Board of Directors

Biography

Robert F. Spoerry (born 1955, Swiss citizen) has been Chair of the Board of Directors of Sonova Holding AG since March 30, 2011, and a non-executive member of the Board of Directors since 2003. 

Robert F. Spoerry is also the non-executive Chair of the Board of Directors 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. He joined Mettler Toledo in 1983 and was CEO from 1993 to 2007. He led the buyout of Mettler-Toledo from Ciba-Geigy in 1996, and the companyʼs subsequent Initial Public Offering on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in 1997. In 1998, he was nominated as Chair of the Board of Directors.

His long-standing experience in the technology sector, his deep knowledge of Sonova and his strong technical background with innovation-driven companies provides a substantial benefit to the Group and its shareholders. Robert F. Spoerry devotes a substantial amount of his time to his service as Chair of the Board of Directors.

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.
 

Outside mandates:

• Member of the Board of Directors of Bystronic Holding AG (former Conzzeta Holding AG)
• Non-executive Chair of the Board of Directors of Mettler Toledo International Inc.

Meeting attendance during the financial year 2022/23

• Regular Board of Directors meetings: 5 out of 5 meetings attended
• Additional calls of the Board of Directors: 1 out of 1 calls attended
• Audit Committee: 4 out of 4 meetings attended as a guest
• Nomination and Compensation Committee: 5 out of 5 meetings and 1 out of 1 calls attended as a guest

Holdings as of 31.03.2023

• Shares: 58,214
  Restricted Shares¹⁾: 10,812

Biography

Stacy Enxing Seng (born 1964, US citizen) has been a non-executive member of the Board of Directors since 2014 and serves on the Nomination and Compensation Committee. She became Vice Chair of the Board of Directors at the Annual General Shareholders’ Meeting in June 2021.

She previously served as President of Covidienʼs Vascular Therapies division. Stacy Enxing Seng joined Covidien in July 2010 through its acquisition of ev3 where she was a founding member and executive officer responsible for leading ev3’s Peripheral Vascular Division from inception. She has also held various positions at Boston Scientific, SCIMED Life Systems Inc., Baxter Healthcare, and American Hospital Supply. 

With her broad experience in the medical technology sector and her strong track record in growing startups and leading multinational companies, she brings further important perspectives to the Group. Her expertise in working with regulatory agencies around the globe brings valuable insight to the Board of Directors.

Stacy Enxing Seng received a Master of Business Administration from Harvard University and has a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy from Michigan State University.

Outside mandates:

• Member of the Board of Directors of LivaNova, Inc.
• Member of the Board of Directors of Corza, Inc.
• Operating Partner, Lightstone Ventures

Meeting attendance during the financial year 2022/23

• Regular Board of Directors meetings: 5 out of 5 meetings attended
• Additional calls of the Board of Directors: 1 out of 1 calls attended
• Nomination and Compensation Committee: 5 out of 5 meetings and 1 out of 1 calls attended

Holdings as per 31.03.2023

• Shares: 9,748
• Restricted Shares¹⁾: 3,652

Biography

Gregory Behar (born in 1969, Swiss citizen) has been a non-executive member of the Board of Directors since 2021.

He has been the CEO of Nestlé Health Science, a global leader in the science of nutrition, since 2014 and a member of the Nestlé Executive Board since 2017. From 2011 to 2014, he was President & CEO of Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc. (USA). Prior to that, he held various leadership positions with Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH (Germany), Novartis AG, and Nestlé SA.

Besides this and on behalf of his employer, Nestlé Health Science, he holds a board seat at Seres Therapeutics Inc. which is a strategic investment of Nestlé. This is therefore not considered to be an additional external mandate since managing the strategic collaboration with this investment – such as joint product development, license agreements etc. – forms part of Gregory Behar’s day-to-day activities as the responsible executive at Nestlé.

With his broad international business and executive experience in the healthcare industry as well as his strong track record in leading successful global businesses, Gregory Behar brings valuable insight to the Board of Directors.

Gregory Behar earned an MBA from INSEAD, France, a Master of Science in mechanical engineering and manufacturing from EPFL Lausanne, Switzerland, and a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from the University of California in Los Angeles, USA.

