Bernhard Christen named new Head of Marketing

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Bernhard Christen, currently Head of Corporate Brand & Communications Management at Ricola AG, has been appointed Head of Marketing by Swiss International Air Lines. He will assume his new duties in November.?

Bernhard Christen, who is currently Head of Corporate Brand & Communications Management at Swiss-based herbal confectionery manufacturer Ricola AG, will be joining SWISS in mid-November to become the company?s new Head of Marketing. Christen, who is 42, succeeds Markus Binkert, who held the position before his promotion to Head of Market Switzerland and subsequently to Chief Commercial Officer.

?I am delighted that, in Bernhard Christen, we have secured the services of such a skilled marketing professional who can draw on so much experience in cultivating the profiles of internationally-renowned Swiss brands?, says SWISS CCO Markus Binkert.?????

Bernhard Christen has been with Ricola AG, which is based in Laufen, Northern Switzerland, since 2004. He initially served as the company?s Head of Corporate Product Marketing; and three years later he moved to his present position as Head of Corporate Brand & Communications Management, where his achievements have included adopting a global strategy for the Ricola brand.

Prior to joining Ricola, Christen worked for soft drinks manufacturer Rivella AG, a further renowned Swiss brand, holding various product management functions over a six-year period. A graduate in geography and economics from Fribourg University, he also has some experience of the air transport sector, having served during his studies as a temporary flight attendant with Swissair.

As SWISS?s Head of Marketing, Bernhard Christen will lead a team of 31 personnel grouped into the four units of Brand Development, Marketing Communication, Partnership Marketing and Marketing Analytics.

Swiss International Air Lines Ltd.
Corporate Communications
Phone: ?+41 848 773 773
Fax: ?+41 44 564 21 27

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