Empowerment
Outlook
The sixth edition of the «Empowerment» seminar for women in the peer group will take place on Thursday and Friday, October 29–30, 2026, at the Hotel UTO KULM on the Uetliberg near Zurich.
The seminar was launched in 2022 by Dr. Fabienne E. Meier and is a qualified response to the need for better representation of both genders in the management bodies of Swiss companies.
The aim of this seminar is to empower more women in key positions. Well-educated, competent, and ambitious women are shown in detail and in a topic-specific manner what the success factors of a successful career are. They learn to assess the corresponding opportunities and obstacles and know what it takes to position themselves at the highest management level in a key position and in male-dominated committees.
The empowerment focus areas are based on the results of the Knight Gianella BoD survey 2021 conducted in collaboration with IMD (Business School for Management and Leadership Courses) and on the findings of the Knight Gianella booklet Empfehlungen für mehr Frauen in Schlüsselpositionen (in German).
The seminar is exclusively for female leaders. Admission to the peer group is by personal recommendation from an employer or established leader, or through a qualified application. The number of participants is deliberately limited to ensure an intensive and trusting exchange within the peer group.
For further information or your application, please contact Dr. Fabienne E. Meier at academy@knightgianella.ch.
Looking Back
The fifth Empowerment seminar for women in the peer group took place on Thursday and Friday, October 30–31, 2025, at the Hotel UTO KULM on the Uetliberg near Zurich.
Under the motto “Empowering Women Leaders,” recommendations were developed for a successful professional career in a top position, on a management board, or on a board of directors: How can you courageously take on challenges, leverage your strengths, set measurable and visible goals, and work consistently toward them? What constitutes meaningful networking with a focus on target companies and relevant content, and what is the best way to prepare for each conversation? Taking into account the principle of “choose your battles wisely,” we focused on solution-oriented processes and procedures and debated them.
Our sparring partners – Philomena Colatrella (CEO of CSS Insurance, member of the board of directors at Swiss Life), Sandra Lathion-Zweifel (independent member of the board of directors at Swisscom and Raiffeisen Switzerland) and Prof. Dr. Michael Schaepman (Rector of the University of Zurich) – enriched the evening with valuable insights, inspiring perspectives and an open exchange on equal terms.
In addition to individual reflection, the personal dialogue within the peer group and the opportunity to gain new contacts and inspiration through networking with a diverse range of personalities were of central importance to the participants.
References
«It was a valuable seminar for me, and I'm taking away concrete ideas that I can implement right away. I also appreciate the opportunity to expand my network, both among my peers and with the speakers.»
Astrid Waelchli, Chief Human Resources Officer of the Oetiker Group, participant in 2025
«As an experienced manager, I can highly recommend the Empowerment seminar. The competent trainers create an open atmosphere in which you can share your thoughts and challenges. The practical content and diverse topics—from career planning and networking to negotiation techniques—have provided me with valuable tools.
The exchange with other women in similar positions was particularly inspiring and opened up new perspectives for me. Not only did I gain a better understanding of my own strengths, but I also found the courage to take on new challenges. This seminar is an excellent investment for any woman who wants to actively shape her career and reach her full potential.»
Ursina Pajarola, Director of Nidwalden Hospital, participant in 2023.