HSG Alumni elect Mathieu S. Jaus as new president

11 June 2020. Mathieu S. Jaus (51) graduated as a lic.oec. HSG with a specialisation in auditing and fiduciary services in 1993, following which he initially worked as a manager, account manager and certified auditor at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Basel. From 1998 to 2012, as head of finance at FC Basel, he made a significant contribution towards helping the FCB regain its former strength. During this time, he also worked to further develop his own trust company, which was founded in 2004. Today, Jaus advises clients in various financial matters with Copartner Revision AG and its team of 25 employees. He is also active in the area of real estate management with Bächtiger Liwoba Immobilien AG.

Mathieu, who says himself that he is a big fan of clubs and associations, has always combined his work as a manager and entrepreneur with his commitment towards bodies such as the Swiss Football Association and the A.V. Amicitia San Gallensis. The HSG has also benefited from Jaus' extra-official involvement for many years now, whereby he has been a long-standing board member of the HSG Alumni chapters in northwestern Switzerland, auditor of the student initiative "Script Commission" since 2002, and – for over 20 years – auditor for HSG Alumni. Since 2019, Mathieu has also been a member of the HSG Alumni board.

His election as HSG Alumni President was preceded by a multi-stage selection process via a selection committee and unanimous nomination by the HSG Alumni board.

"Forwards with curiosity, openness and strength"

In his inaugural speech at the general assembly, which was held as an online event due to the corona pandemic, Mathieu S. Jaus thanked the Executive Board and all the members of HSG Alumni for his election: "I will stick to the model that has proven successful thus far and am proud to be able to take over a well-positioned organisation with a dedicated office. The challenge will lie in optimally aligning the available resources with the concerns and interests of the members and the HSG, while at the same time cultivating the HSG spirit. I look forward to working with the office and the board in order to advance key projects, such as lifelong learning, platforms and formats, the integration of graduates and ‘the big C’ together with the community / corporate partnerships / C-level". When asked about his hopes, Mathieu spontaneously replied that every alumna and alumnus should have qualified and positive contact with the HSG Alumni Association or the alma mater once a year.

Twenty years of defining leadership – "time to go"

After around 20 years as President of HSG Alumni – during which the HSG Alumni Advisory Board (2007) and the HSG Alumni Seniors Chapter (2014) were founded, the HSG Alumni Foundation was renamed the HSG Foundation (2013), and meanwhile the "Career Services" project was launched (2009), the HSG Alumni House was opened at the HSG Executive Campus (2008) and the first USA Conference (2008) as well as the first HSG Alumni Germany Conference (2012) took place – Urs Landolf has decided to pass the baton on to "new and also younger hands". He has always enjoyed the role, he says, and especially enjoyed being in contact with so many committed HSG graduates. But at some point it's always "time to go", he concludes, and that time has now come. Urs Landolf will continue to serve the University of St.Gallen for the next two years as a member of the Foundation Board and delegate for the construction of the HSG Learning Center. "I can't be completely without the HSG," says the outgoing HSG Alumni President. Urs Landolf was honoured at the AGM by former president Thomas Bieger, not only for his achievements as HSG Alumni President, but also for three of his personal strengths: loyalty, professionalism and his “human touch”.

Tributes, resignations, elections

The members of HSG Alumni appointed Urs Landolf and former president Thomas Bieger honorary members for their services to the continuous development of HSG Alumni and the University of St.Gallen, as well as their lively exchange for the benefit and promotion of both institutions. Bernhard Moerker was also made an honorary member of the board of HSG Alumni for his outstanding services as a board member. He has been responsible for integrating graduates from the HSG Executive Master’s Programmes into the alumni community and for setting up the Swiss chapters of HSG Alumni. In addition to Bernhard Moerker, Alexander Herzog (in office since 2003), Doris Schiesser (2014) and Stephan Gieseck (2016) all retired from the board.

Silvana Fuhrer-Arpagaus (32) was newly elected to the Executive Board of HSG Alumni, which now comprises 13 members. She holds a bachelor's and master's degree in law with economic sciences from the University of St.Gallen and has been working as Compliance Officer at LGT Bank in Zurich since 2017. She held a similar position at Swiss Life from 2013 to 2016.