Dr Andrea Willimann

Hirzel.Neef.Schmid.Counselors
Kramgasse 16
CH-3011 Berne

Telefon: +41 31 312 64 33
Mobile: +41 76 329 19 23
andrea.willimann@konsulenten.ch

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Dr Andrea Willimann
Partner

Core competencies. Dr. Andrea Willimann’s main areas of expertise include

• Development of strategic solutions in the field of communications and media
• Formulation of independent second opinions in connection with the positioning of companies and individuals faced with political or regulatory challenges
• Assisting in the preparation of strategic decisions through the monitoring and analysis of the political arena and administration, as well as business and academic circles
• Advising on cyber strategies and offering personal coaching and training in the area of digital communications

Experience. Dr. Andrea Willimann holds a degree in History and Economics. She has over a decade of management experience from her roles as an editor-in-chief and company director. Andrea Willimann owes her wide-ranging communications expertise and her comprehensive network of contacts in the Swiss capital of Berne as well as in Central Switzerland to her experience in all relevant areas of journalism – including digital communications and communications consulting – and her work as an author and lecturer.

Michael Schoenenberger

Hirzel.Neef.Schmid.Counselors
Kirchenweg 8
CH-8008 Zurich

Phone: +41 43 344 42 42
Mobile: +41 76 433 81 02
michael.schoenenberger@konsulenten.ch

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Michael Schoenenberger
Partner

Core competencies. Michael Schoenenberger’s core competencies include

• Developing communication strategies for businesses and organizations
• Formulating narratives to tackle long-term challenges
• Positioning, personal coaching and training for managers
• Supporting and advising businesses and individuals in critical situations
• Monitoring and analysing national and international political risks, and working out strategies and measures to minimize risks and ensure business success
• Protecting interests in political and regulatory processes

Experience. Michael Schoenenberger joined HNS.Counselors as a partner in November 2020. Prior to this, he headed up the Swiss politics and business section of the leading Swiss newspaper, the "Neue Zürcher Zeitung".

Michael Schoenenberger is an expert in complex communication tasks at the interface of industry, politics, government and society. Through his former positions as journalist, head of section and senior consultant at Farner he has a broad network at the highest level. He focusses on positioning companies and executives, particularly in crisis situations and phases of strategic realignment. He supports top management in communicating success-critical topics to policy-makers, opinion-leaders and the media.

Michael Schoenenberger holds a Master's degree in history, political science and linguistics from Zurich University.

lic. oec. publ. Rolf D. Schläpfer

Hirzel.Neef.Schmid.Counselors
Kirchenweg 8
CH-8008 Zurich

Phone: +41 43 344 42 42
rolf.schlaepfer@konsulenten.ch

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lic. oec. publ. Rolf D. Schläpfer
Partner

Core competencies. Rolf Schläpfer's core competencies include

• Support for strategic projects (leadership changes, restructurings, M&A, going public)
• Reputation management and crisis management
• Developing corporate identity and brand strategies
• Specialist communication in the healthcare and life sciences sectors

Experience. Rolf Schläpfer, lic. oec. publ., headed Roche’s global corporate communications for over ten years. He was the first communications specialist to join the extended Executive Committee of the leading pharmaceutical group.

After graduating in business administration, he worked in product management at Colgate, where he was responsible for several international brands. From 1987 to 1997 he was Senior Partner at the Wirz Group. He co-founded Wirz Identity AG, which as CEO he built up into a leading company for corporate identity and brand positioning.

Rolf Schläpfer has many years of experience as a guest lecturer at various universities and as a moderator of high-ranking panels.

MA Dominique Reber

Hirzel.Neef.Schmid.Counselors
Kramgasse 16
CH-3011 Berne

Phone: +41 31 312 64 33
Mobile: +41 76 405 65 85
dominique.reber@konsulenten.ch

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MA Dominique Reber
Partner

Core competencies. The main focus of Dominique Reber's work includes

• Development of communication strategies for companies in transition
• Effective strategies for sustainability communication
• Personal coaching and training of leaders in communication
• Access at national and international level to politicians and authorities in more than 50 countries
• Development of positioning concepts for companies and organizations with a strong connection to the political and social environment
• Crisis communication / communication on competition and antitrust law issues

Experience. Dominique Reber was a member of the Executive Board of economiesuisse, the umbrella association for Swiss business until 2012. He led political work relating to major infrastructure projects, energy supply and environmental issues. Among other things he attended the 2010 Copenhagen climate change negotiations as a member of the Swiss government’s delegation.

