General Management

Chairman and CEO

Swiss national | Born 1953

After completing an apprenticeship in advertising and qualifying for the CFC in 1972, Mr Rohner went on to obtain his diplomas as an advertising technician in 1974 and advertising manager in 1979. He completed his training by attending management courses in Switzerland (IMD, HSG) and abroad.

Mr Rohner has been Chairman since 29 April 2009, CEO of PubliGroupe since July 2002 and
a member of its General Management since 1994.

He has held the following positions within the group:

• Director of Publicitas Promotion Network (Europe/Asia/Latin America) from 1999 to 2002.
• Group Marketing Director from 1994 to 1999.
• Marketing Director and member of the Management Committee of Publicitas Ltd, from 1990 to 1994.
• Head of Strategic Marketing Publishers of Publicitas Ltd in Lausanne, from 1985 to 1989.

Previously, he held the following positions outside the group:

• Member of the management of the Tages-Anzeiger Group and Director of Publication of the women’s magazines, Annabelle, Femina and Voilà, from 1982 to 1985.
• Member of the planning group on the management of the Tages-Anzeiger as Head of the Electronic Media Project, from 1980 to 1982.
• Head of Marketing Services, Tages-Anzeiger Group, from 1976 to 1980.

Mr Rohner has seats on the boards of directors of several companies in which PubliGroupe has shareholding interests and currently holds the following other positions:

• Member of the board of economiesuisse, since 2003.
• Member of the GfM (Swiss Marketing Association) committee, since 2005.
• Member of the Foundation Board of IMD, Lausanne, since 2002.

CEO, Media Sales / Publicitas

Swiss national | Born 1955

Beat Roeschlin holds a first degree in Economics from St. Gallen University. Further education took place in the area of Operational Audit in the U.S. and in strategy and mergers and acquisitions in London.

Since May 1st 2010, Beat Roeschlin is CEO of Media Sales and member of the PubliGroupe General Management.

Outside the Group, he previously held executive and management positions in European, American and Swiss groups in the media, consumer- and capital goods and pharmaceutical industries.

• Clear Channel Outdoor (Outdoor advertising) (Switzerland): From 1997 to 2010 Beat Roeschlin was CEO/ President of the board of Clear Channel International Advertising Division. His responsibilities included the development and expansion as well as the sustainable positioning of the CCO group in the Swiss "Out of Home" market. He was also responsible for the developing new market segments such as large areas and international airport advertising.
• Olympus Optical AG (Switzerland): Between 1995 and 1997, Beat Roeschlin held the position of CEO and Delegate of the board of Olympus Optical AG.
• Between 1989-1995 Beat Roeschlin held several senior management and finance positions in companies of the Anova/ Schmidheiny group.

CFO, Finance & Controlling
German national | Born 1956

Mr Schmidt holds a first degree in Economics (University of Heidelberg) and an MBA (University of North Carolina / Chapel Hill).

Mr Schmidt has been Finance Director (CFO) and a member of the PubliGroupe General Management since 1 August 2003.

He previously held the following positions outside the group:

• CFO of the Swiss Dairy Food Group, from 2001 to 2003.
• Head Finance Europe & MEA, Novartis Consumer Health Ltd, from 1995 to 2001.
• Finance Director, Swiss Pharma SAE, in Cairo, from 1991 to 1995.

Mr Schmidt sits on the Boards of Directors of several companies in which PubliGroupe has a shareholding interest and currently also holds the following further mandate:

• Member of the Board of Directors of Gebro Pharma AG, Liestal, since 2006.

   

CHRO, Human Resources

French national | Born 1955

Mrs Schleipen is a graduate of ESC Rouen (1977) with specialisation in "International Business".

Mrs Schleipen is CHRO (Chief Human Resources Officer) and has been a member of the PubliGroupe General Management since 1 May 2005. Mrs Schleipen has chaired the PubliGroupe pension fund since October 2006 and represents the group in the GEM (Multinational Companies Grouping). She has also been a member of the steering committee of the Promea compensation office since June 2009 and President of the family allowances compensation office of the VSW since 1 January 2010.

She previously held the following positions outside the group:

• Senior HR Consultant, Vice-President, Dresdner Bank Geneva, from 1997 to 2005.
• Commercial attaché then Head of the Internal Service, Swiss Wire, Olten, from 1990 to 1995.
• Commercial employee, Elektro-Apparatebau AG, Olten, from 1989 to 1990.
• Career interruption to raise her two children.

• Executive Assistant, Compagnie Financière Michelin, Basel, from 1977 to 1982.

   

CIO, Information & Communication Technology
British national | Born 1967

Mr Blackwell studied economics and business management at the University of St. Gallen and went on to obtain a diploma in Information Technology from the University of Neuchâtel.

Mr Blackwell has taken over responsibility for the Information & Communication Technology department and has been a member of the PubliGroupe General Management since 1 January 2008.

Previously, he held the following positions outside the group:

• Vice-President EMEA Consulting Department, Agile Software Corporation, from 2005 to 2007.
• Senior Executive Sales & Delivery, Supply Chain, Accenture/CPGmarket, from 2003 to 2005.
• Senior Manager Enterprise Software Solutions, BearingPoint S.A., from 2001 to 2003.
• Co-founder & Chief Technology Officer, Vertical*i Inc., from 1999 to 2001.
• Senior Manager, Head of Enterprise Information Systems, Andersen Business Consulting, from 1993 to 1999.

Mr Blackwell sits on the Boards of Directors of several companies in which PubliGroupe has a shareholding interest.

Secretary-General

Swiss national | Born 1956

Mr Briod is a law graduate of Lausanne University and continued his training by gaining experience at the law courts in Vaud Canton and in the legal service of "GKN International Trading" in London from 1979 to 1984. He went on to join PubliGroupe.

Mr Briod has been in charge of Group Headquarters Services since 1994, comprising the General Secretariat, financial communication and relations with investors, together with the legal service. He has been a member of the PubliGroupe General Management since 1991.

He has held the following positions within the group:

• Secretary-General of Publicitas Holding (now PubliGroupe) from 1989 to 1990. In addition to those duties, he was Financial Director of the group from 1991 to 1993.
• Jurist-Management Assistant, Publicitas Holding, from 1985 to 1989.

Mr Briod sits on the Boards of Directors of several companies in which PubliGroupe has a shareholding interest.