Panelists 2024 Edition

Program
Wednesday August 21st, 2:30pm | Reconversion, instructions for use. The example of the Jura Arc
Nadia Mettraux
Nadia Mettraux has been Managing Director of the Association pour le développement du Nord vaudois (ADNV) since 2019. The association has 30 employees working in the fields of economics, tourism and professional integration in a territory of almost 90,000 people. She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics, a master’s degree in high-performance psychology and an MBA in marketing strategy.
Over the past five years, Nadia Mettraux has worked primarily on defining and implementing a new, high-performance and innovative ADNV structure to anticipate the region’s economic and tourism challenges.

 

Anne-Sophie Fioretto
Anne-Sophie Fioretto is a geographer and sustainable tourism expert, currently Associate Professor at the Tourism Institute of the HES-SO Valais-Wallis in Sierre, Switzerland. She has a background in equipment, development and the environment in mountain countries, as well as solid professional experience in project management and strategic planning in tourism (HES-SO Valais-Wallis) (HES-SO).
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).

 

Jean-Marie Hommel
Jean-Marie Hommel is the son and grand-nephew of two of the founders of Téléski des Savagnières SA. Trained as a lawyer, he joined the Board of Directors of Teleski des Savagnières SA in 1987, after several years as an assessor. He remained for many years as Secretary to the Board of Directors.
Following the merger with Téleskis de Chasseral-les Bugnenets in 2004, he played an active part in developing the new structure as a member of the Board of Directors, before becoming Chairman in 2020.
In charge of Bugnenets-Savagières SA’s legal affairs, particularly in environmental matters, he has made a significant contribution to the project to develop a “four-season” activity on the resort site.

 

Jacques Haldi
Jacques Haldi has been President of the TBRC cooperative – Buttes-Robella chairlift and Chasseron Nord ski lift – since 2006.
He has played a key role in the resort’s development by creating the
ComDev and diversifying activities over four seasons.
Currently, he is responsible for the development of the Preliminary Project for the Buttes-Robella chairlift.

Luca Micheli

Operator of the Valbirse mixed mountain bike/ski lift.

Wednesday August 21st, 4:00pm | Call for sustainable transition projects
Yves Loerincik

Yves Loerincik is in charge of strategy at the Office Cantonal de la Durabilité et du Climat (OCDC), with a particular focus on the sustainable economy. Yves Loerincik has been active for 25 years in the field of sustainable economy and innovation, with the creation of several start-ups such as Quantis and eqlosion, and many years of consulting in the field.

Benoît Charrière

Benoît Charrière has been active in the field of sustainability for some twenty years, supporting public and private players in the transition. He uses his experience to develop multi-stakeholder projects to accelerate the march towards carbon neutrality by 2050. His areas of expertise include regional projects, the circular economy and stakeholder engagement.

 

Wednesday August 21st, 5:00pm | The great challenge of sustainability; the Vaud example
Nuria Gorrite
Nuria Gorrite (Socialist Party) has been Vaud’s Minister of Transport and Digital Affairs since July 1, 2012. She chaired the Vaud government between 2017 and 2022. She is currently head of the Department of Culture, Infrastructure and Human Resources.
After studying literature at the University of Lausanne between 1992 and 1996, which was marked by a strong commitment to Amnesty International, which she began at the age of 16, Nuria Gorrite became curator of the Forel Museum in Morges in 1996. She was elected mayor of Morges in 2000 and member of parliament in 2007. In 2008, she became mayor of Morges, the first woman to hold this position. From 2007 to 2012, Nuria Gorrite was vice-president of the Fondation pour l’accueil de jour des enfants, and from 2008 to 2012, she was a member of the committee of the Union des communes vaudoises.
Nuria Gorrite was elected to the Vaud State Council on April 1, 2012, and has headed the Department of Infrastructure and Human Resources (DIRH) since July 1 of the same year. She was President of the State Council during the 2017-2022 legislature. Since July 1, 2022, the start of her third term in the Vaud government, she has headed the Department of Culture, Infrastructure and Human Resources (DCIRH).

