Panelists 2024 Edition
Wednesday August 20st, 2:10pm | Inspiration

Florian Schweer
Florian Schweer is a certified farmer (EFZ), farm manager at Agriculture Outremont, journalist, and filmmaker.
After completing an apprenticeship as a mediamatician at Swisscom, Florian Schweer pursued a degree in journalism and organizational communication. He then worked for over ten years as managing director and founder of Film Lodge GmbH.
Eight years ago, he fulfilled a childhood dream by completing his apprenticeship as a farmer. Since 2021, he has been running a 50-hectare mountain farm according to Bio Suisse organic standards. The farm raises heritage livestock breeds, slaughters on-site, and markets the meat directly throughout Switzerland.
Wednesday August 20st, 2:30pm | Debate: Ist Innovation in der Berglandwirtschaft möglich?

Jérôme Groebli
Jérôme Groebli is a committed professional with extensive experience in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector, gained at a leading multinational company. A graduate of the University of St. Gallen (HSG), he combines a human approach to organisational development with a strong business focus. A true change agent, he is committed to the sustainable transformation of organisations by focusing on corporate culture and continuous improvement. He has served on several boards of directors of SMEs and start-ups and currently holds the position of Committee Delegate in charge of the management of the L’Etivaz Alpine Cheese Producers’ Cooperative.

Mikael Henchoz
After training as a mechanic, Mikaël Henchoz took over the management of the family cheese dairy Sapalet Sàrl in Rossinière in 2018, together with his two brothers, which was originally founded by their uncle. Sapalet Sàrl processes and sells all the milk produced by the sheep at the Sapalet farm, which Mikaël Henchoz also runs with his father and brothers.
The Sapalet cheese dairy also buys cow’s and goat’s milk, which is also processed by them and distributed throughout French-speaking Switzerland.
They have also set up a company active in related fields such as mechanics and the installation of solar panels.

Roland Müller
Roland Müller is an organic mountain farmer in Geschinen, in the municipality of Goms (Upper Valais), at an altitude of 1,350 metres.
Since 1985, he and his wife have been running a farm Bio Suisse certified. They raise 30 dairy cows and 45 young animals, whose milk is sold to the organic alpine cheese dairy in Goms, which he has been chairing for 25 years.
In summer, his animals graze on various mountain pastures in the region. He also grows rye and potatoes and keeps bees.
In addition to his farming activities, Roland Müller has been head instructor at the Goms/Münster ski school for over 20 years and worked as an inspector for Bio Inspecta for almost two decades.

Daniel Wismer
Daniel Wismer est agriculteur et pionnier de l’élevage de yaks en Suisse depuis 1995. Les habitants de la région ne lui donnaient qu’un an, mais cela fait maintenant 31 ans qu’il persévère. En 1998, il a organisé le premier trek à dos de yak en Europe et a élevé le Yakinger, un croisement unique entre le yak et la race d’Eri. En tant que cofondateur et premier président de l’Association suisse d’élevage de yaks, il a reçu le Prix suisse de l’innovation en agriculture en 2007. En 2020, il a ouvert le deuxième musée du yak au monde.

Holger Schmid
Holger Schmid is co-founder of ReVerde, a start-up that offers biodiversity as a service to farmers. Trained as a biologist, Holger is committed to making nature conservation and restoration an economic activity and source of income. He previously worked in philanthropy for many years and currently advises organisations on nature-based solutions.

Camille Andrès
Camille Andres is a freelance journalist and a member of the editorial team of the French-speaking Swiss monthly Réformés.
She has notably told the story of Switzerland’s first protected designation of origin (AOP) for a food product, in L’Etivaz, le génie fromager (Heidi News, 2018), and directed a documentary about an agricultural transformation project, Le Pari d’Esther (available on YouTube).
She also heads the Prix Farel, a documentary film festival in Neuchâtel focused on ethical, religious, and spiritual issues.
Wednesday August 20st, 3:30pm | The Musée des Ormonts aims to become the MECOL, the cultural museum of Ormonts-Leysin.
Wednesday August 20st, 4:40pm | Mohair wool from the hills of South Africa under the soles of alpine hikers: the story of Pomoca

Josep Castellet
POMOCA, as member of the Oberalp Group, has been always sensitive to durability. In 2017 POMOCA developed the first CSR action plan and was the first skin manufacturer to fully eliminate flour from his production 2020.

