NZZ: Isabelle Welton has taken over as Chairman of the Board of Directors

Etienne Jornod has decisively shaped the development of the NZZ company over the past ten years as Chairman of the Board of Directors, according to a statement issued on Saturday. Under his leadership, NZZ has developed into a modern and increasingly digitally oriented media company. The 70-year-old has stepped down because he has reached the statutory age limit.

The Board of Directors unanimously voted in favor of Isabelle Welton as the new Chairwoman. The lawyer has been a member of the NZZ Board of Directors for ten years and is a proven leader with broad entrepreneurial experience. "The NZZ is more than a company. It is an institution in our country," Welton is quoted as saying in the statement. "In my new role as Chairman of the Board of Directors, I will do everything in my power to ensure that the NZZ continues to write its success story - both journalistically and entrepreneurially. In doing so, I can count on a competent team on the Board of Directors and excellent management."

Christoph Schmid, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, who has been a member of the Board since 2013, was re-elected by the Annual General Meeting with a clear majority. Florian Harms and Thomas D. Meyer were newly elected to the Board of Directors. They succeed Etienne Jornod and Bernd Kundrun, who decided not to stand for re-election after 14 years. The entrepreneur and proven media professional had joined the NZZ Board of Directors in 2009.

In view of the positive business performance, the Annual General Meeting decided, in accordance with the proposal, to pay an ordinary dividend of 200 Swiss francs per share. In addition, the Annual General Meeting confirmed a special dividend of 400 Swiss francs per share, which will benefit the shareholders due to the reorganization of the shareholding structure in CH Media.