IN CONVERSATION Rendezvous with former Federal Councillor Johann Schneider-Ammann

RENDEZ-VOUS DE GSTAAD

ON THE WAY TO A “DIGITAL SWITZERLAND”

Switzerland is an innovative country ― regularly occupying top positions in the relevant ratings. But on digitalisation there is still some catching up to do. Economists and politicians are agreed on this. In his conversation with Elie Vannier, the driving force behind the “Rendez-Vous de Gstaad”, former Swiss Federal Councillor Johann Schneider-Ammann reveals his plans for the transformation.

As Minister of Economic Affairs, you are actively promoting Switzerland’s transformation process towards digitalisation. Where does Switzerland stand compared to other countries? Are we frontrunners or are

we lagging behind? Switzerland is well on its way to becoming one of the leaders in this field. However, we shouldn’t be complacent. The competition is tough, the technological disruption it will cause for many sectors should not be underestimated. And more importantly: the disruption may not only come from our known competitors ― the USA, Europe or Asia ― but from less well-known newcomers such as India or Brazil. We have to remain vigilant.

What challenges do you see ahead for our country and for Europe? Switzerland has suffered a lot from an overvalued Swiss franc. To keep their businesses going, many Swiss companies have shaved their margins and lost investment capacity. Now its time for a revival, we need new investment. I am relieved that the European economy is picking up. It helps our economy too. I think France in particular plays a very important role.

President Macron has launched some promising reforms, especially in the labour market. Brexit, of course, remains one of the main challenges facing all of Europe, not just the UK; not least because any deal between Brussels and London will have an impact on the other countries, and also on us. of the cantons. There are many pilot-projects under way. The most important thing, however, isn’t for pupils to learn programming, but to acquire the ability to formulate the right concepts, which a programmer can then convert. This means we need young talent with a high level of analytical and conceptual skills.

What is your personal vision for a ”smart digital

Switzerlandˮ? Ours should be a land of opportunities. A land that creates jobs for its population, especially the young people.

Estimates suggest that 150,000 jobs may be at risk in Switzerland. How can we help those that might be af-

fected and inspire a sense of optimism? I know there are many who fear that robots will replace them in the workplace. The evidence points in a different direction. Countries that fully embrace innovation and the digital age are creating more new jobs than those that are hesitant.

How can we help skilled professionals, especially older

ones, get up to speed with digitalisation? Education is key. We need a good standard of basic education ― Switzerland certainly offers that. But we also need far more opportunities for continuing education and onthe-job training. At a time when the baby boomers are retiring and the workforce is shrinking, companies should also be paying attention to this.

In your view, what dangers are associated with the digital transformation? Where do you see the limits,

legally, but also for society as a whole? We are on a journey full of surprises. We don’t know where digitalisation will lead us. For me, the greatest danger lies in making judgements before we have all the evidence to hand. We all want guarantees ― especially concerning jobs. But I don’t think anyone can offer these. The outcome will be a matter of negotiation between all the players involved. Inevitably, mistakes will be made. Nevertheless, Switzerland is certainly one of the better prepared countries in terms of meeting the challenges ahead. Our consensus-seeking political culture and our grassroots democracy pave the way for finding a solution that is supported by all the stakeholders, and which makes the most of the advantages offered by the new technologies.

You are also the country’s education minister. How can we support the transfer of digital skills in our

schools? At elementary level, this is the responsibility

At the Gstaad Palace, the management often finds itself confronted with an interesting but also irritating phenomenon. Youngsters no longer want to work in the hospitality sector ― too much overtime, too much irregularity in terms of the hours. How can we attract

new young talent? My view isn’t quite so strong. Not all young people are looking for an easy life or a quick buck. Many are attracted by interesting challenges. It’s important that we try to change the image of hospitality sector jobs. We have to emphasize what youngsters can expect to gain by choosing a hospitality profession. We also need to look at improving the opportunities for the transfer to and from related sectors, so that young people can gain greater knowledge from working in different places and in different environments. When I was still an entrepreneur, we did just that for our mechanical apprentices.

Do we actually still need chefs de service, waiters,

hosts? Or will we soon be served by robots? Robots may offer some interesting solutions for fast-food restaurants, but I doubt they have a future in high-end gastronomy and hospitality.

You love the region around Gstaad ― what draws you

here so often? This is one of the best places to unwind and recharge my batteries. I love the mountains and I used to hike and climb a lot when I was younger. I even dreamed of becoming a mountain guide ― or perhaps a carpenter building chalets in the Alps.

You are one of the guests of honour at this year’s ”Rendez-Vous de Gstaadˮ, our mini WEF in the Saanen-

land. What insights did you gain today? What I learnt today is that innovation isn’t necessarily a question of money, but much rather a cultural issue. And this makes it an issue that all entrepreneurs must address. The question is: How can I develop a culture of openness that promotes innovation within my company? That’s the best question any business leader can ask themselves.