Valentin Vogt on "personal governance" and his alma mater

Valentin Vogt, HSG alumnus, former employer president of Switzerland and entrepreneur, is already waiting in the café in the main building of his alma mater. He is full of energy and tells us enthusiastically that he has just come from an event on the subject of AI. Although he no longer works full-time, his week is well filled. Only 40 hours instead of 70 - this gives him time to pursue his interests, not have to squeeze in sport before sunrise and read a newspaper in peace and quiet. As part of his "personal governance", estate planning is a logical step for him. The University of St.Gallen is also included in his will with a legacy. This decision is invaluable for the future students of the HSG. Thank you very much.

 

Valentin, you graduated from the HSG in 1984, correct? 
Yes, I graduated in 1984.

 

That was more than 40 years ago. When you think back to your first day at the HSG, what particularly impressed you about this place, this university?
It was the internationality and also the mass of students. I mean, there were 300 to 400 students in the first semester. I did my Matura at the cantonal school in Wattwil. That was in the countryside, and then you come here. I was really impressed by the size.

Rapperswil-Jona, where I come from, is a part of the canton that is oriented towards Zurich, which I knew well. I considered studying civil engineering at ETH for a while, but then decided to go to HSG.

 

HSG instead of ETH - what made you decide to come here to study?
I completed a technical Matura, so studying at ETH would have been the obvious choice. However, when I was researching my choice of subject, I realized that the development opportunities for civil engineers are quite limited. And, ((laughs)) let's say, it's rather difficult to develop financially as a civil engineer. Civil engineers in particular have a lot of responsibility but are paid less than average.

With my flair for numbers, I decided to go into finance and accounting. I'm more of a numbers person than a creative person.

Is there anything in particular that you were able to take with you from your studies? A skill that has accompanied you throughout your entire professional life, that you have always been able to fall back on?
It was the competition at the HSG itself. Secondary and cantonal school came easily to me. In St.Gallen, on the other hand, it was very demanding and also exhausting. I had to step on the gas, especially in the exam preparations. For me, the course at the HSG is an important piece of the mosaic in my professional development. Other pieces of the mosaic are my basic education, my family, my professional stations and the military. I have completed more than 1,000 days of service in the military. It's an overall mosaic that shapes you.

 

What is the HSG for you today? What does it mean to you?
The HSG was my breeding ground and gave me the foundation for what I was able to do in my professional life. Today, it's a place I always enjoy coming back to.

 

What was it that made you decide to include the University of St.Gallen in your will?
During my professional life, I have always supported various things that are important to me. One of them was the HSG. I did this in line with my financial possibilities, which were somewhat greater later on than at the beginning of my career. And I think that if you've received something, you should also give something back.

 

Were there certain experiences or encounters that strengthened your decision to include HSG as a beneficiary in your will?
It's no secret that my will includes other institutions that have helped me get to where I am today. I think the HSG is doing a good job. Public funding will become scarcer in the future. In my view, there are two ways to maintain the level of education: on the one hand, educational efficiency and, on the other, more funding from the private sector.

 

I believe that education is one of the key factors for success in Switzerland. On the one hand, we have an excellent vocational education system in Switzerland, with 70% of young people starting their professional careers. In addition, we have a great academic education, with technical universities such as the ETH and business universities such as the HSG. I am of the opinion that we should not try to mix the two systems. Practitioners should not be turned into theorists and theorists should not be turned into practitioners.

 

You also support young people who don't choose the university route as president of the "Check your Chance" association.
Yes, that's the other side of the Gaussian curve. We are privileged and had the chance to study here. On the other hand, there are young people who don't have that luck. It often doesn't take much. "Check your Chance" is the most important national umbrella organization for the prevention of youth unemployment and the integration of unemployed young people. The umbrella organization comprises nine operational members who support around 15,000 young people each year. We have a success rate of over 80% - with almost CHF 3,500 spent per young person.

