Publications
The following is a list of our recent publications. Articles are sometimes published in a language other than English. A short abstract is provided for convenience:
The Post-Pandemic Reopening of Switzerland - An Opportunity for Japanese Companies
Published in Japanese in the Chubu Keizai Shimbun (Central Japan Economic Newspaper, published in Nagoya) in several parts between May and August 2022 (Download).
Short Abstract: With business activities and international business travel normalising in the spring of 2022, Switzerland can again position its competitiveness and its very specific business advantages, specifically its unique combination of policy stability and predictability, its skilles workforce, its high educational level, its reliable infrastructure and its competitive tax regime. These strengths make it a premier global / regional headquarters location. The sophistication of its economy, comparable to the Japanese one, make Switzerland an interesting location for international Japanese companies, even if a number of obstacles of cultural nature needs to be addressed. While this has long been recognised at an institutional level, - trade partnerships and even a free-trade agreement (FTA) have been in force for a long time -, much remains to be done to communicate these facts to international Japanese SMEs .
A Further Year into the Pandemic: A Personal View from Western Europe
Published in Japanese in the Chubu Keizai Shimbun (Central Japan Economic Newspaper, published in Nagoya) in two parts on January 17, 2022 (Download) and January 24, 2022 (Download).
Short Abstract:
A personal review of the openings and renewed COVID-induced partial lockdowns that affected Western Europe in the fall and early winter 2021-2022 and the necessity to give people and the economy some breathing space after the COVID-vaccination campaign.
"The World Now": A Perspective on the Current (COVID) Crisis from a Management Consultant Based in Switzerland
Published in Japanese in the Chubu Keizai Shimbun (Central Japan Economic Newspaper, published in Nagoya) in two parts on April 26, 2021 (Download) and on May 3, 2021 (Download)
Short Abstract: Short review of the latest pre-COVID 19 events from a personal / professional perspective and consequences of the pandemic on the pursuit of the economic activity, the author's professional activity and the changes in lifestyle.
The "mindset of a company" as a factor of success ... or risk
Published in French in the "AGEFI" daily on July 14, 2006, together with René C. Rupert of Gainsbury & Consorts (Download)
Short Abstract: "Mindset" is a key dimension in organisations: when managed actively, it allows to take on new corporate performance challenges and better frame operational risks without important capital commitment and bureaucratisation of the organisation. "Mindset management" is made active through personnel coaching and a mindset mapping technique, which lead to important and rapid performance improvements.
"Investing with an attentive eye to the liabilities side"
Published in German in "Schweizer Versicherung" in June 2006 (Download)
Short Abstract: New solvency requirements in Switzerland are forcing insurance companies to mark assets and liabilities to market and therefore focus their attention on potential duration mismatch. Similar changes occurred in the UK pension fund market that drove major changes in the investment management techniques used: Liabilities Driven Investing (LDI) has emerged as one of the most used techniques that uses a customised Liabilities Matching Portfolio as a synthetic benchmark. Such an investment management technique could soon emerge in Switzerland provided that institutional investment guidelines are changed accordingly.