Board of Directors
The Board of Directors is responsible for the overall management and strategic direction of the Alpiq Group as well as for supervising the Executive Board. The Board of Directors consists of the following seven members:
Johannes Teyssen
Chairman
Nationality:
German
Education:
- Juris Doctor Degree from the Georg August University of Goettingen, Germany
- Studied Law and Economics at the Universities of Freiburg and Goettingen, Germany
Professional background:
2010 – 04/2021: CEO and Chairman of the Management Board of E.ON SE, Essen, Germany
2007 – 2010: Chief Operating Officer and Deputy CEO, E.ON SE, Duesseldorf, Germany
2003 – 2007: CEO, E.ON Energie Ltd. (European Division), Munich, Germany
2001 – 2003: CFO, E.ON Energie Ltd., Munich, Germany
1999 – 2001: CEO and Chairman of the Management Board, Avacon AG, Helmstedt, Germany
1998 – 1999: Member of the Management Board, Braunschweigische Stromversorgungs AG (HASTRA), Hanover, Germany (1999: merged into Avacon)
1994 – 1998: Head of Legal Affairs, later also Wholesale Services, PreussenElektra Ltd., Hanover, Germany
1991 – 1994: Head of Energy and Corporate Law, PreussenElektra Ltd., Hanover, Germany
1989 – 1991: Various positions in Legal Affairs, PreussenElektra Ltd., Hanover, Germany
Other mandates:
Non-executive director: BP plc, London, United Kingdom
Senior Advisor: KKR plc, London, United Kingdom; Viridor plc, Taunton, United Kingdom
First elected to the Board of Directors:
2022
Specific role on the Board of Directors:
- Chairman of the Board of Directors
François Gabella
Deputy Chairman
Nationality:
Swiss
Education:
- Master’s Degree in Microtechnics Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
- Master of Business Administration (MBA), IMD Lausanne
Professional background:
2010 – 2018: LEM Holding inc., World Leader in Current Transducers, Chief Executive Officer
2006 – 2010: Hexagon Metrology (Sweden), Member of the Metrology Executive Board and CEO of TESA SA in Switzerland
2002 – 2005: AREVA T&D (France), previously Alstom T&D, Senior Vice President
1999 – 2001: Texas Pacific Group (TPG), CEO of a portfolio company
1993 – 1999: ABB T&D (Asea Brown Boveri), several positions from company President to Senior Vice President
Other mandates:
Director: LEM Holding SA, Meyrin; Sonceboz Group SA, Sonceboz-Sombeval
Vice President of Switzerland Global Enterprise (S-GE), Zurich
Central Committee of Swissmem, Zurich
Committee Member of economiesuisse, Zurich
First elected to the Board of Directors:
2024
Specific role on the Board of Directors:
- Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors
- Member of the Audit and Risk Committee
Andreas Büttiker
Director
Nationality:
Swiss
Education:
- University of Bern / Rochester (CAS Board of Directors)
- Stanford University, USA (Stanford Executive Program)
- University of Basel (lic.rer.pol., Studies of Economics)
Professional background:
1996 – 2023: CEO of BLT Baselland Transport AG, Oberwil (BL) and Managing Director of the transport network Tarifverbund Nordwestschweiz (1996 – 2014)
1995 – 1996: Alcatel, Zurich, Head of the Corporate Networks business unit
1991 – 1994: MDS Network Engineering AG, Zurich, Managing Director
1990 – 1991: MDS Holding AG, Basel, Assistant to the Chairman of the Board of Directors
1988 – 1990: IBM, Zurich, Sales / Marketing Representative (Organisation Consultant)
Other mandates:
Chairman: EBM (Genossenschaft Elektra Birseck)/Primeo Energie Group, Münchenstein
Director: Swiss Rhine Ports, Birsfelden
First elected to the Board of Directors:
2024
Specific role on the Board of Directors:
- Member of the Nomination, Remuneration and Strategy Committee
Tobias Andrist
Director
Nationality:
Swiss
Education:
- Master of Business Administration, Edinburgh Business School
- Business Economist, University of Applied Sciences & Arts Northwestern Switzerland
- Certified Electrician (Federal Diploma)
Professional background:
Since 2018: CEO EBL (Genossenschaft Elektra Baselland), Liestal
2012 – 2018: Member of the Executive Board, Head of the Electricity Division, EBL
2009 – 2012: Head of Corporate Development, EBL
2006 – 2009: Executive Assistant, IWB Industrielle Werke Basel
2004 – 2006: Project Assistant / Management Support, Baloise Asset Management AG
Other mandates:
Chairman: EBL España Services SI, Calasparra, Spain; EBL Wind Invest AG, Liestal; EBL Infrastruktur Management Ltd, Liestal; EBLS Schweiz Strom AG, Liestal; EBL Stromproduktion AG, Liestal; Tubo Sol PE2 S.L., Calasparra, Spain; EBL Italy S.r.l., Palermo, Italy