Outside mandates: 

• CEO of Nestlé Health Science
• Member of the Board of Directors of Seres Therapeutics, Inc. (mandate held at the direction of Nestlé as part of his role as CEO of Nestlé Health Science)
• Member of the Board of Directors of Amazentis SA (mandate held at the direction of Nestlé as part of his role as CEO of Nestlé Health Science and thus, shall not be considered as an additional external mandate)

Meeting attendance during the financial year 2022/23

• Regular Board of Directors meetings: 5 out of 5 meetings attended
• Additional calls of the Board of Directors: 1 out of 1 calls attended

Holdings as per 31.03.2023

• Shares: 1,164
• Restricted Shares¹⁾: 1,164

Biography

Lynn Dorsey Bleil (born in 1963, US citizen) has been a non-executive member of the Board of Directors since 2016. She serves on the Audit Committee.

She retired as Senior Partner (Director) from McKinsey & Company in the US in 2013 after more than 25 years of advising senior management and boards of leading healthcare companies on corporate and business unit strategy, mergers and acquisitions, and public policy across all segments of the healthcare value chain. She was also a member of the Board of Directors of Auspex Pharmaceuticals until its sale to Teva in March 2015, and DST Systems until its sale to SS&C in April 2018.

With her extensive experience in advising North American healthcare companies across the entire value chain and through her various board mandates in this sector, she brings very valuable strategic perspectives to the Group and contributes her broad knowhow as a Board member.

Lynn Dorsey Bleil holds a Bachelorʼs degree in Chemical Engineering from Princeton University and a Masterʼs degree in Business Administration from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

Outside mandates:

• Member of the Board of Directors of Alcon Inc.
• Member of the Board of Directors of Stericycle Inc.
• Member of the Board of Directors of Amicus Therapeutics, Inc.
• Chair of the Intermountain Healthcare Wasatch Back Hospitals Community Board

Meeting attendance during the financial year 2022/23

• Regular Board of Directors meetings: 5 out of 5 meetings attended
• Additional calls of the Board of Directors: 1 out of 1calls attended
• Audit Committee: 4 out of 4 meetings1 attended

Holdings as per 31.03.2023

• Shares: 6,547
• Restricted Shares¹⁾: 3,652

Biography

Lukas Braunschweiler (born 1956, Swiss citizen) was the CEO of the Sonova Group from November 2011 until March 31, 2018 and has been a non-executive member of the Board of Directors since 2018 and serves as member on the Nomination and Compensation Committee. 

Before joining the company, Lukas Braunschweiler was CEO of the Swiss technology group RUAG. From 2002 to 2009, as President and CEO, he headed the Dionex Corporation. The California-based company, active in the life sciences industry, was listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange. Previously, from 1995 to 2002, he held various group executive positions in Switzerland and the US for Mettler Toledo, a precision instruments manufacturer. 

Lukas Braunschweiler brings broad CEO experience from a variety of tech-oriented companies and industries in an international environment. Having served as CEO of Sonova from 2011 to 2018, he has not only a comprehensive knowledge of Sonova as a company and its business but also a broad experience in the global hearing aid industry. 

Lukas Braunschweiler received a Master of Science in analytical chemistry (1982) and was awarded a Ph.D. in physical chemistry (1985) from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich.

Outside mandates:

• Chair of the Board of Directors of Tecan Group AG
• Member of the Board of Directors of BURU Holding AG

Meeting attendance during the financial year 2022/23

• Regular Board of Directors meetings: 5 out of 5 meetings attended
• Additional calls of the Board of Directors: 1 out of 1 calls attended
• Nomination and Compensation Committee: 5 out of 5 meetings and 1 out of 1 calls attended
   

Holdings as per 31.03.2023

• Shares: 17,842
• Restricted Shares¹⁾: 3,652
• Options: 65,228

Biography

Roland Diggelmann (born in 1967, Swiss citizen) has been a non-executive member of the Board of Directors since 2021 and serves as member and chair on the Nomination and Compensation Committee. 

From 2019 until March 31, 2022, he has been CEO of Smith & Nephew plc, a UK-based leading global medical technology company active in orthopedics, sports medicine, and advanced wound management. From 2008 to 2018 he was managing director for the Asia / Pacific region and later CEO of Roche Diagnostics. He previously held senior management positions in sales and marketing as well as strategic planning at Zimmer Holdings and Sulzer Medica (later known as Centerpulse).

With more than 20 years of executive experience in the medical device industry across many parts of the world and as an active CEO, Roland Diggelmann provides valuable input to the implementation of Sonova’s strategy. 

Roland Diggelmann studied Business Administration at the University of Bern, Switzerland.

