The Board of Directors has appointed Alexandre Pauchard as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CSEM. His appointment will be effective as of 18 January 2021. He will succeed Mario El-Khoury, who has successfully led the Center since 2009.
CSEM is opening a new chapter. After 11 years at the helm of the Center, Mario El-Khoury, 57, is leaving his position as the head of CSEM to devote himself to personal projects. He is to be replaced by Alexandre Pauchard, who currently works for BOBST.
Arriving at CSEM in 1994, Mario El-Khoury, a Lebanese-Swiss engineer, held multiple leadership and executive positions before being appointed the role of CEO in 2009. Through his direction, he successfully managed to position CSEM as a key player in the development and transfer of cutting-edge technologies to benefit Swiss companies. A champion of innovation in all its forms and a passionate advocate for maintaining production in Switzerland, he has initiated several strategies aimed at digitizing Swiss SMEs to guarantee their competitiveness.
Under his leadership, CSEM has experienced unprecedented growth and development, with the number of employees increasing from 387 to 525. In 2013, he successfully established CSEM’s PV-Center, which fosters innovation in photovoltaics. He encouraged the Center’s growth in the MedTech and Additive Manufacturing domains and recently helped oversee the launch of the Tissot T-Touch Connect Solar, Switzerland's first connected watch, whose operating system and watch dial were developed at CSEM.
“Mario El-Khoury is an extraordinary director, who has allowed CSEM to shine both internationally and in Switzerland. We are extremely grateful on many levels for the excellent work he has done for us,” acknowledges Claude Nicollier, Chairman of the Board of Directors. “Working within this unique and magnificent organization has been an exceptional opportunity,” adds Mario El-Khoury, “my gratitude goes out to my colleagues, Chairman Claude Nicollier, and the members of the Board of Directors. Their unwavering support has enabled CSEM to strive for excellence without losing its humanity.”
Head of Group R&D at BOBST, Alexandre Pauchard, 49, will take over the reins of the Center on the 18 January 2021. He will jointly manage CSEM alongside Mario El-Khoury until Mr. El-Khoury’s departure on 28 February 2021. Alexandre Pauchard has lived in both California and Zurich, graduated with a degree in Physics from ETH Zürich, and holds a doctorate in microengineering from EPFL. He brings with him to CSEM extensive technical and managerial experience, and his dynamism perfectly complements the Center, whose future operations seem set to continue along a steady path. “We are very enthusiastic about Alexandre’s appointment and look forward to working with this competent new leader,” says Claude Nicollier. “His past activities align exactly with CSEM’s areas of expertise, and his strong motivation to pursue the Center's objectives, ensuring it remains a center of technological excellence and innovation, and guaranteeing the transfer of our products and research to the Swiss industry gives us full confidence in CSEM’s future.”
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