Ruth Oberauch
Wednesday August 20th, 5:30am | What incentive framework for mountain farming?

Valérie Dittli
Valérie Dittli, born in 1992 in Öberägeri in the canton of Zug, is a Swiss lawyer and politician and member of the Centre Party. She was elected to the Vaud State Council in April 2022, making her the youngest State Councillor in the canton and one of the youngest in Swiss history. Since 1 July 2022, she has headed the Department of Finance and Agriculture.
Coming from a family of farmers, she grew up on a farm and studied law at the University of Lucerne and then at the University of Lausanne, where she obtained a doctorate in inheritance law.
She became involved in politics at a young age, chairing the Young Christian Democrats of Vaud before becoming the first president of the Centre Vaud in 2020, following its merger with the Bourgeois Democratic Party.
Her election to the Vaud government was described as a major surprise, given that her party did not hold any seats in the Grand Council.
Since March 2025, she has headed the Department of Agriculture, Sustainability and Climate, as well as Digital Affairs.
Thursday August 21st, 9:00 am | Mountain products, short supply chains and high-end positioning: a winning combination?

Pascal Imbs
With 36 years of experience in the field of furnishing fabrics, Pascal Imbs joined the Arpin spinning mill four years ago to help pass on unique expertise inherited from over two centuries of history. Founded in 1817 in Séez-Saint-Bernard, Arpin is one of the last companies in France to master the entire production chain, from raw fleece to finished products, using machines classified as National Heritage.
Thursday August 21st, 09:20am | Discussion

Anne Chenavard

David Delarive
He now leads innovative projects such as LLF, an energy financing solution that delivers immediate savings with no initial investment, and Delarive Solution, which specialises in designing inspiring reception areas.
Thursday August 21st, 10:00am | Mountain farming as a solution to social and environmental challenges

Benoît Stadelmann

Aude Jarabo
After graduating with a degree in agricultural engineering, Aude Jarabo worked in research and obtained a PhD in ecology applied to agricultural environments.
She then began her career in public policy (plant protection product reduction plan at the French Ministry of Agriculture). She joined Prométerre to develop the agricultural component of the Vaud climate plan before founding AgroImpact, which she has been managing since December 2023.

Martin Pidoux
Thursday August 21st, 11:00am | Moving Mountains Destination White Paper

Anne Sophie Fioretto
Anne Sophie has worked in various sectors linked to tourism and regional planning, notably as head of the tourism division for consultancy firms and as co-founder of Pacte3F. Her work focuses on sustainable development, the management (governance) of tourist destinations, and the implementation of innovative (transitional) strategies to limit the negative impact of mass tourism (HES-SO Valais-Wallis) (HES-SO).
It is also active in applied research and training, contributing to territorial foresight and tourism market observation projects. Its expertise enables it to play a key role in the training of future tourism professionals and in the development of sustainable solutions for local authorities and tourism businesses (rts.ch) (HES-SO).

Cléo Tarashev

Martin Deburaux
With his love of the region, Martin Deburaux naturally and enthusiastically took over the management of one of Villars’ ski schools in 2007. Eager to make new discoveries and develop a project in the tourism and hotel-restaurant sector, he went on to manage two establishments in the idyllic setting of Solalex. On the strength of his previous experience, the opportunity to combine his passion for skiing and the mountains with modern tourism development projects for the Télé Villars-Gryon-Les Diablerets SA lifts convinced him to commit myself to this company, its staff, its customers and the region.
Thursday August 21st, 11:30am | How digital technology can educate and entertain mountain users, both in winter and summer.

Dominique Perret
Voted Best Freerider of the Century at the Board Awards in Paris, Dominique Perret has long been considered a pioneer in the sport.
Beyond his role as an athlete, he is a marketing expert and product developer for the ski industry and the first athlete in the world to become ‘carbon positive’.
He co-founded WEMOUNTAIN, the first international mountain training programme combining E-Learning and T-Learning, and is the driving force behind the start-up, offering the best mountain and avalanche training in the world.

Alexandra Bersier-Balz
Alexandra Bersiez-Baz has been a scientific collaborator in the “School and Family” domain at BPA since 2021. She holds a master’s degree in movement and sports sciences, specializing in adapted physical activities and health. She is also a certified adult educator (FSEA). A former member of the Swiss women’s artistic gymnastics team (1996–2002), she combines scientific expertise with high-level sports experience.
