61. SMG Forum 2026
61. SMG Forum 2026
Registration open
New Paths - In Flux
Wednesday, August 26, 2026, from 4:00 p.m. to Thursday, August 27, 2026, 10:00 a.m.
The 61st SMG Forum will take place on the Rhine in Basel, with an overnight stay on the Thurgau Gold.
We will address current business challenges:
“What are the requirements for corporate leadership to navigate a complex and rapidly changing environment successfully?”
“In an increasingly protectionist world, how can Switzerland remain a leading business location, and what new paths must it take?”
“Does Switzerland need more government or more market forces to ensure its competitiveness?”
“Is Switzerland still business-friendly enough?”
“What role should the business sector play in Swiss politics in the future?”
“How is AI changing the role of leaders, and what skills will be crucial in the future?”
“How must leaders manage organizations when decisions are increasingly supported or automated by AI systems?”
“What responsibilities do leaders bear when deploying AI—balancing innovation, regulation, and social responsibility?”
Program
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
3:00 p.m. Arrival and check-in at Terminal St. Johann in Basel
4:15 p.m. Gathering in the lounge
4:30 p.m. Welcome address by the SMG President
4:40 p.m. Interview and Q&A
Interview guest: Dr. Severin Schwan, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Roche Holding AG
Moderator: Marco Gadola, Chairman of the Board of Directors, DKSH Holding AG, Medartis AG & SMG Board Member
Topic: "What are the requirements for corporate management to navigate successfully in a complex and rapidly changing environment?"
5:10 p.m. Break
5:30 p.m. Panel Discussion and Q&A
Panelists:
Manuel Kunzelmann, CEO, Migros Bank AG & SMG Board Member
Dominic Largo, Board Member, Swiss AI
Moderator: Markus Streckeisen, SMG President
Topic: Digitalization & AI
6:00 p.m. Break
6:15 p.m. Panel Discussion and Q&A
Panelists:
Regula Berger, CEO & Chairwoman of the Executive Board, Basler Kantonalbank
Monika Rühl, Chairwoman of the Executive Board, economiesuisse & SMG Board Member
Marco Gadola, Chairman of the Board of Directors, DKSH Holding AG, Medartis AG & SMG Board Member
Daniel Erne, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Erne Group
Moderator: Urs Gredig, Journalist SRF
Topic: Switzerland as a Business Location
7:00 p.m. Individual Time
7:30 p.m. Reception in the Salon
8:00 p.m. BBQ On deck with DJane Carol Fernandez
8:15 p.m. Rhine River Cruise
9:15 p.m. Bar service on deck and in the lounge
11:00 p.m. Docking at the Three Countries Corner and overnight stay
Thursday, August 27, 2026
8:00 a.m. Check-out
8:30 a.m. Breakfast together
9:00 a.m. Interview and Q&A
Interview guest: Murat Yakin, coach of the Swiss national football team
Moderator: Nora Teuwsen, Chair of the Executive Board of ABB Switzerland & SMG Board Member
Topic: Leadership under pressure – decisions in seconds
9:40 a.m. Farewell by the President & shuttle to the parking lot / St. Johann dock, if needed
Registration, price & cancellation fee
Available tickets:
2-day ticket incl. overnight stay, food & beverage offer and shuttle / August 26 & 27, 2026 / CHF 1,250.00
2-day ticket excl. overnight stay, but incl. breakfast 8:00-9:00 a.m. / August 26 & 27, 2026 / CHF 950.00
1-Day Ticket incl. Dinner & Rhine River Cruise / August 26, 2026 / 3:00 PM - 11:00 PM CHF 850.00
Forum registrations canceled 60 days or less before the event will be charged at 100% of the ticket price as a no-show. We can only guarantee the option of a substitute at the management level.
Partner
After a successful international playing career—including stints with FC Basel, VfB Stuttgart, and Fenerbahçe—as well as 49 international appearances for Switzerland, he transitioned early into the role of coach and leader.
