"I'm at the right age to tackle something new with full vigor".

Werbewoche.ch: Christian Baertschi - Your departure from Serviceplan comes as a surprise to many. Just last December, you became Chairman of the Board of Serviceplan Group Switzerland. At the same time, you personally looked after selected key accounts for the agency. Why do you now want to look elsewhere?

Christian Baertschi: For the last seven and a half years, I have devoted myself entirely to building up the agency group. Now I am just at the right age to tackle something new once again with full vigor. We have the advantage of living in a time of change, which offers us new opportunities every day. I want to use this situation to build up something new once again. However, I will not simply abandon my personal key accounts, but will continue to have the opportunity to work for them.

Many board chairmen gradually withdraw from day-to-day business and devote themselves to networking, strategy, isolated boutique mandates. A somewhat calmer pace for the last ten or fifteen years of your career - didn't that seem so tempting to you?

I'm not sure yet whether I'm already in the last ten to fifteen years of my career (laughs). But the outlined idea of only being a breakfast and representation director does not correspond to my self-image.

The announcement of your departure comes at a time when Switzerland has just emerged from the first wave of Corona infections. The agency world has also been shaken up. Hand on heart: Does your departure have anything to do with the consequences of the pandemic for the industry?

No, definitely not. My decision was made before the pandemic began and has nothing to do with it. Escaping the consequences of the pandemic is hardly possible anyway, as I have no plans to enter the pharmaceutical or medical industry. This crisis - like any change - will create many new opportunities, and that applies to our industry as it does everywhere else.

In 2012, the Serviceplan Group bought into the agency you founded, marking its entry into the Swiss market. You put the House of Communication in Seefeld on course for growth. What were your personal highlights, your milestones?

There were a few. Most of it has to do with the great people I met along the way. I have always been particularly motivated when, together with a customer, an opportunity has been led to entrepreneurial success against all internal hurdles and external resistance. In recent years, I have had the privilege of accompanying a number of such milestones - in the automotive market, in fast-moving consumer goods, in telecommunications, but also in the financial sector and in industry. And last but not least, this step is now also part of a significant milestone. I am placing the fate of the company in the hands of a competent team headed by Pam Hügli and Raul Serrat, who have gradually grown into this task over the past few years.

The press release on your departure says that you want to devote yourself to "new entrepreneurial challenges. Can you already say more about what those challenges will be?

It's a little too early for that. After all, I'm still in charge of the Swiss Serviceplan Group and the House of Communication until the end of May. I can only say this much: After I leave, I will concentrate together with Steve Walls, the former Transformation Lead and Head of Strategy at the Swiss Serviceplan Group, on ensuring that ideas and opportunities do not just appear on PowerPoint, but are actually realized. We are convinced that there is not a lack of ideas, but often a lack of momentum to implement them in a timely manner.

What are you particularly looking forward to in the coming weeks and months?

I am looking forward to the people who continue to show interest in my person even after I have stepped down. And of course to a wonderful summer with my family, which I hope we can all enjoy as carefree as possible.

And what will you miss?

I will miss my colleagues very much and especially our reception in the House of Communication.