On 7 July 2025, Bertschi Group announced the beginning of a leadership transition within the company, as the third generation of the family moves towards taking on strategic leadership roles. Hans-Jörg Bertschi, majority shareholder and chairman of the board, has initiated a succession process that will see his three nephews, Markus, Beat and Jörg Berner, gradually take over the reins. The transition will not involve changes to day-to-day management, which will remain in the hands of CEO Jan Arnet and Ole Sander, who heads Elite Digital Logistics, the group’s Singapore-based subsidiary.
The company has confirmed that Markus Berner, aged 42, who has served as Chief Information Officer since 2021 and is already a member of the executive committee, has been appointed vice-chairman of the board of Bertschi Holding. Following a transition period, he will take over as chairman, replacing Hans-Jörg Bertschi, who will nonetheless remain on the board. Beat Berner, 41, head of human resources and marketing since 2019, is set to join the board during 2026. Lastly, Jörg Berner, 38, a strategic project manager since 2016 and already a board member since 2020, has recently taken over as chairman of the board at Edl, the group’s subsidiary focused on global and neutral transport management for the chemical industry.
The gradual withdrawal of the second-generation Bertschi-Berners, who have led the group for over four decades, marks both a symbolic and a tangible handover. Hans-Jörg Bertschi, aged 67, who has chaired the group since 1997 and served as CEO until 2018, will also progressively transfer his majority shareholding to his three nephews, underlining the family’s commitment to retaining ownership within the family. Alongside him, Brigitta Berner-Bertschi, aged 69, who was part of the executive committee until 2022 and remains a board member, is also preparing to step down during the coming year.
Under their leadership, Bertschi evolved from a medium-sized family business with revenues of 50 million Swiss francs into a global player with turnover exceeding one billion in 2024. Today, the group employs over 3,200 people worldwide, including more than 700 in Switzerland, and operates in around one hundred countries, all while maintaining a strong commitment to its founding values.
