Swiss Automotive Group AG (SAG) focuses on continuity
May 08, 2013 | by Olivier Métraux
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May 08, 2013, The Board of Directors of SAG will gradually implement the arrangement for the succession of its CEO Kurt Schnyder: Sandro Piffaretti, the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and co-owner of SAG, will become the delegate of the Board of Directors. During the transition phase, Kurt Schnyder will continue to be responsible for all sales companies. «The objective was the initiation of a forward-looking solution to ensure the proven philosophy and strategy of the family-owned company in the future,» commented Olivier Métraux, the Chairman of the Board of the Directors and co-owner of SAG.
Sandro Piffaretti has been a shareholder of Derendinger AG since 1997 and the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of SAG since 2009. He established his proven leadership competence during the past fifteen years, amongst others as CFO of the former Derendinger Group and as Managing Director of the present SAG subsidiary Derendinger AG. In 2009, Sandro Piffaretti was instrumental in the successful merger of the Derendinger Group with Métraux Services.
The Board of Directors of SAG considered the arrangement of the succession in depth and resolved to initiate it gradually during the first semester of 2013. After spending more than twenty years in SAG's operative leadership and successfully developing the company, the Board of Directors requested Kurt Schnyder to remain responsible for the sales companies for at least another two years. Afterwards, he will join the Board of Directors of SAG.
«I am very happy that we have found an optimal solution for my succession and for the company,» said Kurt Schnyder. «With this succession arrangement,» continued Olivier Métraux, «we will ensure that the consistent continuation of the implementation of the successful strategy as well as the continuous development of SAG are guaranteed.»
About Sandro Piffaretti
Sandro Piffaretti was born in Bellinzona (Switzerland) in 1969. After studying business administration in Fribourg, he worked as an auditor and consultant at Arthur Andersen. In 1997, he and his mother jointly bought Derendinger AG, which had been founded by his grandfather in 1930. Following successful MBA studies in Cranfield, Sandro Piffaretti assumed the position of CFO of the Derendinger Group in 2000. From 2002 to 2005, he led Derendinger AG and successfully restructured the Spanish subsidiary Gerstenmaier SA in 2005. From 2006 to 2007, Sandro Piffaretti headed the purchasing department of the Derendinger Group. Since 2007, Sandro Piffaretti has held the full-time position of Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and has implemented strategic projects such as the merger, in the year 2009, of the Derendinger Group with Métraux Services AG, which was listed on the Swiss stock exchange.
Media Contact:
Swiss Automotive Group AG Olivier Métraux Chairman of the Board of Directors Knonauerstrasse 54 6330 Cham Phone: 041 784 39 70 olivier.metraux@sag-ag.ch
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Source: Olivier Métraux, Press release