 

Wednesday August 21st, 5:20pm | Collective mobility efforts: four examples from the Alps
Grégoire Praz
After a degree in economics and a diploma as a federal expert in finance and controlling, Grégoire Praz joined the transport industry – first with CarPostal, then with RegionAlps, a company he managed for 11 years. Since 2016, he has been managing director of Transports Publics du Chablais SA, in Aigle.
Grégoire Praz is married with three children. He loves nature and hiking, and is particularly fond of local produce.

 

Yves Marclay
Yves Marclay has been Director of RegionAlps SA, the Valais public transport company, since 2016. An engineering graduate of the EPFL and a train enthusiast since childhood, he has been committed to improving public transport services for over ten years, and has made a significant contribution to the development of RegionAlps.
A major player in regional transport, RegionAlps SA operates the rail lines between St-Gingolph and Brig and between Martigny and Le Châble / Orsières, as well as the bus line between Leuk and Visp. In 2023, 11.3 million passengers used the 146 km of rail sections served by the Valais-based company.

 

Philippe Varone
President of Sion since 2017, Philippe Varone is an entrepreneur. He managed the winery that bears his name. Elected under the colors of the PLR, he is committed to the values of solidarity and living together, and defends an open and participative vision of the city.
A member of the Committee of the Union of Swiss Cities, Philippe Varone is committed to making Sion the Swiss Capital of the Alps, an urban hub focused on innovation in the fields of energy, health and geosciences, both a driving force in central Valais and a quality destination.
And there’s no shortage of projects. To the south of the train station, Ronquoz 21, already home to the Energypolis Campus, will become the emblematic district of the Sion of tomorrow, with a direct connection to the mountains thanks to a gondola that will put the city center just a few minutes from the 4 Valleys and the future Mayens de l’Ours district. In keeping with the idea of better connecting the plain and the mountains, another gondola linking the Sion village of Bramois to Nax and the Val d’Hérens is also planned.

 

Thursday August 22nd, 9:00am | InnHub, a visionary project in La Punt (Engadine)
Jon Erni
Jon Erni is an Electrical Engineer graduated from Eidgenoessische Technische Hochschule Zuerich (ETH), holding an Executive MBA from University St. Gallen. He has over 25 years of professional experience gained in global and local companies of the IT and Telecommunication sector (e.g. Microsoft, Alcatel-Lucent, Sunrise Communications, miaEngiadina).
Jon Erni is experienced in leading cross-functional teams in the B2B segment and has a significant track record in change management and digital transformation projects. He is cofounder of miaEngiadina and the InnHub-project. Both initiatives have the goal to develop the Engadin valley in a sustainable way.

 

Sabine Kollbrunner

Co-Head of Regional Policy at SECO

 

Thursday August 22nd, 9:50 am | Innovative energy solutions in the mountains
Daniel Oechslin
Daniel Oechslin is the Owner and Chairman of the Management Board of OE-EN AG, a group of companies in the renewable energy sector offering innovative solutions from technology, advisory, and development to the connection to the grid and impact investment.
Daniel spearheads innovation and technological advancements in the renewable energy sector for utility and commercial applications. Over the past two decades, he has built specialized companies across the entire renewable energy value chain, demonstrating unparalleled expertise and leadership. Key influencer in the renewable energy future, he integrates economic functions with innovation and education, fostering a culture of sustainability and progress both within and beyond his corporate environment.

 

Luca Zucchetto

Luca Zucchetto, Commercial Director (CCO) of SOLARSPLIT SA, uses his ten years’ experience in real estate to promote solar energy. SOLARSPLIT is a mobile application that facilitates installation and participatory investment in solar panels. The platform connects homeowners, installers and investors, offering an integrated solution for solar energy. Founded in 2023 and supported by the Microcity innovation cluster in Neuchâtel, the startup was awarded the Prix BCN Innovation 2023 and the Prix SUD 2024 for its commitment to renewable energies.

 

Michaël Berset

Born and raised in Val-de-Travers (NE), Michaël Berset is an agricultural engineer. After some fifteen years in the wind energy sector, including as head of BKW’s Wind Energy Department, he joined Romande Energie at the end of 2022 to take charge of solar development. He is responsible for Business Development of innovative solar solutions such as floating PV and Agri-PV. Married and father of a little Cassian, he is passionate about nature and the mountains. He now lives in the Neuchâtel mountains, where he has a sustainable BnB with his wife.

