Ambassador Manuel Sager
Ambassador of Switzerland to the United States
Overview
Thriving in today’s challenging European marketplace is no small feat. The Tell Awards, named for Swiss folk hero William Tell, honor US companies from a wide range of industries and of various size and stage of business development that have conquered the European/EMEA market from their operations based in Switzerland, the global leader for innovation and competitiveness. During the awards program, leaders of the honoree companies will discuss projects that are working and the strategies they employ to make them a success. Participants will come away with ideas for their own companies along with factors to consider as they look toward Europe for their business operations.
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Venue
Bloomberg Headquarters | New York
Registration
For information on individual and group rates, contact Kristen Hensley at +1 212 617 6502 or khensley@bloomberg.net.
Sponsorship Opportunities
For sponsorship opportunities, contact Sue Ann Timco at +1 212 617 3644 or stimco@bloomberg.net.
Sponsored By:
PROGRAM AGENDA:
Please note that the program is subject to change.
| 5:30 pm | PARTICIPANT CHECK-IN |
| 6:00 pm | OPENING REMARKS Ambassador François Barras, Consul General of Switzerland in New York |
| 6:05 pm | TELL AWARDS PRESENTATION Presenter: Ambassador Manuel Sager, Ambassador of Switzerland to the United States 2012 TELL AWARDS HONOREES - IBM (Armonk, NY), for the new Binnig and Rohrer Nanotechnology Center for exploratory research, demonstrating the magnitude of innovation and reinvestment in Switzerland. Award received by: Matthias Kaiserswerth, Director and Vice President IBM Research – Zurich, IBM William Lafontaine, Jr., Vice President, Strategy & worldwide Technical Operations, IBM Research, IBM - INTERMUNE (Brisbane, CA), a biopharmaceutical company that established its European Headquarters to prepare and lead the successful launch in Europe of the first approved drug for IPF, a rare lung disease with a prognosis worse than most cancers. Award received by: Jim Goff, Vice President, Corporate Communications & Investor Relations, InterMune - KAYAK (Norwalk, CT), the online travel technology company that acquired a German competitor and consolidated all central functions in a new Swiss Headquarters. Award received by: Mark Diffley, Vice President, Finance, KAYAK Software Corporation - MAXWELL TECHNOLOGIES (San Diego, CA), global leader in energy storage and power delivery solutions, for its new Competence Center consolidating R&D, manufacturing, logistics and marketing. Award received by: Mark Rossi, Chairman, Maxwell Technologies, Inc.; Senior Managing Director, Cornerstone Equity Investors, LLC Sacha Jenny, General Manager of Maxwell Technologies SA and Vice President of High Tension, Maxwell SA - PROCTER & GAMBLE (Cincinnati, OH), one of the largest US employers in Switzerland, and present for 60 years in Switzerland, for substantial extension of the Health Care business at their Geneva Headquarters. Award received by: Winston Griffin, Vice President, Global Operations Finance & Accounting, Procter & Gamble Carolyn Brehm, Vice President, Global Government Relations and Public Policy, Proctor & Gamble Frédérique Reeb-Landry, Director General, Public Affairs, Procter & Gamble Switzerland |
| 6:45 pm | STRATEGIES FOR THRIVING IN EUROPE'S CHALLENGING ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT Despite the global economic downturn, the Swiss economy has demonstrated its resilience and continues to benefit from a highly-developed service sector, encompassing 71 percent of GDP, and low unemployment, at just under three percent. Manufacturing, life sciences and financial services are among the top business sectors in Switzerland, and U.S. companies are the largest source of foreign investment, providing 39 percent of all inward FDI projects, ahead of Germany (12%) and the UK (11%). This panel will look at the risks posed by current factors including the debt crisis being experienced in EU countries, and how they affect companies operating in the European region. We will examine how these risks are mitigated in Switzerland, and discuss the strategies of U.S. companies that have expanded operations into the country as they balance the challenges while leveraging the opportunities offered by the Swiss economy. Speakers: Jim Goff, Vice President, Corporate Communications & Investor Relations, InterMune Matthias Kaiserswerth, Director and Vice President IBM Research – Zurich, IBM Ambassador Manuel Sager, Ambassador of Switzerland to the United States Interviewed by: Kathleen Hays, Host, “The Hays Advantage”, Bloomberg Radio |
| 7:15 pm | CLOSING REMARKS Daniel Bangser, Trade Commissioner and FDI Director North America, Switzerland Trade & Investment Promotion COCKTAIL RECEPTION HOSTED BY: SWITZERLAND TRADE & INVESTMENT PROMOTION |
Ambassador François Barras
Consul General of Switzerland in New York
Mark Diffley
Vice President, Finance
KAYAK Software Corporation
Winston Griffin
Vice President, Global Operations Finance & Accounting
Procter & Gamble
Matthias Kaiserswerth
Director and Vice President IBM Research – Zurich
IBM
Mark Rossi
Chairman, Maxwell Technologies, Inc.
Senior Managing Director, Cornerstone Equity Investors, LLC
Kathleen Hays
Host, “The Hays Advantage”
Bloomberg Radio
Switzerland Trade & Investment Promotion
Switzerland Trade & Investment Promotion, an arm of the Swiss government, helps companies evaluate Switzerland’s competitive advantages and navigate the setup process. In short, we provide information and connections to ensure the success of your growth strategy in Europe.
More than 1’000 American companies are already in Switzerland, from early stage innovators to well-known multinationals, with many choosing Switzerland as a base for their European/EMEA headquarters.
The advantages of a Swiss business location – and what sets us apart from other European countries – include strong employer flexibility, a very highly skilled and multilingual talent pool, and competitive taxes/costs. Economically, politically and financially, Switzerland is an island of stability in Europe.
For these reasons and more, Switzerland consistently ranks as the Most Competitive Business Operating Environment (WEF) and the Most Innovative Country (INSEAD and the European Innovation Scoreboard).
For more information about Switzerland’s favorable business and tax environment, please visit us at www.locationswitzerland.com.
VENUE LOCATION:
Bloomberg LP Headquarters
731 Lexington Avenue (between 58th & 59th Streets)
New York, NY 10022
The event will be held on the 7th Floor MPR Room at the Bloomberg building.
REGISTRATION:
Space is limited. For more information on individual registrations, contact Kristen Hensley at +1 212 617 6502.
PRESS QUESTIONS & INQUIRIES:
Please email Angela Martin with any press related questions.