His coaching career is characterized by a consistent focus on performance and the strategic development of teams. With FC Basel, he won the Swiss championship in 2013 and led the team to the semifinals of the UEFA Europa League—a milestone in Swiss club soccer.
International stints, including at Spartak Moscow, broadened his perspective on different leadership cultures and organizational structures in high-performance environments.
Since 2021, Yakin has served as head coach of the Swiss national team, overseeing its athletic and personnel development. Under his leadership, the team qualified for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2024, and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Yakin is known for clear decision-making, calm leadership under pressure, and the ability to mold diverse teams into a high-performing unit—skills that are relevant far beyond the world of sports.
Since May 2021, Markus Streckeisen has been working as an independent entrepreneur and an external, independent board member at various companies operating in the mobility, logistics, real estate, retail, and hospitality sectors.
Markus Streckeisen is married and lives with his wife and three children in the Zurich Unterland region.
Previously, she held positions at Zürcher Kantonalbank and the Swiss Takeover Board. She holds three university degrees: she is a lawyer and also earned an LL.M., followed by a Master’s in Banking from Rochester Bern.
In addition to her full-time professional activities, she serves as an arbitrator for the International Capital Markets Association and served for many years as a justice of the peace. She sits on the boards of various foundations and associations and speaks as an expert on financial market topics at universities and conferences.
Appointments and Affiliations:
Since 2025, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Basler Kantonalbank Foundation for the Promotion of Research and Teaching in Economics at the University of Basel, Basel
Since March 2025, Chair of the Board of Trustees of Pro sanandis oculis, a foundation of Basler Kantonalbank supporting the Basel Eye Hospital, Basel
Since April 2025, Member of the Board of Trustees of the Basel Financial Center Foundation
Since March 2025, Member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Swiss Cantonal Banks
Since August 2025, Member of the Executive Committee of the Association of Swiss Cantonal Banks
Since 2014, Member of the Arbitration Tribunal of the International Capital Markets Association (ICMA), Zurich
He is a passionate foodie, family man, and long-distance runner.
In 2010, he made a conscious decision to change direction and pursued his interests by studying fine art photography in New York. He then lived in Berlin, where he worked as a freelance photographer.
After returning to Switzerland, he rejoined the family business and took on various roles on the board of directors, particularly within the subsidiaries. In 2023, he succeeded his father as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the ERNE Group.
Daniel Erne lives in Thalwil (ZH) with his wife and their two-and-a-half-year-old son.
Host
Thurgau Gold - Anleger St. Johann 1
St. Johann-Rheinweg 109
4056 Basel
Organizer
Schweizerische Management Gesellschaft
c/o B + A Treuhand AG
Zugerstrasse 51
6330 Cham
office@smg.ch, www.smg.ch
Phone + 41 44 202 23 25
Getting there by public transportation
From Basel SBB Station, take tram No. 11 toward the St. Louis border and get off at the St. Johanns-Tor stop. The ride takes about 12 minutes. You can purchase a 1-zone ticket. From there, it’s just a few minutes’ walk to the St. Johann passenger boat terminal, Pier 1.
Traveling by car
Unfortunately, you cannot park your car at the boat landing. Public parking near the landing:
City Parking Garage
Schanzenstrasse 48 / Klingelbergstrasse 20, 4056 Basel
Daily flat rate: approx. CHF 25
About a 10-minute walk to the dock.
Please use the “Schanzenstrasse” exit. At the exit, turn right and walk along Schanzenstrasse to the Rhine, then turn left and follow the riverbank until you reach the St. Johann Passenger Boat Terminal, Pier 1. Our SMG hostesses will be waiting for you there before you board the Thurgau Gold.
If you prefer to take a taxi, use the “Petersgraben” exit. (Pier 1, St. Johanns-Rheinweg 109).
Directions
Directions: How to find us.