 

 Thursday August 22nd, 10:50am | Climate exodus scenarios
Nicola Braghiehi
Nicola Braghieri is currently Professor at the EPFL School of Architecture in Lausanne, where he was Director until 2019. He holds a PhD in architectural theory and has taught at the University of Genoa, ETH Zurich and TU Darmstadt. He has practiced architecture and written art criticism, theory and scientific essays. His studies and research focus on digital transition in analog continuity. Since 2008, he has been editor of the architecture magazine Casabella and a member of the ArchAlp scientific committee.
His teaching focuses on architectural design in the Alpine valleys, digital fine arts and the study of vernacular heritage. During his years of teaching activity, he has developed a pedagogical method that synthesizes theoretical, practical and poetic approaches to architectural drawing and design.
n his commitment as a teacher and architect, he has always paid particular attention to the issues of material sustainability, technical simplification and, more generally, limiting the waste of resources.
Thursday August 22nd, 11:15am | Mountain architecture and construction: sustainable solutions for all?
Heinz Beer
Heinz Beer is a trained carpenter, master carpenter and managing director. Since his apprenticeship, he has devoted himself entirely to timber construction. He founded Beer Holzbau AG in Ostermundigen 25 years ago, and has since taken a keen interest in the development of timber construction, the raw material and the circular economy.
Thanks to his experience as a contractor and managing director, as well as the in-depth practical knowledge he has acquired through various projects, he is constantly on the lookout for innovative solutions.
Heinz Beer enjoys spending time in nature, particularly in the mountains, whether on ski tours, mountaineering, or working with wood in his own forest.

 

Thomas Egger

Thomas Egger, born in 1967 in Visp, where he has lived ever since, has been Director of the Berne-based Swiss Association for Mountain Regions (SAB) since 2002. In this capacity, he is committed to the political defense of the interests of Switzerland’s mountain regions and rural areas. In particular, he is co-editor of the “Attractive housing in mountain regions” guide and collaborated on the February 2024 housing shortage action plan. From 2017 to 2019, Thomas Egger was also a member of the National Council (PDC/VS).

 

Yvonne Wespi
Yvonne Wespi is President of the Coopérative d’Habitation Nouveau Comté in Château-d’Oex, a cooperative housing scheme run by a group of volunteers.
She has lived in the commune since 1998, and has been a member of the PS municipal council since 2006. With a degree in social sciences, she worked for ten years in the development of mountain regions, before moving into the graphics industry and then construction. She has also played an active role in the management of local cultural associations, notably directing the Pays-d’Enhaut Music School and sitting on the committee of the Pays-d’Enhaut Library.
Thursday August 22nd, 12:00pm | A little sustainable corner
Sébastien Külling
Sébastien Kulling is director of Enitia, an engineering consultancy specializing in sustainable innovation in wood and bio-sourced materials. With over 25 years of experience of innovation in different sectors, he is convinced that our consumption habits should reflect and integrate the environmental cost of our natural resources.
Sébastien holds an engineering degree in thermal engineering from HEIG-VD and a Master’s degree in management from Stanford Business School. He is also a certified professional coach.

Joël Morerod
Joël Morerod completed an apprenticeship as a carpenter, which he combined with national elite sport in ski jumping. He then completed an apprenticeship as a carpenter, which led to training as a timber construction technician at the Haute Ecole du Bois in Biel, followed by the Maîtrise Fédérale de charpente.
In 2010, he took over the Morerod Charpente SA family business, which employs 20 full-time staff and has been active in wood construction and renovation for 43 years.

François Calame

François Calame began his career as a boat and house builder, before becoming a renewable energy engineer in 1990. Thanks to his technical and commercial skills, he was able to broaden the scope of his company’s activities. Aware that the challenge of water management had become inescapable and that sanitation was at the heart of the problem for local authorities, he founded Ecotoilet in X. This innovative solution offers local authorities and the tourist industry a self-sufficient, ecological “little corner” in both natural and urban areas, for example, vermicomposting toilets with his partner Sanisphère.

 

Thursday August 22nd, 12:20pm | Skiing in 2050: the three Villars-LesDiablerets-Gryon projects
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.