20/05/2019
Dear member,
It has been a little more than six months since I became the new manager of Soliswiss. My first 200 days in office turned out to be rather eventful and challenging. In fact, the cooperative’s financial situation has not been splendid for quite some time now. Although, the management had already made decisive course corrections, Soliswiss could not yet manoeuver its way out of the vortex’ iron grip and reach calmer water. Indeed, Soliswiss’s situation at the end of 2018 was anything but positive. The constant changing of regulations crucial to our activities called parts of our business model into question. The effective number of members declined slightly.
Aare swimmers know that when you find yourself clutched by the merciless forces of the river’s backwater, you must let yourself be pulled below the surface, push yourself off diagonally so that you can then swim again with the current. In this vein, the Soliswiss team set about exploring the best direction to head towards and getting fit for the lifesaving push with all its strength, with the aim of getting back into the calm water as quickly as possible. As a result, we overhauled our strategy. We are now able to look to the future and to offer a real added value to our members. The strategy’s implementation is already well advanced and is beginning to bear fruit. Unfortunately, though, difficult decisions had to be taken along the way. We even had to make painful cuts with regard to our staff, including layoffs. We very much regret this, as each and every one of our employees always put their whole heart and soul into Soliswiss. For 2019, another deficit is still to be expected, as the measures implemented thus far will probably not produce immediate effects.
Rest assured that you, our members, will remain at the very center of attention. Indeed, we will continue to attach greatest importance to the solidarity among our members. We will focus on providing comprehensive advice for emigrants, Swiss nationals living abroad, travelers, globetrotters and returnees. It is particularly in this area that we will systematically develop and deepen our know-how. Several years ago already, we handed over our asset management operations to our professional partners. We are now doing the same with our insurance brokerage activities: Together with our partners, we will concentrate on providing our members with access to services and products that are tailored to the specific needs of the Swiss abroad.
We have not quite reached calm waters yet, but the course towards a better future has been set. At the upcoming General Assembly, we would like to introduce the Soliswiss that you got to know and love over the past years, but which has still become a little different, more focused and above all more down-to-earth. As you can see, there is a lot to be discussed. Therefore, we will not invite a guest lecturer this year.
On behalf of the Board of Directors, I cordially invite you to the General Assembly. We are very much looking forward to welcoming you in Berne on August 15, 2019.
All non-members and interested parties are also very welcome.
Limited number of participants – registration required.
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