Swiss Prime Site gets a new CEO
René Zahnd, the company's Chief Executive Officer for ten years, will step down at the end of the year. He will be replaced by Marcel Kucher, the current CFO.
The Board of Directors of Swiss Prime Site has appointed Marcel Kucher as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) with effect from January 1, 2026. The appointment was preceded by a selection process involving internal and external candidates, the company announced. This marks the end of the era of René Zahnd, who has been CEO of the real estate company since January 2016.
Kucher has been CFO at SPS since July 2021. According to the press release, Kucher was the driving force behind the company's capital recycling strategy and played a key role in the development and implementation of a new financing strategy. This has "led to a strong A3 rating since 2022", according to SPS. Kucher began his career at McKinsey and Company. He then moved to A-Connect, where he managed the offices in Zurich and the USA. From 2011 to 2021, he was CFO and COO of Peach Property Group AG. The 54-year-old Swiss citizen holds a doctorate in economics from the University of Zurich.
"The combination of his strategic skills, operational capabilities, track record in change management and acquisitions as well as his extensive experience in corporate finance as Chief Financial Officer unanimously convinced the Board of Directors that Marcel Kucher is the best candidate for the position of Chief Executive Officer", writes the Board of Directors. Regarding the previous incumbent René Zahnd, it says: "Under his strong leadership, Swiss Prime Site has successfully completed a number of targeted divestments and strategic acquisitions while driving cultural and operational improvements. He was the driving force behind the creation of the focused real estate company that Swiss Prime Site is today."
A search for a successor CFO has been initiated, SPS also announced.
