After turning 66,
a member automatically
becomes a «Senior
Entrepreneur»
ADVISORY BOARDS
ERT NEXT
ABOUT THE ENTREPRENEURS'
ROUNDTABLE
ROUNDTABLE
In 1999, Thomas Ladner initiated the first national chapter of the Entrepreneurs‘ Roundtable (ERT) in Switzerland. Pascal Forster joined as co-founder in 2001.
The purpose of the ERT is for the members to freely share their thoughts and ideas on political, economic, societal and personal matters. What started as a loosely-linked community of leaders evolved over the years into a unique circle of friends.
The ERT consists of five country chapters: Switzerland, Germany (2008), France (2017), the Netherlands (2017) and Poland (2020). The country chapters meet individually several times a year, with each event being hosted by a different chapter member and coordinated by the ERT Founders. The respective Advisory Boards provide input on strategic decisions and on the admission of new members.
At our international events, members from all chapters congregate to interact with each other, as well as with political and business leaders from the host country.
The Chatham House Rule applies to all ERT events.
“
The unpretentious community of the ERT provides a secure platform for members to establish trusted friendships across industries and country borders, based on common values and shared experiences uniquely tailored to them.
MEMBERSHIP
ADVISORY BOARD
SWITZERLAND
SWITZERLAND
Prof. Dr. Reto Francioni
Chairman // Swiss International Air Lines AG
Chairman // UBS Europe SE
Board Member // Coca-Cola HBC AG
Prof. Dr. Christoph Franz
Vice-Chairman // Zurich Insurance Group AG
Board Member // Stadler Rail AG
Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Uwe Krüger
Vice-Chairman EMEA // Temasek International Pte. Ltd.
Board Member // Aggreko plc
Monika Ribar
Chairwoman // SBB Swiss Federal Railways AG
Member Supervisory Board // Deutsche Lufthansa AG
Board Member // Sika AG
ADVISORY BOARD
GERMANY
GERMANY
Prof. Dr. Stefan Asenkerschbaumer
Chairman // Robert Bosch GmbH
Jan-Hendrik Goldbeck
CEO // Goldbeck GmbH
Ulrich Grillo
Chairman // Rheinmetall AG
CEO // GRILLO-Werke AG
Vice-Chairman // E.ON SE
Daniel Hager
Chairman // Hager SE
ADVISORY BOARD
FRANCE
FRANCE
Yannick Bolloré
Chairman Supervisory Board // Vivendi S.A.
Chairman & CEO // Havas SE
Dr. Thomas Buberl
CEO // AXA Group
Patrice Caine
Chairman & CEO // Thales SE
Alexandre de Juniac
Board Member // Riyadh Air
ADVISORY BOARD
THE NETHERLANDS
THE NETHERLANDS
Annemiek Fentener van Vlissingen
Chairwoman // SHV Holdings N.V.
Volkert Doeksen
Co-Founder // AlpInvest Partners B.V.
Senior Advisor // The Carlyle Group
Arent Fock
Chairman // Vereniging Rembrandt
Founding Partner // Foreman Capital B.V.
Constantijn van Oranje
Prince of the Netherlands
Special Envoy // TechLeap.NL
ADVISORY BOARD
POLAND
POLAND
Wojciech Kostrzewa
CEO // Billon Group Ltd.
Deputy Chairman // ERGO Hestia S.A.
Board Member // Stadler Rail AG
Jacek Szwajcowski
Founder & CEO // Pelion S.A
Piotr Voelkel
Founder // VOX sp. z o.o
Founder // SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities
Founder // Collegium Da Vinci
Maciej Witucki
Chairman // Polish Confederation Lewiatan
Chairman // Orange Polska S.A.
The ert alumni
organisation
organisation
H.S.H. Prince Philipp von und zu Liechtenstein
Chairman // LGT Group Foundation
Honorary Chairman of the ERT Alumni organization
THE FOUNDERS
Pascal Forster and Thomas Ladner met during their studies at the University of St. Gallen HSG in Switzerland. Throughout their professional lives they have been passionate about creating communities of business and thought leaders. In 1999, Thomas founded the Entrepreneurs' Roundtable which Pascal joined as co-founder in 2001. They continued to co-found several other organizations such as the prestigious Club zum Rennweg (www.clubzumrennweg.ch), the Zurich-based Grasshopper Griffith-Club and WORLD.MINDS Foundation (www.worldminds.com).
