Observed Signal · Jun 29, 2026 · Hiring · Source: persoenlich.com News · Impact: 1/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
Energy Switzerland CEO Kevin Gander Leaves Immediately
Kevin Gander has left Energy Group Switzerland with immediate effect after about one and a half years as CEO and Chief Radio Officer. Gander took over the role on 1 December 2024 from Pascal Frei; the company said differing views on the group's long-term direction led to the split. Alexander Theobald, chairman of the board and a Ringier manager, will take over operational leadership ad interim. During Gander’s tenure the group reorganised its management, revised radio and music programming and its events portfolio, and closed the stations Energy St. Gallen and Energy Luzern at the end of 2025 (affecting ten employees). The group now concentrates on Basel, Bern and Zurich. Gander said he will pursue other activities.
Local leadership change at a Swiss radio group with limited direct impact on the broader AdTech/MarTech industry; relevant primarily to regional broadcast advertising and media operations.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Kevin Gander left the Energy Group Switzerland with immediate effect (published 2026-06-29).
- Gander became CEO and Chief Radio Officer on 2024-12-01, succeeding Pascal Frei.
- Alexander Theobald, board chairman and a manager at Ringier, assumes operational leadership ad interim.
- Under Gander the group reorganised leadership, revised radio/music programming and events, and closed Energy St. Gallen and Energy Luzern at end-2025, affecting ten employees; the group now focuses on Basel, Bern and Zurich.
Connected Companies & Entities
1 Entity mapped“Alexander Theobald is a manager at Ringier, to which the Energy Group belongs.”
Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Energy Swiss Radio Group Plans Up to 15 Job Cuts
The Swiss radio group Energy, owned by Ringier, announced on October 22, 2026, plans to cut up to 15 jobs due to pressure on advertising revenues. The group, which broadcasts from Zurich, Bern, and Basel since early 2026 after closing stations in St. Gallen and Lucerne, cited stable listener numbers but declining ad income. The exact number of redundancies will depend on a consultation process with employees, which allows proposals to avoid or mitigate layoffs. The company plans to streamline administrative tasks, internal processes, and editorial structures, with program adjustments also under consideration. Currently, Energy is led ad interim by Alexander Theobald, who took over after CEO Kevin Gander left in June 2026. The announcement follows a previous restructuring that saw five job losses from the station closures.
SRF Announces New Leadership Team
The SRG board confirmed a restructured leadership team for Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF) on 4 June 2026. From 1 July 2026, Ursula Gabathuler and Beat Soltermann will co-lead a newly created multimedial Information offering, replacing separate audio and video editorial chiefs. Antonia Seifert will head a merged Culture & Knowledge & Society unit; Manuela Diethelm becomes permanent head of Entertainment; Laura Köppen succeeds Stefano Semeria in Distribution; and Raphael Amrein will lead Communications & Dialogue with a permanent seat on the executive team. Four SRG-appointed Business Partners (HR, Finance, Operations, Staff) complete the management group. The changes are part of the wider 'Enavant SRG SSR' transformation that aims to save ~270 million CHF by 2029 and eliminate about 900 full-time positions.
Roger Elsener’s First Public Appearance at SwissMediaForum
Roger Elsener, who became SRF director on 1 May 2026, made his first public appearance less than a week into the role at the SwissMediaForum in Lucerne. Speaking as a surprise guest shortly before a panel, Elsener said he used his initial days for onboarding at the SRG in Bern and visiting SRF sites including Basel and Zurich‑Leutschenbach. He listed three top priorities: quickly reading into all dossiers, being close to employees, and attending industry events. Elsener — previously CEO of Zattoo and formerly at CH Media — praised the uniqueness and audience connection of radio station SRF 2 Kultur but gave no concrete programming changes, noting cost‑cutting pressures at SRF.
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