Di, Okt 17th 2023
Urs Furrer is to become director of the Swiss Trade Association (SGV). The board of directors has proposed the managing director of the industry associations Chocosuisse and Biscosuisse to take office on 1 May 2024; he must be confirmed by the Swiss Chamber of Commerce.
Until then, the operational management of the Swiss Trade Association will be under the interim co-management of Kurt Gfeller and Dieter Kläy, the SGV announced on Monday.
Furrer is a lic. iur. HSG and lawyer. Since 2014, he has worked as managing director of the Chocosuisse and Biscosuisse associations. Previously, he was a member of the Executive Board of Expertsuisse and economiesuisse and a business lawyer at KPMG. Furrer is a member of the FDP and lives in the canton of Aargau, the SGV added.
The new SGV director Henrique Schneider, who had already been elected, had stumbled over a plagiarism affair. In addition to an embellished curriculum vitae, he was accused of plagiarism in 65 cases. In addition, he is said to have faked two professorships. He denied the accusations. Based on a legal opinion, the SGV board revoked Schneider’s election in June. However, he remained vice-director.
The long-time SGV director and former Zurich FDP National Councillor Hans-Ulrich Bigler resigned at the end of June after 15 years at the helm of the trade association due to age.
The SGV is an umbrella organisation with around 230 member associations. It represents the national interests of SMEs and the self-employed in Switzerland. It has representatives in the National Council and the Council of States as well as in the cantons and municipalities.
©Keystone/SDA
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