Thomas Ladner started his legal career with the law firm Homburger in Zurich. From 2000 - 2004, he lectured on corporate law and contract law at the University of St. Gallen HSG from where he also holds a Ph.D. In 2002, he joined one of Switzerland’s leading law firms Meyerlustenberger Lachenal as their youngest Partner. In 2009, Thomas moved on to become Partner at a San Francisco-based Private Equity firm in charge of their European investments (until 2014) while simultaneously serving as Counsel with MLL Legal AG, a position he still holds.
In a personal capacity, Thomas founded and co-founded a number of tech and financial services businesses, two of which went public. He was the Founding Chairman of the Club zum Rennweg and of WORLD.MINDS Foundation and the Founding Vice-Chairman of the Grasshopper Griffith Club. He also served on the board of the Swiss Management Association (Schweizerische Management Gesellschaft SMG) for seven years.
Today Thomas acts as professional board member in more than a dozen companies ranging from biotech and blockchain start-ups to mature companies in the construction, investment, trading and service industries. In addition he is a member of the board of the Swiss Defence Society. The leading Swiss business publication Bilanz describes him as one of Switzerland’s “most influential business lawyers“.
Pascal Forster (born 1967) is an expert in executive search, executive assessment, and leadership coaching. He is the founder of Forster & People, a firm dedicated to advising CEOs, chairpersons, and boards on leadership and talent decisions. Before establishing his own company, he was a Managing Director at Russell Reynolds Associates, where he worked with global organizations on leadership succession and board effectiveness. Earlier in his career, he honed his expertise at Dr. Bjørn Johansson Associates, a boutique executive search firm in Zurich, where he learned to operate at the highest levels of corporate leadership.
Beyond his core business, Pascal is an active investor in early-stage companies and a co-founder of several influential global communities, including the Entrepreneurs Roundtable, Club zum Rennweg, and WORLD.MINDS, fostering exchanges between leading business figures, thinkers, and innovators. In 1999, he and his wife Margarita established Fundación Avanzar, a foundation supporting women in Ecuador to become entrepreneurs, through education, mentoring, and financing programs.
He holds an MBA from the University of St. Gall and completed the Executive Masters program in Consulting and Coaching for Change from INSEAD.
In his personal life, Pascal is passionate about athletics and endurance sports, regularly competing in Hyrox events, swimming, and cross-country skiing.
CO-FOUNDER
FRANCE CHAPTER
FRANCE CHAPTER
Carl Azar
CO-FOUNDER
NETHERLANDS CHAPTER
NETHERLANDS CHAPTER
Ton Büchner
CO-FOUNDER
POLAND CHAPTER
POLAND CHAPTER
Wojciech Szczepaniak
CO-FOUNDER
POLAND CHAPTER
POLAND CHAPTER
Markus Sieger
TESTIMONIALS
Daniel S. Aegerter
ERT Member since 2001
Owner & CEO // Armada Investment AG
Founder // TRADEX Technologies Inc.
Board Member // Model Holding AG
«The ERT secret to success is the “potluck” concept where everyone gains by contributing. It allowed me to build a valuable, trusted network that resulted in many lifelong friendships.»
Christian Boehringer
ERT Member since 2008
Chairman of the Shareholders Committee //
C.H. Boehringer Sohn AG & Co. KG
«Over the course of the many years I have been a member and served on the Advisory Board, the Entrepreneurs' Roundtable has become a unique circle of friends for me.»
Ton Büchner
ERT Member since 2007
Chairman // Swiss Prime Site AG
Chairman // Burckhardt Compression AG
Board Member // Novartis AG
«However busy my schedule, I try my best to ensure that I attend the ERT gatherings. I get to meet people who are stalwarts in their respective fields under one roof. One can share views and discuss current topics with them, in a breadth and depth that is hard to find elsewhere. These make for indelible memories.»