Before this, Dominique Reber worked in various positions in lobbying, corporate communications and journalism, with an emphasis on IT and communications technology. This included spells as Head of Communications at Sunrise Communications AG and Head of Public Affairs at Swisscom AG and at eBay International in Europe.

From 2019-2022, Dominique Reber was President of the FIPRA Network, the largest global organisation of public affairs consultancies.

Dominique Reber has a Masters in History and romanistic literature and linguistics Studies from Basel University, as well as an Executive Masters in International and European Business Law from St. Gallen University.

Dominique Reber is the current president of Club Politique de Berne. 

Andrés Luther

Hirzel.Neef.Schmid.Counselors
Kirchenweg 8
CH-8008 Zurich

Phone: +41 43 344 42 42
andres.luther@konsulenten.ch

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Andrés Luther
Partner

Core competencies. The main focus of Andrés Luther's work includes

• Management of strategic communications projects and board-level consultancy
• Issues management and communications support for legal cases
• Capital market communications and investor relations
• Development and implementation of communications strategies in the fields of corporate governance, corporate responsibility and sustainability
• Development and implementation of online and social media strategies

Experience. Andrés Luther MA worked in various communications roles at Credit Suisse for more than 10 years up to 2014. From 2005 he was Head of Group Communications and from 2011 Co-Head of Corporate Communications with responsibility for group-level communications, worldwide private banking and the Swiss and Asia-Pacific regions. Before that, Andrés Luther was Head of Investor Relations and Corporate Communications at Day Software, an internet software company that is now part of Adobe Software.

Andrés Luther has a Masters degree in English and Spanish literature and language from the University of Basel.

Dr Matthias D. Knill

Hirzel.Neef.Schmid.Counselors
Kirchenweg 8
CH-8008 Zurich

Phone: +41 43 344 42 42
Mobile: +41 79 218 16 30
matthias.knill@konsulenten.ch

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Dr Matthias D. Knill
Partner

Core competencies. Matthias Knill's core competencies include

• Communications support in change processes
• Developing and implementing messages in difficult situations
• Supporting the effective communication of scientific issues to different target groups

Experience. Matthias Knill, who holds a Ph.D. in natural sciences from the Swiss Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, was head of corporate communications for the SIG Group from 1999 to 2005.

Before this (from 1995) he was a scientist and deputy manager of the communications department at Nagra (Switzerland's National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste).

Prior to this, Matthias Knill worked as assistant lecturer at various institutes of the Swiss Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich.

Rob Hartmans

Hirzel.Neef.Schmid.Counselors
Kirchenweg 8
CH-8008 Zurich

Phone: +41 43 344 42 42
Mobile: +41 79 254 03 66
rob.hartmans@konsulenten.ch

LinkedIn

Rob Hartmans
Partner

Core competencies. Rob Hartmans’ core competencies include

• Developing and implementing strategies and concepts for purposeful and effective corporate communications and media relations
• Advising and supporting clients on communications and policy
• Sparring partner for communication managers and their teams in crises and change processes (turnarounds, restructurings, acquisitions)
• Trade association work and lobbying

Experience. Before joining Hirzel.Neef.Schmid.Counselors, Rob Hartmans was an independent consultant for strategy, communication and policy, with offices in Zurich, Bern and Zug.

From 2006 to 2014 he was Head of Corporate Communications at Helsana and played a central role in the company’s work with trade associations. Before that, Rob Hartmans worked for Swiss Life (2001-2006, responsible for PR and media work in the Swiss market), as well as in various communications functions at Zurich Insurance (1996 to 2001, ultimately responsible for worldwide internal communications). Prior to his switch to corporate communications, he was a journalist and editor at various newspapers for ten years.

Rob Hartmans studied history and political science at the University of Zurich and has an Executive Master’s in general management from the University of St. Gallen.

