What question should you ask Philipp Bachmann in the elevator? He revealed it to us in conversation.

How do you become a CEO?

In my personal career planning, this position was neither foreseen nor planned. It certainly takes diligence, perseverance, skill and luck.

How do you explain to a child what a CEO does?

He/she is responsible for a company/group to the owner, which he/she manages in the owner's interest.

What are the characteristics of a good CEO?

Responsible, pragmatic, empathetic, persistent, loyal.

How many hours per week does a CEO work?

The transition from effective office work to private life is fluid. It is therefore difficult to quantify the hours worked.

How does a CEO motivate himself for tasks he is not comfortable with?

What has to be done, will be done. Regardless of whether motivated or not.

What's the coolest and what's the most annoying thing about your job?

It is certainly nice to see how a company/department/people develop positively. However, there are usually also annoying sides to such a development, and these must be mastered.

First, second, third: What does a CEO spend the most working time on?

Developing the areas which are in the responsibility. Solving problems. Coordinate. Searching/finding/implementing new business areas.

What do you learn about life as a CEO?

Dealing with people, finding solutions.

How much time do you spend per day on social media channels (e.g. Linkedin)?

Probably too little.

How many names of employees do you know (e.g. in %)?

I think that I certainly know 90% of the names of all the employees in my group of companies.

What question should an employee ask you in the elevator?

I am happy about every question. It is important to me that I am approachable.

What motivates employees the most?

Appreciation, honesty, leading by example.

What is your most important question during a job interview?

What do you know about our company?

What is important to you in a resume?

Continuity. I.e. a thread through the career without too many changes to completely different industries and positions.

CEOs often say that family is the most important thing; can that be true?

Such a position is not possible without support in/from the family.

How to switch from work to family?

Either/or. I.e. focus on career or focus on family with demarcation, which is not always possible.

How/where do you recover?

In nature in the fresh air

You get a gift of 4 weeks off; what do you do?

Language course

Mountains or sea?

Sea because of the vastness

Iphone (iOS) or Android?

IPhone, because I've had one for ages.

Teams/Zoom or Phone?

Meanwhile Teams/Zoom because the infrastructure (video, headphones) is better.

Suit or hoodie?

Neither. I've never been a suit wearer and I'm too old for hoodies.

Women's quota: yes or no

When we advertise jobs, gender is not relevant. What is important is that we find the right person for a position.

Secretary: in or self-organized?

I meant that I am quite well self-organized. But at best my assistant will say something else.

Are you on a first name basis or a first name basis?

If it fits on all sides, both are ok. Whereby I wonder from time to time, where and by whom I am duzt.

Beer or wine

After work beer and with a good meal wine.

Tea or coffee

Europe coffee, Asia tea

Banana or pineapple?

Can't remember the last time I had one out of the shell.

Meat or vegetables?

Vegetables, preferably local and seasonal.

Museum or stadium

Stadium for a rock concert.

Cinema or theater

Streaming, I can pause if I want to.