 

The success rate is impressive. What motivates you to make this commitment? 
It's the conviction that work is more than just earning money. Work is social contact and work also provides daily structures. In our world, work is often reduced to money. How boring life would be without work.

 

What is work for you personally? You are theoretically retired, but you still have a lot of mandates  
I've managed to reduce my workload from a full week of 70 hours to 40 hours a week in the last two years. I've always believed that you should decide for yourself when you leave. Because you're the last person to realize that you're no longer needed. Everyone else around you has usually realized this a long time ago. That's why I consciously handed over my tasks. You shouldn't take yourself too seriously.

 

I will hand in all the mandates I still have when I'm 70 at the latest. The half-life of knowledge is shorter than you think. Now I have the time to pursue my interests and attend events that simply didn't fit into my agenda in the past.

 

I've made hundreds of public appearances during my time as employer president. TV interviews, newspaper inquiries and presentations and, above all, I always had to deliver. Today, I can simply attend events and listen. And even say "goodbye in French" if it's not quite so exciting after all. ((lacht)). 

What are you doing with the extra time you now have for yourself?
I do an hour of sport every day. I enjoy exercise: rowing, ski tours and jogging. And: I can now do it at a Christian time and no longer at half past four in the morning. You also need more rest as you get older. I notice that too. I can no longer get through the week on just a few hours' sleep.

 

You were at an event on artificial intelligence this morning. Do you personally use AI? 
I use AI directly and indirectly every day and find this technology extremely exciting. AI really is a game changer, just like the invention of the smartphone, the computer or the robot was. I don't believe that AI is a hype or a bubble, but that it will become part of our everyday lives. Many people are afraid and feel that AI will take their jobs. People were already saying that when computers came onto the market and smartphones became popular. It was feared that many jobs would be lost, but the opposite was the case. More and more jobs were created.

 

You are involved in a wide range of philanthropic activities, particularly in the Swiss education sector. What are the core values and beliefs that guide you?
The most important thing is that you can't just talk about it, you have to do it yourself and lead by example. I think it's everyone's job to leave behind more than they have achieved in some way. That doesn't just have to be financially, but can also be in terms of content. That should be the incentive for what you do. 
Our education and training is a unique selling point of Switzerland. We don't have crude oil. We have no gold in the ground. Two thirds of our land area - that's mountains, forests and lakes. Our raw material is knowledge and education. And that at all levels.

 

Are there any areas at the HSG that are particularly close to your heart?
Parallel to my studies, I was - and still am - a member of a student fraternity, the A.V. Amicitia San Gallensis, which has helped shape my life. The sports offer at the HSG is also close to my heart. I am convinced that students should do sport alongside their studies, which have not become any easier nowadays. In addition, successful studying requires a good learning environment, such as Square. I would like to help create good conditions for students. My legacy is also aimed in this direction.

 

How do you see the role of universities in today's society?
I believe that universities make an important contribution to education and research. There are beacons for both areas in Switzerland. The HSG is one of these beacons, and I think this should be supported.

What does it mean to you to be able to make a difference beyond your own life?
That is a great privilege. A self-determined life, both in terms of content and materially, is one of the best things you can have.

 

When was the point in your life when you thought about it and said, I'm going to make a will now and think about what I want to leave behind?
Many people have the feeling that you don't have to make a will until you're 75 or 80. I believe that you should do it relatively early. It's a document that sets out what should happen if you were no longer around tomorrow. Just like the advance care directive or living will. This is the triangle of personal governance.

 

Personal circumstances can certainly change. The testamentary disposition can also be adapted to new circumstances in old age.

 

What thoughts would you give to people who would also like to make a commitment to the HSG or another organization through a will?
I can only encourage them. For me, the well-known saying applies: the shirt has no pockets. I think you should give something back. Set priorities, think about it, get information, seek advice and then put it in writing. Don't procrastinate, I'll do it one day, just do it now.