Vice Chairman: EBL Fernwärme AG, Liestal
Director: Kraftwerk Birsfelden AG, Birsfelden
Employer representative: Transparenta Sammelstiftung für berufliche Vorsorge, Aesch
First elected to the Board of Directors:
2018
Specific role on the Board of Directors:
- Chairman of the Audit and Risk Committee
Adèle Thorens Goumaz
Director
Nationality:
Swiss
Education:
- Fundamentals of the Board of Directors, ACAD, Lausanne
- Management of non-profit organisations, Institute of Public Administration (IDHEAP), Lausanne
- Adult trainer (FSEA 1), Centre romand d’enseignement à distance (CRED), Sierre
- Environmental protection law, University of Fribourg
- Environmental and sustainability policies, School of Public Administration (IDHEAP), Lausanne
- Bachelor of Arts, Master of Philosophy, History and Political Science, University of Lausanne
Professional background:
Since 2024: Professor at University of Applied Sciences “School of Engineering and Management Vaud”, Yverdon
2019 – 2023: Member of the Council of States, member of the Finance, Economy and Environment Committees, Chair of the Environment Committee from 01/2023 to 12/2023
2007 – 2019: National Councillor, member of the Environment Committee and the Economy Committee
2012 – 2016: Co-President of the Swiss Green Party
Other mandates:
Chairwoman: bio.inspecta AG, Frick
Director: SLSP Swiss Library Service Platform AG, Zurich
Member of the Advisory Board: Economic and Business Forum (Swiss Triple Impact), Geneva; EthiX - Lab für Innovationsethik, Zurich
First elected to the Board of Directors:
2024
Specific role on the Board of Directors:
- Member of the Nomination, Remuneration and Strategy Committee
Jørgen Kildahl
Director
Nationality:
Norwegian
Education:
- Advanced Management Programme, Harvard Business School
- Master of Business Administration in Finance (MBA), Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration, NHH
- Certified European Financial Analyst (CEFA)
- Master of Science in Economics and Business Administration (M.Sc.), Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration, NHH
Professional background:
2010 – 2015: Board of Management Member, E.ON SE
1999 – 2010: Executive Vice President, Statkraft AS
1991 – 1999: Partner, Geelmuyden Kiese, PR Consulting Group
1988 – 1991: Fund Manager, International Formuesforvaltning A/S
Other mandates:
Member of the Investment and ESG committees / Senior Advisor: Energy Infrastructure Partners AG (formerly Credit Suisse Energy Infrastructure Partners AG), Zurich
Chairman: SCATEC ASA, Oslo, Norway; Versiro AS, Trondheim, Norway; Karaldenuten Holdings AS, Langesund, Norway
Non-executive director: Gjert Agerup AS, Oslo, Norway
First elected to the Board of Directors:
2019
Specific role on the Board of Directors:
- Member of the Audit and Risk Committee
Ronald Trächsel
Director
Nationality:
Swiss
Education:
- University of Berne, lic.rer.pol. (Master of Business Administration)
Professional background:
2014 – 06/2023: BKW AG, Berne, CFO
2007 – 2014: Sika Ltd., Baar, CFO
1999 – 2007: Vitra AG, Muttenz, CEO/CFO
1992 – 1999: Ringier Ltd., Zofingen, Head Internal Audit / CFO Ringier International
1987 – 1992: Ciba-Geigy AG, Basel, Internal Audit
Other mandates:
Chairman: Wyss Seeds and Plants Ltd., Zuchwil
Director: Valiant Bank AG, Berne; Création Baumann Ltd., Langenthal
First elected to the Board of Directors:
2023
Specific role on the Board of Directors:
- Chairman of the Nomination, Remuneration and Strategy Committee
The Board of Directors regularly reviews its composition in relation to a balance of specialist knowledge, experience and diversity. At 31 December 2024, the Board of Directors has one female member.
Internal organisation
Allocation of tasks within the Board of Directors
The tasks of the Board of Directors are set out in the Swiss Code of Obligations, in Art. 12 of the Articles of Association as well as in the Organisational Regulations of Alpiq Holding Ltd.
Committees of the Board of Directors
Audit and Risk Committee (ARC)
The ARC consists exclusively of non-executive and independent members of the Board of Directors, most of whom have finance and accounting experience. At 31 December 2024, the members of the ARC are Tobias Andrist (Chairman), Jørgen Kildahl (member) and François Gabella (member). The ARC’s role is to support the Board of Directors in assessing the performance of the external auditors, monitoring and assessing the internal auditors, the internal control system, financial accounting, risk management, compliance and corporate governance.
