FONDATION SUISA has selected Fabio Baechtold as its new Director. He will take up his position on 1 July 2026, succeeding Urs Schnell, who has led the foundation since 2008 and will retire at the end of September 2026.
Zeno Gabaglio, President of the Foundation Board:
“Urs Schnell played a key role in shaping FONDATION SUISA over many years and navigated the far-reaching changes in the cultural world with great success and ingenuity. We are very grateful to him for his leadership. Fabio Baechtold combines broad and in-depth knowledge of the Swiss music scene with an outstanding ability to listen and accurately assess current developments. With him at the helm, FONDATION SUISA will be very well positioned to actively tackle the challenges of the present and the future.”
Fabio Baechtold has served as managing director of the Bernese jazz organiser BeJazz since 2007 and has coordinated the Suisse Diagonales Jazz festival since 2017. He was a member of the City of Bern’s Music Commission for eight years and later served as its chair.
Fabio Baechtold: “The switch from being a jazz promoter to music promotion more broadly gives me the opportunity to work with all musical genres in the future. I am very much looking forward to tackling this task together with the team. My aim is to consistently focus on the needs of the music scene and music creators.”
In Fabio Baechtold, FONDATION SUISA has gained a prominent figure on the Swiss music scene with many years of experience in promotion, outreach and networking. The Foundation Board strongly believes that he will not only continue the Foundation’s successful work, but also provide new impetus and targeted growth.
FONDATION SUISA is very much looking forward to working with Fabio Baechtold and to the fresh ideas he will bring to the foundation’s work.The not-for-profit foundation FONDATION SUISA has been promoting contemporary musical creation in Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein since 1989 and working to strengthen its diversity and visibility long-term
For further information:
Urs Schnell (current Director)
T: +41 76 621 50 62
E: urs.schnell@fondation-suisa.ch
Press release and photos available for download:
