CV Managing Director: Example and Template
This is how, as a Managing Director or CEO, you structure a Swiss CV that documents revenue responsibility, EBIT impact and leadership span in figures.
Currently 37 open Managing Director positions in Switzerland, across 9 cantons, 15 of them from the last 7 days. Coop advertises the most.
CV example — two-page template
This template is editable straight away — or upload your existing CV and it is carried into this layout automatically.
Which qualifications do Swiss companies expect from a Managing Director?
There is no protected title, but in practice an Executive MBA, a federal HF diploma or a university of applied sciences degree in business administration dominate - combined with industry-related basic training.
Typical paths include an EFZ followed by a federal diploma (Business Economist HF, Marketing Manager, Technical Business Administrator, Sales Manager or Industrial Foreman), a Bachelor's or Master's in Business Administration from a university of applied sciences, or a university degree followed later by an Executive MBA. In industrial SMEs, a technical foundation (Polymechanic EFZ, Engineer FH) often counts for more than a second management title. Spell out qualifications correctly: 'Federally certified Business Economist HF' or 'MSc in Business Administration, FHNW' - not simply 'business administration degree'.
Add professional credentials that are genuinely relevant to running a company: Swiss GAAP FER or OR accounting, employment law, board certificates from institutes such as SIB, HWZ or Rochester-Bern, and restructuring or M&A courses. If you work in a regulated environment, name the specific licence or professional credential, such as approval as a branch manager in personnel leasing under the AVG, or recognition as a manager in the transport sector.
If you rose to Managing Director without a university degree, position your results responsibility instead: years with P&L responsibility, revenue size, leadership span, and mandated additional roles such as board mandates or committee work in an industry association. In Switzerland, this information carries more weight than a long list of further training courses unrelated to the size of the company led.
How do I present work experience as a Managing Director convincingly?
For each position, describe first the scope of the mandate (revenue, employees, ownership structure) and then three to four results with figures - EBIT, margin, liquidity, staff turnover.
Lists of tasks are worthless at this level, because every Managing Director budgets, leads and negotiates. What matters is the impact: 'EBIT margin improved from 3.8 to 9.1 percent over four years', 'net working capital reduced by CHF 5.9 million', 'staff turnover cut from 14.6 to 7.2 percent'. Always state the starting value, otherwise the achievement cannot be assessed. Use Swiss notation with an apostrophe, i.e. CHF 210'000 and CHF 85'000.
Make the context transparent, because the CEO of a family business with 40 employees has a different mandate to a Managing Director of a group subsidiary with matrix reporting lines. For each role, note: revenue, number of employees, direct reports, sites, reporting line (Board of Directors, group management, owning family) and the mandate - growth, turnaround, succession, integration or digitalisation. Recruiters and Board chairmen specifically look for this pattern.
Back up the less visible leadership topics with facts as well: application of a collective bargaining agreement (GAV) and negotiations with social partners, short-time work applications, social plans under the OR, dealings with the auditors and management letters, changes to insurance and pension fund providers with the resulting contribution savings. Add mandates and association engagements in a separate block, as these signal network and reputation in Switzerland.
How long should the CV be, and does it need a photo?
Two to a maximum of three pages is customary at Managing Director level, and a professional portrait photo remains well received in Switzerland - and is practically standard for executive positions.
Use the first page for your profile, key figures at a glance, and your current role with the most important results. Summarise positions from more than 15 years ago in a single short line each. Avoid reference-letter clichés, photo collages and self-assessment bar charts - for a Managing Director role, a sober, dense presentation is more credible.
Swiss specifics: state your location and canton, citizenship or permit (such as a C settlement permit), language levels according to the CEFR with the addition 'business fluent', and your availability including notice period, which at executive management level is often three to six months. A note on a non-compete clause or existing board mandates builds trust and prevents surprises later on.
Prepare the full application package: CV as a PDF with a descriptive file name, a cover letter referencing the ownership situation, employment references and diplomas. Expect reference checks with the former Board chairman as well as an assessment and a certificate of no outstanding debts (Betreibungsregisterauskunft) - so keep your information consistent with LinkedIn and with commercial register entries, where previous signing authorities are publicly visible.
Where Managing Director are hired in Switzerland
How the 37 open positions are spread across the cantons.
Figures as a table
| Canton | postings |
|---|---|
| Zürich | 4 |
| Wallis | 2 |
| Graubünden | 2 |
| Zug | 1 |
| Solothurn | 1 |
| Thurgau | 1 |
| Nidwalden | 1 |
| Aargau | 1 |
Which languages the postings require
Of 31 postings that state a language — in brackets, those requiring professional level.
Figures as a table
| Language | postings |
|---|---|
| German | 31 (31) |
| French | 3 (1) |
| English | 2 (2) |
| Italian | 1 (1) |
Who hires Managing Director in Switzerland
Employers with the most open positions. Staffing agencies are excluded.
Figures as a table
| Employer | postings |
|---|---|
| Coop | 15 |
| Two Spice | 5 |
| Christ Uhren & Schmuck | 2 |
| Import Parfumerie | 2 |
| Outdooractive | 2 |
| ConfiTax AG | 1 |
Full-time or part-time?
How the positions are advertised.
Figures as a table
| Workload | postings |
|---|---|
| Vollzeit / plein temps | 37 |
The CV in full
To read through and reuse.
