Tokyo (SCCIJ) – The Swiss Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan has held its 42nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) amid a rising membership. The total number increased by about 11% to the highest figure in the history of the chamber.
The SCCIJ Executive Committee line-up for 2024 with Honorary President and Ambassador of Switzerland Dr. A. Baum.
Unique chamber
SCCIJ Honorary President and Ambassador of Switzerland to Japan, Dr. Andreas Baum, briefly reviewed the previous year and gave an outlook for 2024 when Switzerland and Japan are celebrating 160 years of bilateral relations. As he prepares to relocate to his new posting later this summer, the Ambassador seized the occasion to convey his gratitude to the SCCIJ community for the fruitful collaboration over the past four years.
SCCIJ President Thomas Brodbeck thanked the membership for their “trust” he had received during his first year in office, and celebrated the productive synergy between the Chamber, the Embassy of Switzerland in Japan, and the Swiss Business Hub Japan.
SCCIJ President T. Brodbeck thanked SCCIJ Honorary President and Ambassador of Switzerland to Japan, Dr. Andreas Baum, for this support during his tenure in Japan.
Four confirmations
The AGM broadly confirmed the composition of the SCCIJ board. Mr. Thomas Brodbeck (Sika Japan), Ms. Naoko Koyama (Givaudan Japan), Mr. Matthias Sutter (Shangri-la Hotels Japan), and Mr. Nobuhiro Tajima (Zuica International) were reelected for their respective second two-year terms. Mr. Kazuto Wada (Julius Baer Nomura Wealth Management), who joined the board ad interim in 2023, was elected as a new Executive Committee member. Auditor Mr. Alain Delfosse was confirmed in his position.
At the AGM dinner, representatives of the annual sponsors received a bottle of Swiss wine from SCCIJ President T. Brodbeck.
PR/Media
PR and Media Subcommittee head Mr. Nobuhiro Tajima (second member: Y. Sakai) reported the issuance of 46 newsletters with more than 1,000 subscribers and the publication of 95 news articles in 2023. Members provided 31 news items. Besides, seven exclusive profile articles of members were published. Social media followership increased. In the new year, the SCCIJ website will be completely overhauled.
Mr. Tajima thanked the 24 SCCIJ Annual Sponsors who financed the PR and media activities of 2023 with their contributions: Platinum (1) – The Adecco Group; Gold (9) – Audemars Piguet, Hotel Grand Phenix Okushiga / Zuica International, Lombard Odier, Novartis, Nozomi Sogo Attorneys at Law, Reishauer, Roche, Straumann Group, SWISS Int’l Air Lines (Lufthansa Group); Silver (4) – Givaudan, Nestlé, Nihon Insigh Technologies, Richemont; Bronze (10) – Breitling, CH Projects Management, Green Brothers Japan, Idorsia Pharmaceuticals, JSL International, Kellerhals Carrard, Sika, Switzerland Global Enterprise, Victorinox, and Zurich Insurance Company.
SCCIJ President T. Brodbeck raises his glass for the kampai toast at the AGM dinner.
Kanto and Kansai Events
Mr. Matthias Sutter presented the activities of the Kanto Events subcommittee (other members: A. Nakano, A. Perroton, K. Wada, G. Muischneek), highlighting last year’s nine luncheons with a total of 429 participants and 8 joint events with other chambers. There were also five outdoor events with 81 guests, four joint events with 620 guests, for example, the Year-End Party, and three Swiss Young Professionals meetings with 245 visitors.
Mr. Dieter Sommerhalder speaking for the Kansai Events subcommittee (other members: Y. Sakai, F. Moesner) informed the AGM about its regional activities. The annual big Kansai event was a visit to the Himeji Coffee Factory of Nestlé and to Himeji Castle. Another event was the World Economic Forum Debriefing in partnership with Swissnex in Japan and two “Swiss Aperos”. casual networking events held in June and December.
The Annual General Meeting of the SCCIJ was well attended.
Relationship Management and Scholarships
Ms. Naoko Koyama, Head of the Relationship Management Subcommittee (other members: A. Perroton, F. Stiefvater, F. Moesner) informed the AGM about positive trends for both members and luncheon participation in 2023. The SCCIJ membership increased by 21 to 212. The number of entrepreneur members went up by 10 to 52, and the number of individual members by 5 to 42. The corporate membership, the largest contingent, declined by 1 to 56. The average number of luncheon attendees of 48 was about the same level as the previous year.
Ms. Ayako Nakano, speaking for the Scholarship Subcommittee (Head: L. Orduña, other member: Ms. Koyama), provided an update about the “Swiss-Japan Scholarship Fund – powered by SCCIJ and SJCC”. Two Swiss scholarship recipients arrived in Japan in the autumn of 2023, three more are coming in spring 2024. Unfortunately, no scholarships were granted for Japanese going to Switzerland, and no Japanese applied for a scholarship starting in spring 2024. Likely reasons are the language barrier, high living expenses in Switzerland, and visa matters, Ms. Nakano explained. The subcommittee therefore will review the program.
After the unanimous approval of the financial statements for 2023 and the budget for the year 2024, the AGM was adjourned, followed by a dinner reception. President Brodbeck seized this moment to personally express gratitude to all SCCIJ annual sponsors present and extended special thanks to Swiss Ambassador Baum for the invaluable support provided throughout his tenure in Japan.
Text and pictures: Martin Fritz for SCCIJ
