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Owner, consultant, storyteller

Markus Aerni

Three Olympic Games. Three textbooks used as teaching material for the Swiss federal examinations. Nineteen years of viceversa — communication for business, sport, NGOs and healthcare.

What stays with my clients is something else: after working with me, they can say in their own words what they stand for. Not in mine.

Markus Aerni

Contact

+41 31 311 95 95
+41 79 307 51 59
markus.aerni@viceversa.swiss

Milestones

  1. Elvis dies

    01

    Where I come from

    I want to become a graphic designer. Then Elvis dies, his songs come back, and all I want is to play guitar and sing. I give up drawing; I never give up writing songs. It is still my greatest private passion — and it teaches me what a text can carry and what it cannot.

  2. Advertising

    02

    How I get into the field

    In the commercial vehicle trade, at Swisscom and in advertising and PR agencies I learn to ask uncomfortable questions. Not as a pose, but because the answers get better. Questioning the standard rules of the trade interests me more than the rules themselves.

  3. 3 Olympic Games

    03

    Swiss Olympic

    Swiss Olympic is building its own marketing and communications department. I bring the marketing, communications and sponsorship projects, and the protection of the Olympic rings, back into the organisation — Olympic culture should not rest with external consultants who have interests of their own.

    I accompany three Olympic Games as a member of the National Leadership Team.

  4. 3 textbooks

    04

    Education

    I work on the revision of the Swiss federal examination for marketing specialists and design the training and examination concepts for the communication disciplines. This leads to the textbook «Integrierte Kommunikation», used as the reference teaching material for these examinations. Two more follow. All three are revised every two years.

    Guest lectureships at international universities, most recently in Ambon, Indonesia.

  5. 100 years Cancer League

    05

    Healthcare

    The way in is the 100th anniversary of the Swiss Cancer League: concept and realisation. Today my team and I support hospitals, health organisations and pharmaceutical companies on strategic communication questions and in training. Communication departments on the client side are growing larger and more professional — and the questions are getting harder all the same.

  6. viceversa

    06

    Today

    Sharpen the profile, refine the portfolio: what I recommend to my clients, I apply at viceversa myself. Operational implementation lies with partner agencies. I work in workshops and on strategy projects — where the answers have to come from those who will live with them afterwards.

The facts

Education

  • IECC Executive Coaching Certificate, IMD Business School (2024/2025)
  • Diploma in General Management in NPOs, Université de Fribourg
  • Diploma in Adult Education HF
  • Diploma in Marketing Communications, IAA International Advertising Association, New York
  • Communications manager with Swiss federal diploma, Professional Master
  • Advertising manager with Swiss federal diploma, Professional Master
  • Marketing specialist with federal certificate

Professional experience

  • viceversa Consultant for Integrated Communication, owner, consultant, storyteller
  • Swiss Olympic Association Chief Marketing Officer, member of the executive board and member of the leadership team of the Swiss Olympic delegations
  • Swiss Cancer League Head of corporate communication and project lead of the centenary
  • WellCom Advertising Consultant and account group director
  • F+W Communications Consultant and account group director
  • Ritter Kreativ Consultant and account group director
  • Swisscom Head of marketing, fixed-line telephony and devices
  • Isofloc Schweiz Head of marketing, member of the executive board
  • Rottal Auto Head of marketing
  • Publicitas Project manager, advertising sales for Bern daily papers and trade journals

Commitments

  • Ride for Life Organiser of the annual charity bike tour in aid of people affected by cancer and of cancer research.
  • Compendio Verlag Author of the specialist books «Integrierte Kommunikation», «Grundlagen der Kommunikation» and «Instrumente der Kommunikation».
  • allani children’s hospice, Bern Pro bono consulting
  • Verein Kultur am Bettrand Pro bono consulting
  • Swiss Marketing Chief examiner, Swiss federal examinations for marketing professionals
  • External training for various NGOs

Memberships

  • ICF International Coaching Federation The leading global organisation for the development of professional coaching and the world’s largest network of business coaches.
  • PR Suisse Swiss Public Relations Association, the national professional body for PR and communication specialists
  • Swiss Association for Crisis Communication Centre of competence for crisis communication and crisis management
  • Swiss Leaders Association supporting and accompanying committed leaders in their professional development
  • Swiss Marketing National professional association for specialists in marketing and sales
  • Swiss Olympians Association of former Swiss participants in the Olympic Games
  • Swiss Trainers & Coaches Swiss professional association for training specialists, workplace mentors and coaches
  • Swiss Venture Club Association promoting entrepreneurship in Switzerland, small and medium-sized enterprises in particular

Personal

  • Author, storyteller, blog writer
  • Songwriter, singer and guitarist. Band: Markus Aerni & Sweet Trouble
  • Enthusiastic traveller and explorer of cultures on four continents so far
  • Ambitious amateur athlete: fitness training, running and biking
  • Owner of the shepherd-mix dog «Shira»
  • Part-time hermit with his own piece of woodland and a cabin on the Bernese Längenberg

Let us talk

A conversation costs nothing and clears up more than documentation.

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