Marc Hübscher
Managing Director / CEO SME · Executive MBA HSG, Federally Certified Business Economist HF
Managing Director with 14 years of overall responsibility in manufacturing SMEs and technical trading, with revenue responsibility of up to CHF 68 million and a leadership span of 210 employees. I combine disciplined cost management under Swiss GAAP FER with growth: increased the EBIT margin from 3.8 to 9.1 percent over four years, integrated two acquisitions and raised the export share to 46 percent. As the Board of Directors' point of contact, I deliver monthly reporting with a rolling 13-week liquidity plan and lead sites in German-speaking Switzerland and Romandie bilingually.
What sets me apart
Restructuring without loss of substance: Turned around a plant with a CHF 4.2 million annual loss into profitability within 18 months - including a short-time work application, a social plan under Art. 335i OR, and the retention of 78 percent of jobs.
Board and ownership competence: Experience working with family shareholders, an external Board chairman and the auditors: actively shaped target agreements, dividend policy and succession planning.
Bilingual site management: Managed plants in Aargau and Neuchâtel, ran management meetings and staff discussions in German and French, and supported CBA (GAV) negotiations linked to Swissmem.
Industrial SME rather than corporate theory: Hands-on leadership including an ERP rollout, a lean programme on the shop floor, and direct client contact with key accounts from CHF 1 million in annual volume.
Key achievements
EBIT from CHF 2.6 million to CHF 6.2 million. Portfolio streamlining (eliminated 11 unprofitable product groups), an average price adjustment of 4.1 percent, and material cost reduction of CHF 1.8 million per year through dual sourcing.
Acquisition and integration of a competitor. Completed a CHF 12 million revenue acquisition at an EV/EBITDA of 5.4, led the due diligence, and realised CHF 1.4 million in synergies within 14 months.
Stabilised liquidity and bank relationship. Reduced net working capital by CHF 5.9 million (DSO 62 → 41 days), lowered the overdraft limit from CHF 6 million to CHF 3.5 million, and cut interest costs by CHF 210'000 per year.
Experience
Managing Director / CEO — Terravent Industrie AG, Zug, since 03/2019
Manufacturing supplier of ventilation and air-conditioning components, CHF 68 million revenue, 210 employees, 2 sites, family shareholders with an external Board of Directors.
- Increased revenue from CHF 49 million to CHF 68 million (+39 %), improved the EBIT margin from 3.8 to 9.1 percent
- Carried out an acquisition with CHF 12 million revenue and integrated it within 14 months, phased out 3 duplicate functions in a socially responsible manner
- Raised the export share from 29 to 46 percent, built new distribution partners in DE, AT and FR generating CHF 8.3 million in additional revenue
- Reduced staff turnover from 14.6 to 7.2 percent through a pay system based on job evaluation and annual target agreements for 46 management positions
Member of the Executive Board / COO — Ambrosia Foodservice GmbH, Olten, 08/2014 - 02/2019
Convenience food producer for foodservice and retail, CHF 34 million revenue, 130 employees, IFS-certified.
- Turned a plant with a CHF 4.2 million annual loss into a positive EBIT of CHF 0.9 million within 18 months
- Raised OEE on the three main lines from 61 to 79 percent, reduced the scrap rate from 6.4 to 2.1 percent
- Completed an ERP rollout (ABACUS) with a budget of CHF 780'000 on schedule and 4 percent under budget
- Achieved IFS Food recertification with 96.3 points (higher level), 0 critical non-conformities
Head of Sales and Business Development — Helvetic Precision Components AG, Grenchen, 09/2010 - 07/2014
Precision turned parts for medtech and the watch industry, CHF 22 million revenue, responsible for 12 employees and 4 export markets.
- Tripled revenue in the medtech segment from CHF 3.1 million to CHF 9.4 million
- Increased the gross margin by 6.2 percentage points through a costing model based on machine-hour rates
- Won 12 new customers with over CHF 250'000 in annual volume, including 4 with framework agreements over 3 years
- Cut the quotation turnaround time from 9 to 3 working days (CRM workflow and standard costing)
Education
Executive MBA, General Management — University of St. Gallen (HSG) · 2016
Federal Diploma, Business Economist HF — Higher Vocational College of Business, Bern · 2009
Federal Certificate of Proficiency, Commercial Clerk EFZ, Profile E — Vocational School Solothurn · 2002
Board Certificate: Effective Board Work in SMEs (2021) · Swiss GAAP FER for Executives (2020) · Lean Leadership Green Belt (2017) · Employment Law for Executive Management, SAV Continuing Education (2022)
Common questions
- What language should I write my CV in as a Managing Director?
- 100% of the adverts are in German — write the CV in German unless the advert itself is in English.
- Where in Switzerland are Managing Director most in demand?
- Spread out, Zurich first at 11%, then Valais and Grisons. Across a language border, apply with the matching version.
- What language level do Managing Director adverts ask for?
- German in 100% of adverts that state a requirement, 100% of them at professional level. "Good knowledge" will not do — give A2 to C2.
- Are Managing Director roles offered full or part time?
- 100% full time, only 0% part time. If you need part time, say so early rather than leaving it open.
- Who hires Managing Director in Switzerland?
- Currently Coop, Two Spice, Christ Uhren & Schmuck, among others. Their adverts are the best word list for your own CV.