Many graduates of the University of St.Gallen (HSG) hold positions on management boards and boards of directors in Switzerland’s 100 largest companies. This underlines the quality HSG programmes from Bachelor's to Executive MBA as well as the leading position HSG occupies in executive education for leadership and management. HSG takes its responsibility seriously to support leaders long after their initial studies and for this event, has brought them back to campus for this exchange with faculty and students. The “CEOs to campus” format, which was first piloted in 2024, serves this purpose. It brings together the CEOs of large Swiss companies in St.Gallen. This event series is of central importance to HSG because it feels that it can only develop into the leading business university in Europe in close cooperation with the business community.
Beat Tinner, cantonal councillor and director of Economic Affairs, welcomed those present on behalf of the Canton of St.Gallen, which supports the event. He emphasised the canton's openness and innovative strength and wished the participants insightful sessions. Vice-Chancellor Philipp Rösler and Ralf Heckner, Swiss Ambassador to the USA, shed light on current developments and the influence of US politics on Europe. Mario Greco, Zurich Insurance Group, and Mark Schneider, member of the Executive Board at Roche and Siemens and former CEO of Nestlé, highlighted the scope for action available to CEOs in this situation.
The CEOs then exchanged views with students and faculty on specific topics in several breakout sessions, moderated by HSG students. After the moderators summarised these discussions and a high-profile panel discussion took place, the informal conclusion offered an opportunity for networking and furthering the discussions. This year's event was also largely organised and shaped by students, from project management to moderation.
Initiated by the HSG Foundation and started in 2025, in partnership with the Executive School, the format is set to become even more established in the future. CEOs will gather again in St.Gallen during the autumn semester of 2026 to exchange ideas. The geopolitical situation at that time will serve as the thematic background.
