Tschirky, Hugo

Biography

Hugo Tschirky is Professor Emeritus of Business Management at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ). Trained as a mechanical engineer at ETHZ, he completed his first doctoral dissertation in nuclear engineering in 1968, for which he received an ETH medal of distinction. His second doctoral degree, in business administration, for which he received a second ETH medal of distinction, was completed while he was CEO at Carl Zeiss Zurich. Before this, he was a research scientist at the laboratory of Gulf General Atomic, in San Diego, where he worked on the safety of nuclear power stations and fast breeder reactors. After his assignment with CARL ZEISS Zürich, he assumed the CEO responsibility for CERBERUS AG, the worldwide leading supplier of early warning fire protection and intrusion systems. As an academic, his research has focused on strategic management, and on the management of innovation and technology-intensive companies. With this remarkable background and experience, and in collaboration with ETH Lausanne, Mr. Tschirky has developed an internationally-acclaimed education program for managers of technology-driven enterprises. In 2000, he initiated the foundation of the European Institute of Technology and Innovation Management EITIM. He spent sabbatical semesters at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, the Sloan School of Management at MIT, and is still teaching in various executive MBA courses at the ETH Zurich, in Japan, Slovenia and Luxembourg. He served on the Board of Directors of companies such as: Canon Switzerland (25 years), Jelmoli S. A. (25 years, president at times), BB-Industry (10 years), Draeger Safety Switzerland (24 years), Unilever Switzerland (8 years), New Medical Technologies (4 years), Connex Verkehr (4 years), Helbling Management Consulting (3 years). Current mandates: LogObject AG, Swiss Blue Energy AG, Swiss 3D Tec AG (president), and MSI AG. In the Swiss army he served as a colonel of the mountain infantry. Mr. Tschirky is knowledgeable in Japanese and maintains close ties to the Japanese industry. He regularly accompanies executive delegations to Japan, an activity, from which the MBA ETH SCM benefits.

Research Interest

Business Management.