Management transitions with industry veterans

FELFEL, the provider of smart 'FELFEL' refrigerators and its coffee offering 'Gavetti' in the corporate catering market, has appointed Raphael Gugerli as Chief Executive Officer, effective January 6th, 2025. He will succeed Anna Grassler, who has co-led the company alongside founders Daniela and Emanuel Steiner and CFO Jürg Schläpfer.  They introduced FELFEL to over 1,000 locations in Switzerland and grew the team to 150 employees. Raphael’s appointment sets the company on course for its next growth phase. Raphael Gugerli brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in the food and consumer goods industry, as well as extensive strategic expertise. During 15 years at Migros he held significant leadership roles including serving as CEO of Delica AG since its formation in 2021, leading 2,200 employees and overseeing the merger of several companies, including Chocolat Frey. His tenure included a focus on innovation in coffee products, especially with the launch of the Coffee B capsule system. His strong leadership and innovation skills will be invaluable in his new role at FELFEL.

Management transition and changes at Topadur
Topadur, a patient-oriented biotech company developing disruptive therapies for aging diseases, continues to make leadership changes in preparation for its Initial Public Offering (IPO). The company’s board has appointed Reto Naef, the company’s founder and Chairman of the Board, as interim CEO, succeeding Pascal Brenneisen who led the company since 2023, guiding it toward a future-oriented strategy and fostering a cultural change ahead of the planned IPO. This comes after the appointment of Matthias Schäfer as Chief Innovation Officer (CIO) and Jay Siegel as Chief Research Officer (CRO). Matthias is a seasoned international leader, who uniquely combines management skills with in-depth experience in biomedical research, from which he developed products and strategies with sustainable economic success. Jay Siegel brings to Topadur over 40 years of experience in molecular design and chemical synthesis research. He was previously Dean of a School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology and Director of a Laboratory for Process Research on the synthesis of API for the Pharmaceutical Market.

Pharmalp appoints co-CEOs
Starting 1st January 2025, the company will be led by two co-CEOs: Dorothée Sineux, co-founder and specialist in the marketing of dietary supplements, and Séverin Ruoff, with experience in international corporations, startups, growth development, and finance. The two co-CEOs will drive Pharmalps through its next growth phase, particularly in Switzerland and Asia. Recognized at its early stage some 12 years ago as one of Switzerland's top 100 start-ups, Pharmalp is now a fast-growing SME located in Valais, specialising in phytotherapy and probiotics. The company currently markets 13 natural scientifically validated food supplements, distributed in pharmacies, drugstores and e-commerce outlets in Switzerland and several export countries. It has even obtained its first patent in the US and EU showing that a specific plant extract of small-flowered fireweed can prevent vaginal infections. A second patent has been filed showing how to prevent the recurrence of urinary infections with selected plant extracts and chemically identified active compounds extracted from them. 

News COO for SOORT
SOORT, an AI-powered app platform aiming to promote sustainable e-commerce shopping, has welcomed Emma Hörnqvist as the new Chief Operating Officer (COO). Originally from Sweden, Emma holds a degree in economics and brings a wealth of experience, passion, and a strong network in the impact-driven community. For the past 1.5 years, Emma has supported the Swiss Startup Association in sales, community building, and business development, collaborating closely with partners, members, and investors to drive meaningful connections. Her dedication to building a better world aligns perfectly with SOORT's mission. Additionally, Emma’s knowledge, commitment, and connections in both Switzerland and Sweden make her an invaluable addition to the team.

Technis appoints new COO
With Marc Giovanola, Technis has added an experienced team member to its team in the position of COO to help fuel its growth. The Lausanne-based startup offers a suite of applications that allows users to collect data on their physical spaces to support decision-making. With a proven track record of business scalability and transformation, Marc joins Technis as the company continues to achieve success and accelerate in the European and American markets. Marc has worked for more than 20 years through the ranks at Philippe Morris International where he held various positions, from Director of Operations and Supply Chain and Product Risk Reduction to Vice President of Product Portfolio Management. From increased production to remarkable revenue growth, his years at PMI were marked by notable scalability results.

(RAN)