Hünigen

July 2015 Brand Leadership Day: A full day's event to reinforce intercompany collaboration

June 2015 GateB becomes partner of Starwood Hotels & Resorts

Starwood Hotels & Resorts is the global organization for upmarket hotels worldwide. The group includes nine characteristic lifestyle brands like Sheraton, le Meridien, 4 Points, St. Regis, etc. and employs 180,000 people. After a protracted sales phase the moment has finally arrived, and next week is the kick-off for the complete implementation of a marketing and brand portal at Starwood in New York.

With this unique brand and marketing portal, Starwood and their hotels can handle all their marketing and communications activities efficiently, decentralized, and in conformity with their corporate design.

In order to implement this project successfully, we will be working together across the disciplines, will have employees at the location, and will implement the project hand in hand with the Americans. Project managers are Andreas Wirth, Sarah Iskander and Mario Ammann.

May 2015 Second BrandMaker User Conference on May 19 & 20 in Cologne

Discover at this year's User Conference from numerous companies and end-users how marketing activities can be managed efficiently. High-profile speakers give information about current trends in the marketing technology sector and several workshops allow active participation on topics such as “Local Area Marketing” or “Asset Management”.

May 2015 Open House: Inspiring conversations with our clients, partners and friends

May 2015 GateB Event: Big Data in Marketing

This year's event on April 26, 2016 at Four Points Sihlcity in Zürich is on the subject of «Smart Data in Marketing». In the new world of digitization, it is not just a question of transferring traditional material from analogue to digital. The changes are much greater, but so are the opportunities! A glance at our agenda will show you how companies are approaching this challenge.

For example, new insights can be gained by combining various data sources, a promise that Big Data can definitely keep. This is shown in the presentation by Marco Dalla Valle, Vice President, Credit Suisse, in the area of Web Analysis.

However, the challenge of digitization goes much further and also opens up new business areas. Like the new company TELL, consisting of Swisscom, SRG and Ringier, who want to take advantage of the new opportunities offered in the digital world, shown in the contribution by Martin Schneider, designated CEO at TELL (JV project of Swisscom, SRG and Ringier) and current CEO of Publisuisse.

May 2015 Backstage-Event #1 mit Coca-Cola HBC Schweiz: Wie gewinnen wir im War for Talents?

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April 2015 Hotz Brand Consultants acquires Bühler as client

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March 2015 S'Tännli Cup 2015: Passionate spectacle in slow motion

The S'Tännli Cup 2015 with the ice hockey cracks of the Brand Leadership Circle was again richly blessed with tough fights and entertaining capers. The fans in the Bosshard Arena, Zug, enjoyed a classy spectacle in slow motion - with two dozen goals, after all. The match was extremely evenly balanced for a long time, until finally the somewhat greater talents of the Greens (gateB, Victor Hotz, Screen Concept) overcame the rather more amusing playing style of the Violets (Mondays, HBC, Shared Services, Sensorial) and won by 13:11.

February 2015 GateB rated as “one of the 20 most promising SAS solutions providers” in the USA

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Contact

Visit us at the Brand Leadership Building and discover more about brand leadership – our approach for successful company management in times of great change.

Sennweidstrasse 35
CH-6312 Steinhausen
T +41 41 748 44 00
F +41 41 748 44 45
info@brandleadership.ch

Directions by public transport

S5 from Zug or direct from Zürich to Steinhausen station, then approx. 5 minutes on foot.

Parking

Parking is available at the Brand Leadership Building in front of the main entrance. If there are any questions, or if you wish to be collected at Steinhausen station, please call us.