The manager responsible for developing a startup accelerator for UBS has joined Swisscom, where he will replace one of Switzerland's best-known fintech experts, according to information obtained by finews.ch.
Swisscom has hired Sascha Gysel, who will join the telecommunications giant from Switzerland's No. 1 bank, the former state monopoly confirmed. He will take charge of E-foresight, a digital-banking think tank.
Gysel replaces Falk Kohlmann (pictured below), the head of banking trends and innovation at Swisscom. Kohlmann joined St. Galler Kantonalbank (SGKB).
Consulting on Digital Banking
E-foresight, the Swisscom think tank, was founded in 2012 in cooperation with several cantonal banks. The purpose of E-foresight was to analyze trends and developments of the digital world relevant for the banking industry and to come up with corresponding recommendations for the participating banks.
The companies behind E-foresight granted the brains behind the think tank direct access to the top echelon – E-foresight is advising the management and supervisory boards of the participating banks in digital banking. Swisscom said that some 15 banks currently are taking advise from the think tank.
Broadly Supported Initiative
The telecommunications company has been able to replace one prominent manager – Kohlmann – with another well-known expert. At UBS, Gysel was responsible for the trend radar and the development of the fintech program in the framework of the Kickstart Accelerator.
The accelerator dedicated to startups was launched in March and is the first such initiative supported by a broad alliance of Swiss business.
Gysel got to know not just the world of big companies such as UBS, but has also founded his own startup in Beijing and worked for consultant Accenture.
