HSG Made by You – 25 Years of Impact

The anniversary celebration focused on one thing above all else: expressing gratitude to those who, since its founding in 2001, have shaped the HSG Foundation through their dedication, conviction, and support. Over the past 25 years, the numerous donors and friends of the HSG have played a key role realising projects, fostering talent, and providing new impetus for the HSG’s development.

Thanks to the Founding Members

Dr. Paul Achleitner, President of the Board of trustees, opened the anniversary celebration with a special highlight. On behalf of the HSG Foundation, he honored the foundation’s founding members and their extraordinary contribution to the development of the University of St.Gallen.

The three founding members – Wolfram Martel, Prof. em. Dr. h.c. Wolfgang Schürer, and Dr. Urs Landolf – were welcomed in person at the celebration. Thanks to their initiative and foresight, the HSG Foundation was established in May 2001 as the "Stiftung HSG Alumni". Since then, the foundation has made possible numerous projects, such as the construction of the Alumni Haus hotel at the Executive Campus (where the celebration was held), SQUARE, and, more recently, various scholarship programmes—that go far beyond its regular mandate and have a lasting impact on and strengthen the HSG.

Rector Prof. Dr. Manuel Ammann also joined in expressing his gratitude. In his address, he paid tribute not only to the founding members but also to everyone present, whose support helps provide students, researchers, and staff with exceptional opportunities. This commitment enables HSG to create an environment that goes far beyond the canton’s basic offerings and promotes excellence.

From the Beginning to the Future

The evening began with a brief return to the foundation’s history. During guided tours of the HSG Alumni House, guests gained insights into the first major project that was made possible thanks to the supporters of the HSG Foundation. The hotel opened in 2008 and remains to this day a prime example of the lasting impact of private funding at HSG.

Following a summer reception featuring live music by the band “The Acoustic Four,” host Kajsa Lilly, a student of law and economics at HSG, kicked off the evening’s programme and guided the audience through the rest of the event. The programme spanned a wide range of topics, from the foundation’s origins to current funding projects and the challenges of the future.

Current Insights from the St. Gallen Collegium

The first St.Gallen Collegium, which concluded in May 2026 under the title “Re-interpreting Freedom – Rethinking Freedom,” offered insight into the foundation’s current funding activities.

Prof. Dr. Claudia Franziska Brühwiler and Dr. Daniel Trusilo presented the thought experiment “TOIVA,” a fictional lagoon where new concepts of freedom are explored. They then opened a discussion on digital sovereignty: a topic that will be the focus of the second St.Gallen Collegium, beginning in September 2026.

The second part of the evening was devoted to the central theme of “Future Skills.” The focus was on the skills that enable people to remain capable of taking action even under uncertain and dynamic conditions.

In his keynote, Dr. Philipp Jeserich highlighted the profound challenges that technological developments such as artificial intelligence pose for the economy, society, and, in particular, the University of St.Gallen. He also outlined the roadmap and competency framework that the HSG is developing in light of these challenges. In the future, what will be decisive is not merely subject-matter expertise, but the ability and willingness to remain capable of taking action and to act responsibly under unpredictable and deeply ambivalent conditions in business and society. 

Following this, Tim Kramer, artistic director of SQUARE, together with actors Pascale Pfeuti and Marcus Schäfer from the Theater St.Gallen, used a staged performance to demonstrate a competency rarely found in the traditional curriculum. Through a staged performance, they illustrated how important it is to consciously perceive and actively shape relationships. The production made it clear how strongly communication is shaped by interpersonal dynamics: the same text three times, the same situation three times — yet three entirely different dynamics.

The official programme concluded with a panel discussion featuring representatives from the business community, academia, the university administration, and the student body. Moderated by Dr. Rachel Brooks, the discussion featured Dr. Jessica Aschari-Lincoln, Director of the HSG Best Talent Programme; Andreas Weckherlin, a multi-board member at Stöckli Swiss Sports AG, among other companies; Carmel Imhof, a scholarship holder in the HSG Best Founders Programme, and Prof. Dr. Dietmar Grichnik, Vice Rector for Innovation and Quality, discussed the new requirements and skills they are already seeing in their respective sectors today, as well as the areas where they still see a need for action.

The discussion revealed that there is already a great need for adaptable and proactive talent, and that the challenges are not only widely discussed but are also already being experienced in everyday business life. It also became clear that HSG is intensively addressing the impacts of technological and societal changes at the highest level in order to be prepared for current and future challenges. The goal remains to empower students to act responsibly even in an environment characterized by uncertainty and change, and to actively help shape the future.

An Anniversary Celebrating Community

The anniversary celebration concluded in a warm and personal atmosphere during the dinner that followed under the dome of the WBZ. Accompanied by the live band “The Acoustic 4,” led by HSG staff member Marcus Oberholzer, guests took the opportunity to engage in stimulating conversations and enjoy pleasant encounters.