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Board of Directors

The Articles of Association of Sonova Holding AG state that the Board of Directors must consist of a minimum of three and a maximum of nine members. The members of the Board of Directors are elected individually by the Annual General Shareholders’ Meeting.

The primary duties of the Board of Directors of Sonova Holding AG are defined in the Swiss Code of Obligations, the Articles of Association as well as the Organizational Regulations and include:

  • Strategic direction and management of the corporation
  • Approval of the policy and the strategy of the Group
  • Establishment of the organization and enactment of management regulations
  • Structuring of the accounting, financial controlling as well as financial planning
  • Appointment and removal of the Management Board and other key executives
  • Ultimate supervision of the operational management entrusted with the management
  • Establishment of the business report as well as the preparation of the Annual General Shareholders' Meeting and the carrying out of its resolutions
  • Notification of the judge in case of over-indebtedness
Robert F. Spoerry
Robert F. Spoerry
Position: 
Chairman, non-executive member
Nationality: 
Switzerland
Born: 
1955
First election: 
2003, Chairman since 2011
End current board term: 
AGM 2015
Biography: 

Robert F. Spoerry (born in 1955, Swiss citizen) has been Chairman of the Board of Sonova Holding AG since March 30, 2011 and a non-executive member of the Board since 2003. He is also Chairman of the Board of Mettler-Toledo International Inc., a leading global manufacturer and marketer of precision instruments and related services for use in laboratory, manufacturing, and food retailing applications.

Robert F. Spoerry joined Mettler-Toledo in 1983 and was Chief Executive Officer from 1993 to 2007. He led the buyout of Mettler-Toledo from Ciba-Geigy in 1996, and the company’s subsequent Initial Public Offering on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in 1997. In 1998, he was nominated Chairman of the Board.

Robert F. Spoerry graduated in mechanical engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich, Switzerland, and holds an MBA from the University of Chicago.

Other activities:

  • Chairman of the Board of Mettler-Toledo International Inc.
  • Vice Chairman of the Board of Geberit AG
  • Member of the Board of Conzzeta Holding AG
Heliane Canepa
Heliane Canepa
Position: 
Non-executive member
Nationality: 
Switzerland
Born: 
1948
First election: 
1999
End current board term: 
AGM 2014
Biography: 

Heliane Canepa (born 1948, Swiss citizen) is member of the board of directors of swiss smile Holding AG since 2012. She was President and CEO of Nobel Biocare AB, Sweden, and CEO of the group’s parent company, Nobel Biocare Holding AG, until September 1, 2007.

Before joining Nobel Biocare, Heliane Canepa was CEO for 20 years of Schneider Worldwide, a medical technology company based in Switzerland and the United States that manufactures balloon catheters.

Heliane Canepa completed business school in Dornbirn, Austria, and continued her studies at West London College in London, Paris-Sorbonne University in Paris, and the Foreign Executive Development Program at Princeton University in New Jersey (USA).

Dr. Beat Hess
Dr. Beat Hess
Position: 
Non-executive member
Nationality: 
Switzerland
Born: 
1949
First election: 
2012
End current board term: 
AGM 2013
Biography: 

Dr. Beat Hess (born in 1949, Swiss citizen)  has been Vice-Chairman of the Board of Sonova Holding AG since June 19, 2012. From 1988 to 2003, he served as General Counsel of ABB Group and, from 2003 to 2011, as Group Legal Director and Member of the Group Executive Committee of Royal Dutch Shell plc.

Beat Hess studied at the Universities of Geneva, Freiburg, and Miami, is an attorney-at-law and holds a Ph.D. in Law.

Other activities:

  • Member of the Board of Directors of Nestlé S.A.
  • Member of the Board of Directors of Holcim Ltd.
Dr. Michael Jacobi
Dr. Michael Jacobi
Position: 
Non-executive member
Nationality: 
Switzerland/Germany
Born: 
1953
First election: 
2003
End current board term: 
AGM 2015
Biography: 

Dr. Michael Jacobi (born 1953, Swiss and German citizen) has worked as an independent consultant since 2007.

From 1996 to 2007, he was CFO and member of the Executive Committee of Ciba Specialty Chemicals Inc. Prior to this, since 1978, Michael Jacobi held various management positions in
the area of finance at Ciba-Geigy Group in Brazil, the US, and in Switzerland.