Nomination, Remuneration and Strategy Committee (NRSC)
At 31 December 2024, the NRSC consists of Ronald Trächsel (Chairman), Andreas Büttiker (member) and Adèle Thorens Goumaz (member). The NRSC is tasked with supporting the Board of Directors in discharging its supervisory duty regarding succession planning (Executive Board), determining and reviewing remuneration policy and guidelines as well as performance targets, preparing proposals on the remuneration of the Board of Directors and the Executive Board on behalf of the Annual General Meeting (AGM), determining all other terms and conditions of employment of the members of the Board of Directors and approving the other contract terms and conditions of employment for the CEO (as proposed by the Chairman of the Board of Directors) and for the Executive Board (as proposed by the CEO). The NRSC is in charge of pre-discussing the Group Strategy, prior to approval by the Board of Directors and monitoring the strategy implementation, as well as determining of sustainability targets, including implementation of suitable reporting.
All committees can investigate and enquire about activities that fall within their area of responsibility and also can request any information required to fulfil their duties.
Sustainability
Economic, environmental and social issues as well as decisions regarding sustainability are handled by the Board of Directors, as the body responsible for the overall management. In addition to this, they are dealt with by the committees supporting the Board of Directors, in particular the NRSC.
Division of responsibilities
The Board of Directors has delegated responsibility for the Alpiq Group’s entire operational management to the CEO. The CEO chairs the Executive Board and has delegated some of her management responsibilities to the Executive Board members. The Organisational Regulations govern authorities and the division of responsibilities between the Board of Directors and the CEO or Executive Board. The CEO has issued regulations governing the assignment of authorities and responsibilities. These regulations apply throughout the Group.
Information and controlling instruments in relation to the Executive Board
The Executive Board reports annually to the Board of Directors on strategic, medium-term and annual targets and on the progress made in attaining them. The Board of Directors issues a code of conduct to ensure compliance with the applicable norms. During the financial year, the Executive Board reports quarterly on business performance, progress in achieving targets and other important developments (activity report). The Board of Directors also receives a regular summary report including key financial figures, an assessment of the risk situation and ongoing internal audits. Furthermore, the Board of Directors receives a quarterly report showing detailed financial information and the principal activities and projects of the various business and functional divisions. At 31 December 2024, the Board of Directors also has two standing committees: the Audit and Risk Committee (ARC) and the Nomination, Remuneration and Strategy Committee (NRSC).
The external auditors submit a comprehensive report to the Board of Directors and give a verbal presentation of the results and findings of their audit and of their future key audit areas.
Internal Audit, which reports directly to the Chairs of the Board of Directors and the ARC, provides independent and objective auditing and advisory services aimed at adding value and improving business processes. It supports the organisation in achieving its objectives by using a systematic and targeted approach to evaluate the effectiveness of risk management, internal control systems as well as the management and supervisory processes, and by helping to improve them. Internal Audit is a management tool for the Board of Directors and its committees, in particular for the ARC. Internal Audit is tasked with assisting the Board of Directors and Executive Board in performing their monitoring and controlling functions. At the ARC’s request, the Board of Directors approves the risk-oriented audit schedule of Internal Audit on an annual basis and acknowledges the annual accountability report. The individual audit reports are submitted to the respective line manager, the Chairman and (in summary form) to the ARC and are tabled for discussion at each meeting. As and when necessary, Internal Audit also engages an external co-sourcing audit partner to assist it with its work. As Internal Audit uses the partial outsourcing model, the overall responsibility and accountability for assurance services of Internal Audit lie with the Head of Internal Audit, while the operational implementation is to a large extent performed by an external service partner.
Risk Management monitors strategic and operational risks, particularly market, credit and liquidity risks. The Board of Directors receives an annual written report on the situation and developments in Group-wide risk management and its most important constituents. The report presents principles and limits, details compliance with them and contains information on planned expansion moves. Central Risk Management reports to the CFO and proposes limits for the individual areas based on the results of analyses. The Executive Board is responsible for assigning the related risk categories. The overall limit for the Alpiq Group is set annually by the Board of Directors. The Risk Management Committee (RMC), a subcommittee of the Executive Board, monitors compliance with the limits and principles of risk management.
Compliance is integrated into the Legal & Compliance functional unit and regularly reports to the CEO and the Board of Directors. In addition to the actual compliance programme and measures to prevent breaches of ethical regulations and norms, Alpiq’s compliance management system comprises aspects of corporate culture as well as constant monitoring and improvement of the Compliance Organisation. Compliance carries out consulting assignments of the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Executive Board or the ARC, conducts internal investigations and oversees the compliance reporting office as well as Group-wide directives.