27/08/2019
Translation done with the translator www.DeepL.com/Translator
This year, we held the Annual General Meeting at our premises in Berne; among other things, this was also a farewell to our premises at Gutenbergstrasse 6, where we had been based for more than 15 years. Soliswiss will move, from October we can be found at Effingerstrasse 45 in Berne. This is not far away from our previous premises.
At 14:30 the first guests arrived and in short the GV program started. We started with a presentation by the employees to bring Soliswiss and its goals and strategic orientation closer to everyone. The goals that have been worked out and the current situation will help to reconsider the core business of consulting and the idea of solidarity. The cooperative board was also briefly introduced. Dr. Nicole Töpperwien, who took over the management of Dr. Richard Vögeli in October 2018, was there for the first time.
The formal part of the General Meeting ran smoothly and in accordance with the agenda; the annual report and minutes were approved, as were the balance sheet and income statement after taking note of the auditors’ report. There was a request from one member regarding information technology and data protection. Data security, particularly with regard to financial data, is also part of the internal control system to be audited by the auditors and is therefore always on the radar. The auditors Engel and Copera were unanimously re-elected for a further year.
The year 2018 was not always easy and so the official part ended with thanks from the Chairman of the Board to all employees of the office, including those who left Soliswiss in 2018 and early 2019. Special mention was made of Anna Maria Bütikofer, who will retire soon. Beat Wildbolz also deserves our heartfelt thanks: he has been with Soliswiss for 10 years as an advisor and is there every day for the concerns of the Swiss abroad.
We were able to start punctually at 4 p.m. with a small aperitif. The Catering roh & nobel provided us with five varieties of heavenly snacks and the wine was sourced from “The Bodega”, owned by Andrea and Norbert Aellen from Argentina, Soliswiss members. In sunshine and wind we ended the afternoon comfortably and with animated conversations.
If we dare to look ahead, it will – as always – be an exciting time for our cooperative: we will continue to pay attention to our finances and use them sparingly. Unfortunately, this also includes cuts in the budget. On the other hand, we are motivated and actively ready to tackle new projects and create added value for our members.
A big thank you goes to our new managing director. From day one, she has taken our employees and the cooperative by the hand with great cordiality, expertise and common sense.
A part of our crew spent the following days at the ASO Congress in Montreux – these two days were also accompanied as always by exciting exhibition partners, members and interested parties from all over the world and many stimulating encounters. It is impressive to hear all the courageous stories from our Swiss emigrants and a good heart rate monitor for us so that we know what the needs are. As always, the OSA has organized the Congress wonderfully.
In a few weeks we will be communicating some innovations and benefits for our members. It is a lively, challenging and, as always, exciting time for us and we are doing everything we can to take care of the cooperative and the idea of solidarity and to support all those who want to emigrate and return.
Many thanks to all our members and board members who found their way to us in Bern. In 2020, we hope to see you all again in Lugano.
If you would now like more information on the formal part of the General Assembly, please send us an e-mail to info-at-soliswiss.ch .
As always, please let us know if you are missing an offer from us or simply have a good idea or suggestion; we will be happy to check it for you.
Sincere greetings from all of us
Soliswiss – for Swiss nationals abroad, since 1958
Contacts
Bernardo Brunschwiler, Chairman (bernardo.brunschwiler@soliswiss.ch)
Dr. Nicole Töpperwien, Managing Director (nicole.toepperwien@soliswiss.ch)
Eveline Zurwerra, Marketing & Communication (eveline.zurwerra@soliswiss.ch)