Philippe Delpech
ERT Member since 2017
CEO & Chairman // Sonepar Group
«Climbing the executive ladder during your career has an isolation impact. You have less opportunity to exchange openly, rarely meet people without an agenda, or enter a room where egos or negotiation objectives are left at the door. Entrepreneurs‘ Roundtables are always interesting and special not just because you learn a lot, but also because you meet people ready to listen, share and smile. All my experiences so far have been very rewarding. Really a great forum.»
Georges Kern
ERT Member since 2002
CEO // Breitling AG
Board of Directors // Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce
«ERT does a wonderful job of bringing together entrepreneurs and great thinkers from multiple industries and countries. While I might get to meet some of these people in the course of work, the ERT gatherings add a special flavor I appreciate and enjoy.»
Carsten Knobel
ERT Member since 2014
CEO // Henkel AG & Co. KGaA
Member Supervisory Board // Deutsche Lufthansa AG
«The Entrepreneurs‘ Roundtable provides a unique opportunity to engage with a diverse network of business leaders and entrepreneurs. For me, it is an excellent platform to discuss, share insights and forge lasting relationships.»
Frédéric Mazzella
ERT Member since 2017
Founder & Chairman // BlaBlaCar
Co-Chairman // France Digitale
«Each and every ERT event I have been able to attend has been an incredible source of knowledge and inspiration. Mingling in a mindopening atmosphere with passionate entrepreneurs is definitely a recipe for a memorable learning experience and happiness.»
Silvio Napoli
ERT Member since 2016
Executive Chairman // Schindler Holding AG
Board Member // Eaton Corporation plc
Chairman // Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce
«Considering my fast-paced schedule, the ERT gives me the ideal setting to connect and reconnect with business leaders around Europe and across industries, both on a professional and a personal level.»
Dr. Sigrid Nikutta
ERT Member since 2018
CEO // DB Cargo AG
Member Group Executive Board // Deutsche Bahn AG
Deputy Chairwoman of the Senate // DLR Space Administration e.V
«The ERT provides me with an ideal chance to meet like-minded people from diverse industries and exchange ideas and thoughts freely. I thoroughly enjoy these gatherings where the entrepreneurial spirit is palpable and try to attend as many as I can.»
Grégoire Poux-Guillaume
ERT Member since 2017
CEO // Akzo Nobel
Chairman // medmix AG
«The ERT is a wonderful network to share insights and discuss business challenges with peers in an informal setting.»
Jasper de Rooij
ERT Member since 2017
Founder & Director // Elfi.nl
«I always look forward to the ERT gatherings. It is the one place where I can discuss every topic in a very relaxed manner with the utmost confidentiality with my peers. I cherish the meetings held at the private houses of the members the most.»
Philipp Rösler
ERT Member since 2018
Former German Vice-Chancellor
Former German Federal Minister of Economics and Technology
Former Managing Director // World Economic Forum
Board Member // Jacobs University Bremen
«No other community succeeds in fostering such an unpretentious exchange amongst top business and thought leaders across countries and industries.»
Peer Schatz
ERT Member since 2008
Founder & CEO (until 2019) // QIAGEN N.V.
Board Member // Siemens Healthineers AG
«The ERT is an absolutely unique forum as it helps build and nurture informal relationships in a very private setting, introduces our members to each of our respective industries and challenges and allows us to share insights and learnings. There is a lot of competition for our time, but the ERT is one of a kind and has become something I always very much look forward to.»
Wolf-Henning Scheider
ERT Member since 2017
Head of Private Equity // Partners Group AG
«Being a member of the ERT offers me the advantage of an international network that shares insights and learnings beyond social and political issues. In this community of entrepreneurs, you can freely share your thoughts and ideas on strategic decisions as well as having a conversation on a private level.»
Jörg Schneider
ERT Member since 2008
Managing Partner // WERIT group of companies
«Over the course of the many years I have been a member, the Entrepreneurs' Roundtable has become a unique circle of friends for me.»
Jérôme Stubler
ERT Member since 2019
CEO // EQUANS
Executive Committee Member // Bouygues
«The Entrepreneurs‘ Roundtable is a unique platform, providing CEOs and entrepreneurs a space to engage in a dialogue free of any encumbrances. The exchanges are an occasion to understand the challenges faced by leading companies and help to tackle our own personal challenges.»
