Partner event
CEE Swiss Business Forum 2026
Event date:
03.09.2026
09:00-14:00
Venue:
Zunfthaus zur Schmiden,
Marktgasse 20, 8001 Zürich
Ticket-Prices:
– CHF 90.- SEC Members l S-GE Members l Forum Ost-West Members
– CHF 90.- Embassies and participating Chambers of Commerce and their Members
– CHF 110.- Partner Organizations
– CHF 150.- Other Guest
3.9.2026
CEE Swiss Business Forum – CEE Matters!
17 Countries – Baltics – Central Europe – Southeast Europe
The business, the politics, the security, the people – why this matters now!
With the annual CEE Swiss Business Forum 2026: CEE Matters!, SEC is launching the three-year “CEE Matters!” initiative.
Program
| 08:30–09:00 | Registration and Welcome Coffee Arrival, coffee, and networking before the program begins. |
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| 09:00–09:10 | Welcome |
Oliver Bertschinger — President and Managing Director, SEC Thomas Haneder — Managing Director CEE/SEE, TPA Group |
| 09:10–09:35 | Why CEE Matters — Economically |
Daniel Kalt — Chief Economist Switzerland, UBS |
| 09:35–10:00 | Security Policy Challenges - Switzerland in an Unstable World Order |
Major General (ret.) Alain Vuitel — Swiss Armed Forces (presentation in German) |
| 10:00–10:35 | Why CEE Matters: Politics & Security |
Dr. Andrea Bekić — Ambassador of Croatia Marcel Hirsiger — Lecturer and Expert for Eastern Europe, FHNW Dr. Béla Filep — Co-Director, Forum Ost-West Dr. Daniel C. Schmid — Moderation · Vice-President SEC, CEO ZfU |
| 10:35–11:05 | Break | - |
| 11:05–11:40 | Why CEE Matters: Economic Success Stories |
Katalin Dreher — Moderation · Cluster Head DACH-CEE, Switzerland Global Enterprise (S-GE) Stephan Linhart — Senior Director Sales Central-/Eastern Europe, Israel & Türkiye, Lufthansa Group Thomas Haneder — Managing Director CEE/SEE, TPA Group Mateusz Wojdyło — CEO, Stellos AG |
| 11:40–12:15 | Why CEE Matters: Society & Science |
Përparim Avdili — President, Swissalbs; President FDP City of Zurich Jasmina Opardija-Susnjar — Scientific Advisor, State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SBFI) Ulrich Schwendimann — Director, Swisschamber Poland |
| 12:15–12:30 | Kick-Off «CEE Matters!» | Oliver Bertschinger — President and Managing Director, SEC |
| 12:30–14:00 | Flying Lunch | - |
| 14:00–16:00 | Speed Country Consultings | - |
Speakers
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Daniel Kalt | Chief Economist Schweiz | UBS |
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Major General (Ret.) Alain Vuitel | Former General Staff Officer | Swiss Armed Forces |
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Thomas Haneder | Partner Austria, Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Albania | TPA |
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Daniel C. Schmid | Vice-President, CEO ZfU | SEC |
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Dr. Béla Filep | Co-Director | Forum Ost-West |
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Katalin Dreher | Cluster Head DACH & CEE | Switzerland Global Enterprise |
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Dr. Andrea Bekić | Ambassador | Embassy of Croatia |
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Jasmin Opardija | Scientific Advisor | State Secretary for Education, Research & Innovation |
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Oliver Bertschinger | President and Managing Director | SEC |
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Stephan Linhart | Senior Director Sales CEE, Israel and Türkiye | Lufthansa Group |
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Marcel Hirsiger | Expert CEE and Lecturer | University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland |
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Perparim Avdili | President and Council Member of City of Zurich | Swissalbs |
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Ulrich Schwendimann | Managing Director | Swisschamber Poland |
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Mateusz Wojdylo | CEO | Stellos |
