Michael Rechsteiner

Chairman

Member of the Board of Directors since 2019
Born 1963
Swiss citizen
MSc, Zurich Federal Institute of Technology (ETH)
MBA, University of St. Gallen (HSG)

Portrait Michael Rechsteiner

Michael Rechsteiner has been a member of the Swisscom Board of Directors since April 2019 and Chairman of the Board since March 2021. He has a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Zurich Federal Institute of Technology and an MBA from the University of St. Gallen. He started his career in 1990 at ABB Kraftwerke AG (later Alstom), where he held a number of roles until 2000, most recently as General Manager ABB Power Generation Asia in Kuala Lumpur. He then moved to Alstom Power, where he was responsible for managing international nuclear power projects. In 2003, he became COO of former textile machinery manufacturer Sultex. 2007, he returned to Alstom Power, where he held a number of roles. Most recently, as CEO and Senior Vice President, he takes over the overall management of the global service business for Alstom Power. After General Electric’s takeover of Alstom Power in 2015, he became GE Officer and Vice President of Global Product Lines at GE Power Services. From 2017 until March 2021, he has managerial responsibility for GE Power Services Europe and is most recently CEO of GE Gas Power Europe and Chairman of the Executive Board of GE (Switzerland) GmbH. From April 2021 to April 2022, Michael Rechsteiner worked as an external consultant for General Electric (Switzerland). He is also a member of the Board of Directors and of the Board Committee of economiesuisse and a member of the Board of Trustees of the ETH Zurich Foundation.

“Swisscom makes over two-thirds of the investments in Swiss telecommuni­cations infra­structure.”

Career

  • 1990–2000 Various roles at ABB Kraftwerke AG, most recently General Manager of ABB Power Generation Asia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 2000–2002 Head of Power Plants, Vice President Project Execution, Alstom Power
  • 2003–2007 Chief Operating Officer, Sultex
  • 2007–2015 Various roles at Alstom Power, most recently CEO and Senior Vice President Power Service
  • 2015–2017 General Electric (GE) Officer and Vice President Global Product Lines at GE Power Services
  • 2017–March 2021, managerial responsibility for GE Power Services Europe and CEO of GE Gas Power Europe, GE Power Services
  • April 2021–April 2022 External consultant, General Electric (Switzerland)
Participation in meetings of the Board of Directors in 2023
Meetings: 12 of 12
Ad hoc meetings: 6 of 6
Participation in meetings of committees in 2023
Strategy & Investments Committee: 4 of 4
Audit & ESG Reporting Committee: 5 of 5
Circular resolutions Audit & ESG Reporting:  2 of 2
Compensation Committee: 3 of 3
Shareholding
${veraktmicrec0} (as at 31.12.2023)

Other mandate

  • Member of the Board and Board Committee of economiesuisse

Other significant activity

  • Member of the Board of Trustees of the ETH Zurich Foundation