Michael Jacobi studied economics and business administration at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, at the University of Washington in Seattle, and at the Harvard Business School 
in Boston. He was awarded a Ph.D. from the University of St. Gallen in 1979.

Other activities: 

  • Member of the Board of Hilti AG
  • Member of the Board of Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd
  • Member of the Board of Trustees of Martin Hilti Family Trust
Andy Rihs
Andy Rihs
Position: 
Co-founder, non-executive member
Nationality: 
Switzerland
Born: 
1942
First election: 
1985
End current board term: 
AGM 2015
Biography: 

Andy Rihs (born 1942, Swiss citizen) has been member of the Board of Directors of Sonova Holding AG since its foundation in 1985. He is one of the company’s founders, together with his former business partner Beda Diethelm and his brother Hans-Ueli Rihs. He also owns several companies that are mainly active in the real estate and cycling business, and he holds interests in various high-tech start-ups.

In 1966 Andy Rihs joined Beda Diethelm, who had come to Phonak a year earlier as technical manager, and concentrated on the company’s marketing and commercial operations. He first established a sales organization for Switzerland and later gradually built up a global distribution network. Andy Rihs managed the Sonova Group as CEO until April 2000 and again as interim CEO from April to September 2002. Under his leadership, the company grew continuously and established an outstanding reputation as a provider of technologically advanced products.

Andy Rihs completed his education and business training primarily in Switzerland and France.

Other activities:

  • Chairman of the Board of BMC Group Holding AG
Anssi Vanjoki
Anssi Vanjoki
Position: 
Non-executive member
Nationality: 
Finland
Born: 
1956
First election: 
2009
End current board term: 
AGM 2014
Biography: 

Anssi Vanjoki (born 1956, Finnish citizen) is Individual Multicontributor of RKBS Oy, a technology start-up investment company. He was Executive Vice President and General Manager of Nokia until March 2011 and member of the Nokia Group Executive Board from 1998 to 2011. He is also Chairman of the Board of Amer Sports Corporation, one of the world’s leading suppliers of sports equipment and owner of Salomon, Atomic, Wilson, Precor, and Suunto brands.

Anssi Vanjoki has a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the Helsinki School of Economics and Business Administration.

Other activities:

  • Chairman of the Board of Amer Sports Corporation
  • Chairman of the Board of Vertu Holdings Ltd.
  • Member of the Board of Koskisen Oy
  • Member of the Board of Basware Corporation Oy
  • Angel Investor and Chairman and Member of the Board of several technology start-up companies 
Ronald van der Vis
Ronald van der Vis
Position: 
Non-executive member
Nationality: 
Netherlands
Born: 
1967
First election: 
2009
End current board term: 
AGM 2014
Biography: 

Ronald van der Vis (born 1967, Dutch citizen) was Executive Director of the Board of Esprit Holdings Limited, a global lifestyle company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, from June 2009 and group CEO from November 2009; both positions ended in October 2012. He continued as an advisor to the company until January 2013.

Prior to this, since 1998, he held various general management positions at Pearle Europe B.V., a leading optical retailer. He was CEO of Pearle Europe group from January 2004 to April
2009.

Ronald van der Vis graduated from the Nyenrode Business University in the Netherlands and received his Master’s Degree in Business Administration (with honors) from the Manchester Business School in the UK.

Other activities:

  • Advisor to private equity portfolio companies
  • Group CEO of Esprit Holdings Limited (until October 2012)
  • Executive Director of the Board of Esprit Holdings Limited (until October 2012)
John J. Zei
John J. Zei
Position: 
Non-executive member
Nationality: 
U.S.A.
Born: 
1944
First election: 
2010
End current board term: 
AGM 2013
Biography: 

John J. Zei (born 1944, US citizen) was CEO of Knowles Electronics, the primary supplier of acoustic components for the hearing instruments industry, through the end of 2009. He retired as “Senior Advisor” from Knowles in 2010.

John J. Zei was previously President of Rexton, a hearing instrument manufacturer in the US, and later President and CEO of Siemens Hearing Instruments, Inc. He served three times as Chairman of the Hearing Industries Association (HIA). He also served in as President of the HIA, Chairman of the hearing industry’s Market Development Committee, and on the Board of the Better Hearing Institute.

John J. Zei has a law degree from Loyola University, Chicago, and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Chicago.

Other activities:

  • Member of the Board of Koolspan, Inc.