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First meeting of the newly constituted SUISA Board

First meeting of the newly constituted SUISA Board
Apart from being Chairman of the Board at SUISA, Xavier Dayer works as a composer and a lecturer at the University of the Arts, Berne.
Photo: Juerg Isler, isler-fotografie.ch
Report from the Board by Dora Zeller and Manu Leuenberger
SUISA Board meetings of September 2015 at a glance: new Board committees set-up, company business strategy revision, SUISA’s staff pension scheme foundation, appointment calendar 2016 and other staff-related and administrative topics.

The SUISA Board met for the first time for an ordinary meeting in its new setup after the by-elections at the General Assembly 2015 on 29/30 September. Marco Zanotta was re-elected as Vice President for a new period of office. Apart from Marie Louise Werth and Zeno Gabaglio joining the Board committees as new members, there were only minor changes to the set-up of the Board.

Board committees with new members

The three Board committees are working groups of the 15 member main Board. They are responsible for the preparation and execution of the business they are assigned with. They report to the main Board. All Board members apart from the President of the Board, Xavier Dayer, and the Vice President, Marco Zanotta, are active in one of the three Board committees.

The new set-up of the Board committees is as follows:

Committee for Finance and Controlling
Bertrand Liechti, President
Marco Neeser
Philipp Schnyder
Christian Siegenthaler

Committee for Organisation and Communication
Géraldine Savary, President
Zeno Gabaglio
Irene Kunzelmann
Christian Wicky

Committee for Tariffs and Distribution
Reto Parolari, President
Rainer Bischof
Roman Camenzind
Christian Fighera
Marie Louise Werth

Review of SUISA’s business strategy

One day prior to the Board meetings, the Board members met up for a special strategy seminar. At the occasion of the ordinary meetings, the discussion on the company’s business strategy and future perspectives of the cooperative society were continued in the main Board. The ongoing deliberations will flow into a review of the existing business strategy, and is planned for 2016.

Other agenda items

Apart from some staff-related and administrative topics, the new Board members Marie Louise Werth and Zeno Gabaglio were elected as members of the Board of SUISA’s Pension Fund for Authors and Publishers (UVF).

The Board also dealt with the staff pension scheme foundation at SUISA (PV): The respective foundation council is made up of employee and employer representatives. Elections as well as changes to the regulations are usually prepared by the foundation council, approved by the Board and subsequently presented to the employees for consent. The Board approved the proposed changes (shortening of deadlines for cash payouts, provisions for semi-retirement and competences). The changes contribute to a more flexible application of the previous provisions.

Finally, dates for the Board meetings in 2016 were agreed. This may sound simple, but it actually isn’t: Our Board members’ main jobs are: composer, songwriter, lyricist, publisher, producer, lecturer, consultant, politician etc. Logistical skills are required to set suitable meeting dates around professional commitments, music fairs, recording or playing sessions and school holidays.

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