Lukas Gresch-Brunner

Hirzel.Neef.Schmid.Counselors
Kramgasse 16
CH-3011 Berne

Phone: +41 31 312 64 39
lukas.gresch@konsulenten.ch

LinkedIn

Lukas Gresch-Brunner
Partner

Core competencies. Lukas Gresch-Brunner’s core competencies include

• Expertise in regulatory and political issues at federal, cantonal and EU level
• Providing strategic and communication advice to and positioning companies and private individuals on regulatory and political matters at all levels of the state and on all political issues as well as on crisis situations
• Expertise on issues relating to Swiss-EU relations, the positioning of companies in the European single market and in regulatory issues related to the Swiss-EU bilateral agreements, in particular in the areas of free movement of persons, economic, financial and tax issues, infrastructure and transport, education and research, health and energy
• Extensive experience and networks in the Swiss Parliament and in the cantons, in particular in Central and Western Switzerland

Experience. Lukas Gresch-Brunner was Secretary General of the Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA) from 2020 to 2024, before which he served for eight years as State Chancellor of the Canton of Lucerne, and thus Chief of Staff of the Lucerne Government and Secretary General of the Cantonal Parliament. This followed a 12-year high-level career within the Federal Administration, including Deputy Head of the Division Europe of the Federal Departments of Foreign and Economic Affairs and Advisor to Federal Councillor Joseph Deiss and Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard.

Gresch-Brunner studied International Relations at the Geneva Graduate Institute and European Politics at the College of Europe in Bruges..

Dr. Thilo Goodall-Rathert

Hirzel.Neef.Schmid.Konsulenten
Kirchenweg 8
CH-8008 Zurich

Phone: +41 43 344 42 58
Mobile: +41 78 889 15 29
thilo.goodall@konsulenten.ch

LinkedIn

Dr. Thilo Goodall-Rathert
Partner

Core competencies. Dr. Thilo Goodall-Rathert's main areas of expertise include

• Corporate analysis and assessing strategy and market positioning
• Developing and formulating corporate goals, together with relevant communication goals
• Bringing together corporate strategies and ESG strategies
• Developing and implementing effective communication strategies
• Communications consulting for capital market transactions and restructuring measures

Experience. Dr. Thilo Goodall-Rathert has over 20 years of experience in corporate analysis and the development of corporate strategies and market positioning. As a member of various boards and management bodies, he has drawn up and implemented corporate strategies and communicated these to various audiences. Most recently, he was responsible for corporate analyses, investments processess and investment decisions at Frankfurter Bankgesellschaft Gruppe. He gained experience of ESG strategies in his position as Head Portfolio Management at SAM Sustainable Asset Management AG.

Dr. Thilo Goodall-Rathert studied Economics in Freiburg im Breisgau and in Madison, Wisconsin, and received his doctorate (Dr. rer. pol.) from the Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg on decision theory. He has lived in Switzerland for 25 years and is passionate about youth training, among other topics.

Reto Gerber

Hirzel.Neef.Schmid.Counselors
Kirchenweg 8
CH-8008 Zurich

Phone: +41 43 344 42 54
Mobile: +41 78 625 48 32
reto.gerber@konsulenten.ch

LinkedIn

Reto Gerber
Partner

Core competencies. Reto Gerber’s core competencies include

• Positioning of executives, management, and supervisory boards
• Development of cyber strategies and cyber crises communication 
• Litigation PR
• Strategies for ESG communication
• Reputation and crisis management
• Communications support for change processes

Experience. Reto Gerber, dipl. sc. nat. ETH, can look back on a long and successful career within the media, largely in management positions. Amongst others, he was a founding member of the business magazine ECO and led the programme for many years. He also built up the business department, and later the foreign affairs department of the German-language Swiss television. Previously, he held positions at the Sonntagszeitung among other publications.

Reto Gerber holds a degree in environmental sciences and a postgraduate degree in business sciences, both from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH).

Alice Chalupny

Hirzel.Neef.Schmid.Counselors
Kirchenweg 8
CH-8008 Zurich

Mobile: +41 78 686 89 30
Desk: +41 43 344 42 56
alice.chalupny@konsulenten.ch

LinkedIn

Alice Chalupny
Partner

Main areas of expertise. 
_Crisis prevention strategies; successful management of events with crisis potential; crisis communication in complex situations; compliance communication; litigation PR
_Reputation and issue management
_Consultancy, coaching and positioning of leaders on boards of directors and company management
_Development of innovative communication strategies to support strategic projects
_Capital market communication

Experience. 
Alice Chalupny acts as a board member and lecturer. She is also a specialist officer in the Swiss Army. Previously, she served as Chief Communications Officer at the insurance company La Mobilière and the fenaco group, a company active in Switzerland and abroad in the agriculture, energy, food industry and retail sectors.

Until 2014, she was a journalist and headed the business departments of leading media outlets, publishing with a focus on industry and finance. In 2011, she published a non-fiction book entitled ‘Victory and Vekselberg’ about the hostile takeovers of Swiss industrial companies.

Alice Chalupny holds a master’s degree in International Relations from the University of Zurich and certificates from INSEAD in Fontainebleau and Singapore.