Outside mandates: 

• Member of the Board of Directors of HeartForce AG

Meeting attendance during the financial year 2022/23

• Regular Board of Directors meeting:  5 out of 5 meetings attended
• Additional calls of the Board of Directors: 1 out of 1 calls attended
• Nomination and Compensation Committee: 5 out of 5 meetings and 1 out of 1 calls attended

Holdings as per 31.03.2023

• Shares: 1,164
• Restricted Shares¹⁾: 1,164

Biography 

Julie Tay (born in 1966, citizen of Singapore) has been a non-executive member of the Board of Directors since 2022 and serves as member on the Nomination and Compensation Committee. 

She has served for nine years in various senior leadership roles at Align Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALGN), including most prominently as Senior Vice President and Managing Director Asia Pacific. Align Technology is a leading global medical device company that designs, manufactures, and sells the Invisalign system of clear aligners, iTero intraoral scanners, and exocad CAD/CAM software for digital orthodontics and restorative dentistry. 

Prior to that she held various management positions at Bayer Healthcare, JohnsonDiversey and Johnson & Johnson Medical. With her broad executive experience in the medical device industry and her executive experience, Julie brings valuable insight to the Board of Directors.

Julie Tay holds an MBA in International Marketing from Curtin University of Technology in Australia.

External mandates: 

• n.a.

Meeting attendance during the financial year 2022/23

• Regular Board of Directors meeting:  3⁶⁾ out of 5 meetings attended
• Additional calls of the Board of Directors: 1 out of 1 calls attended

Holdings as per 31.03.2023³⁾

• Shares:  685
• Restricted Shares¹⁾: 685

Biography

Ronald van der Vis (born 1967, Dutch citizen) has been a non-executive member of the Board of Directors since 2009 and serves as member of the Audit Committee which he chaired from 2019 to 2021.

Ronald van der Vis was Executive Director of the Board and Group CEO of Esprit Holdings Limited, a global fashion and lifestyle company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, from 2009 until November 2012. Prior to this, since 1998, he held various general management positions at GrandVision NV, the worldʼs leading optical retailer. He was group CEO at GrandVision NV from 2004 to 2009. 

With his extensive international expertise in the retail sector and his broad M&A, corporate finance and strategic experience, Ronald van der Vis provides valuable input to the Groupʼs vertically integrated business strategy.

Ronald van der Vis graduated from the Nyenrode Business University in the Netherlands and received his Masterʼs degree in business administration from the Alliance Manchester Business School in the UK. He has gained significant financial expertise both through his education and through his business experience as CEO and private equity partner.

Outside mandates:

• Operating Partner, Co-Investor and Industry Advisor
• ​Chair of the Supervisory Board of European Dental Group
• Chair of the Supervisory Board of Equipe Zorgbedrijven
• Chair of the Supervisory Board of United Veterinary Care
• ​Member of the Supervisory Board of HEMA
   

Meeting attendance during the financial year 2022/23

• Regular Board of Directors meetings: 5 out of 5 meetings attended
• Additional calls of the Board of Directors: 1 out of 1 calls attended
• Audit Committee: 4 out of 4 meetings attended
   

Holdings as per 31.03.2023

• Shares: 6,517
• Restricted Shares¹⁾: 3,652

Biography

Adrian Widmer (born 1968, Swiss citizen) has been a non-executive member of the Board of Directors since 2020 and serves as a member and Chair on the Audit Committee. 

Since 2014 he is Group CFO of Sika AG, a global specialty chemical company based in Switzerland. He previously served as Head Group Controlling and M&A at Sika from 2007 to 2014. Prior to joining Sika, he held various management positions at BASF, Degussa and Textron Inc. in the areas of finance and controlling, business development and general management. 

With his broad management background, his experience in M&A and business development and particularly his financial expertise as active CFO, Adrian Widmer is well qualified to serve on the Audit Committee as a financial expert and is an ideal sparring partner for Sonovaʼs CFO.

Adrian Widmer holds a Master of Science degree in Business and Economics from the University of Zurich, Switzerland and completed the Advanced Management Program of INSEAD Fontainebleau in France.

Outside mandates:

• Group CFO of Sika AG

Meeting attendance during the financial year 2022/23

• Regular Board of Directors meetings: 5 out of 5 meetings attended
• Additional calls of the Board of Directors: 1 out of 1 calls attended
• Audit Committee: 4 out of 4 meetings attended

Holdings as per 31.03.2023

• Shares: 1,895
• Restricted Shares¹⁾: 1,895