Peter Hauenstein handed over the operational management of his group of companies at the beginning of November 2020. The new management is formed by his two daughters Nathalie and Andrea Hauenstein together with the long-standing managing director of Hauenstein Immobilien AG Daniel Eschmann. Thus, the 3rd generation of the Hauenstein family takes over the group of companies, which was founded in 1954 by Walter Hauenstein, Peter Hauenstein's father. The company is active in the areas of real estate, hotels & gastronomy and healthcare and is still 100 percent family-owned.

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Peter Hauenstein, you handed over operational management to your daughters and Daniel Eschmann. Why are you already arranging the succession now?

Peter Hauenstein: I wanted to arrange the succession early. My daughters should take over the overall responsibility as early as possible and also be confronted with important decisions. They are supported in the day-to-day operations by Daniel Eschmann.

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Nathalie Hauenstein, could you describe your role in the company?

Nathalie Hauenstein: My role involves strategic management and handling central support processes in both hotel and catering fields. This includes corporate development, finance, controlling, marketing, HR, and procurement.

And what do you do as the managing director of Hauenstein Immobilien AG, Daniel Eschmann?

Daniel Eschmann: Well, as an employee of many years' standing, my role is to support the Group's various business areas as best I can and, as an "eagle" - rather than a member of the family - to provide the next generation with the best possible support in their functions.

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What function do you, Andrea Hauenstein, have in the company?

Andrea Hauenstein: I am primarily active in the areas of real estate and finance. This includes project development, financial and tax planning, as well as various topics within the framework of the Group's management.

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And you, Peter Hauenstein? Will you be retiring to the Caribbean now?

Peter Hauenstein: If anything, I'll retire to Lake Thun! Seriously though: I will be available to the next generation and the management in an advisory capacity and as Chairman of the Board of Directors, and I will support the transfer of knowledge that Andrea mentioned.

Peter Hauenstein, considering your role as an advisor to the upcoming generation, and your position as Chairman of the Board, could you specify what that means in practice?

Peter Hauenstein: I will maintain my role in the Executive Board as project manager and consultant with a 50 percent workload until 2022. Following that, I will participate in projects as a consultant on a case-by-case basis and remain a member of the Board of Directors.

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How does the group of companies and the management benefit?

Daniel Eschmann: With his visionary insights on strategic issues, Peter Hauenstein will deliver outstanding backing for the next generation - for the benefit of all.

What changes will the succession solution bring? What will change in the future?

Nathalie Hauenstein: The new management team will be more diverse, consisting of three individuals covering areas such as education, professional experience, gender, and generations. Our aim is to better adapt to evolving trends and fully leverage developmental potential and market opportunities.

Daniel Eschmann: Walter Hauenstein selig built up the company with a great deal of passion, Peter Hauenstein successfully developed it further through his prudent thinking and actions - and the next generation will now lead the company into the future, setting new and correct accents.

Andrea Hauenstein: Cooperative leadership in the management of the company will be a major change. Nevertheless, we are keeping our structures and decision-making paths lean and short. After a consolidation phase, new processes will be created and the company will be prepared for the future with a broad knowledge in internal as well as external areas. This is evident in the areas of IT, centralisation, online presence and corporate development.

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Peter Hauenstein, how will you operate in the future?

Peter Hauenstein: I will also change personally. In the future, I will reduce my workload, which will inevitably lead to a reduction in my salary - and I will remain in the background when it comes to operational decisions.

To what extent will the values and roots of the company continue or change?

Andrea Hauenstein: The core values of competence, passion and trust, which were created and lived in the two previous generations of the Hauenstein family, are the basis of our actions - and will remain so.

Nathalie Hauenstein: I joined the company because I can identify with it not because of the name, but because I can stand behind the values and philosophy of the Hauenstein Group. We will remain true to our values even in the digital age. But that doesn't mean we won't also break new ground.

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Peter Hauenstein, how do you believe your daughters will align with the company's values and philosophy?

Peter Hauenstein: I hope that I have done a good job in raising my daughters and coaching them - and that things will not change fundamentally in this respect.

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The Hauenstein Group in brief

The Hauenstein Group is mainly active in the real estate, hotel & gastronomy and healthcare sectors. In this way, cross-divisional synergies can be optimally utilised, the entrepreneurial risk can be distributed across several sectors and thus the existence of the individual businesses can be secured. In addition, more attractive employment conditions and further development opportunities can be created for employees.

Learn more about the Hauenstein Group

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