swissnet Group, a leading provider of ICT, network and innovative technology solutions, has announced that Stefan Gubeli will assume the position of Group CEO effective 1 January 2027. To ensure an orderly handover, a two-month transition period is planned during which Gubeli and current Group CEO Jonathan Sauppe will jointly lead the company. Sauppe will step down from his operational role effective 1 March 2027.

The leadership change comes as swissnet Group prepares for the next phase of its development. With Gubeli's appointment, the company aims to further integrate its group companies and pursue sustainable, profitable growth. The staged timeline, running from joint leadership through Sauppe's operational exit on 1 March 2027, is designed to give employees, customers, partners and shareholders a clearly signposted handover.

Gubeli brings more than twenty years of leadership experience in building, transforming and scaling technology companies. Since 2023, he has served as CEO of SCHENK Systeme AG, a provider of cloud-based software and SaaS solutions. Before that, from 2013 to 2022, he was Managing Director of BiCA (Schweiz) AG and BiCA (Austria) GmbH, as well as COO of the BiCA Group, with operational responsibility across Europe and the United States. During his tenure, he transformed BiCA from a hardware provider into a cloud-based SaaS provider. He also founded and led CiRRUSOFT Inc., his own cloud company in Silicon Valley, from 2017 to 2022. Throughout his career, he has been involved in several M&A transactions and has served on multiple boards. That background in business-model transformation and international operations is closely aligned with the integration and growth agenda the company has outlined for the role.

"I am very much looking forward to this role and would like to thank the Board of Directors for its trust. swissnet Group and its companies have a strong foundation – together with the management team, I intend to bring them closer together and drive their profitable development," said Stefan Gubeli, designated Group CEO.

Jonathan Sauppe, current Group CEO, expressed confidence in the transition: "With Stefan Gubeli, we have found a strong successor to lead the company. The joint transition period enable us to hand over responsibilities in a structured manner while ensuring the necessary continuity for our employees, customers, partners and shareholders. I look forward to working closely with Stefan over the coming months and to continuing to support the further development of swissnet Group."

Urs van Stiphout, Chairman of the Board of Directors, welcomed Gubeli and thanked Sauppe for his contributions. "The Board of Directors is pleased to welcome Stefan Gubeli, an experienced executive, to swissnet Group. At the same time, we would like to thank Jonathan Sauppe for his significant contribution to building the Group and are pleased that he will remain closely associated with swissnet Group as an advisor and shareholder," van Stiphout said.

Under a multi-year contractual agreement, Sauppe will remain closely associated with swissnet Group, serving as an advisor while continuing as a shareholder — an arrangement that carries his involvement beyond the operational handover. The Board of Directors looks forward to continuing its collaboration with him in this new role.

swissnet Group is an international provider of Managed Network, Security, Wi-Fi, UCC, Video and Digital Experience solutions for enterprises, service providers and public-sector organisations. The company also develops specialised AI, computer vision and automation solutions for industrial and critical infrastructure applications. The leadership transition is expected to support the Group's strategic initiatives and operational development.\nThe announcement was originally published via NewMediaWire.