Atilay Uslu
ERT Member since 2017
Founder // Corendon Group
«I await the events ERT organizes with great anticipation. It's a chance to mingle with great minds, share insights and catch up on industry news. The relaxed atmosphere imparts a comfortable feeling, even with new members. There is no other community which brings together so many overachievers in such an informal setting.»
Prof. Dr. Joerg Wolle
ERT Member since 2003
Chairman // Kühne + Nagel International AG
Chairman // Klingelnberg AG
Board Member // Kühne Holding AG
Board Member // Olam International Ltd. (SG)
«The ERT is a Business Club like no other. The open and informal atmosphere allows for truly meaningful exchanges amongst top business leaders.»
WHAT IS ERT NEXT?
Founded in 2025 by Thomas Ladner (Chairman), Pascal Forster and Thomas Hochstrasser, ERT NEXT is Switzerland's most relevant community of next generation leaders and entrepreneurs. Its hand-picked members enjoy a privileged interaction with the ERT NEXT Advisory Board comprising of prominent Swiss business leaders.
ERT NEXT members meet once a quarter for a relaxed dinner and personal exchanges at the invitation of an Advisory Board member. An ERT NEXT luncheon is also held every other month at the Club zum Rennweg.
“
ERT NEXT grew out of the Entrepreneurs' Roundtable, Switzerland's most exclusive community of business leaders. It provides a secure platform for the next generation of leaders to establish trusted friendships and to interact with CEOs and Chairmen of the country's largest companies.
ERT NEXT MEMBERSHIP
«MEMBERSHIP CRITERIA»
Invitation to become a member is
based on an exceptional
track record as an
entrepreneur or a business
Leader.
Membership is subject to
unanimous approval by the
Advisory Board.
Fees upon acceptance:
One-time admission fee
&
annual age-based membership fee
Applications may be sent to contact@ertnext.org
ERT NEXT FOUNDERS
Pascal Forster and Thomas Ladner met during their studies at the University of St. Gallen HSG in Switzerland. Throughout their professional lives they have been passionate about creating communities of business and thought leaders. In 1999, Thomas founded the Entrepreneurs' Roundtable which Pascal joined as co-founder in 2001. They continued to co-found several other organizations such as ERT NEXT (together with Thomas Hochstrasser), the prestigious Club zum Rennweg (www.clubzumrennweg.ch), the Zurich-based Grasshopper Griffith-Club and WORLD.MINDS Foundation (www.worldminds.com).
Thomas Ladner started his legal career with the law firm Homburger in Zurich. From 2000 - 2004, he lectured on corporate law and contract law at the University of St. Gallen HSG from where he also holds a Ph.D. In 2002, he joined one of Switzerland’s leading law firms Meyerlustenberger Lachenal as their youngest Partner. In 2009, Thomas moved on to become Partner at a San Francisco-based Private Equity firm in charge of their European investments (until 2014) while simultaneously serving as Counsel with MLL Legal AG, a position he still holds.
In a personal capacity, Thomas founded and co-founded a number of tech and financial services businesses, two of which went public. He was the Founding Chairman of the Club zum Rennweg and of WORLD.MINDS Foundation and the Founding Vice-Chairman of the Grasshopper Griffith Club. He also served on the board of the Swiss Management Association (Schweizerische Management Gesellschaft SMG) for seven years.
Today Thomas acts as professional board member in more than a dozen companies ranging from biotech and blockchain start-ups to mature companies in the construction, investment, trading and service industries. In addition he is a member of the board of the Swiss Defence Society. The leading Swiss business publication Bilanz describes him as one of Switzerland’s “most influential business lawyers“.
Pascal Forster (born 1967) is an expert in executive search, executive assessment, and leadership coaching. He is the founder of Forster & People, a firm dedicated to advising CEOs, chairpersons, and boards on leadership and talent decisions. Before establishing his own company, he was a Managing Director at Russell Reynolds Associates, where he worked with global organizations on leadership succession and board effectiveness. Earlier in his career, he honed his expertise at Dr. Bjørn Johansson Associates, a boutique executive search firm in Zurich, where he learned to operate at the highest levels of corporate leadership.
Beyond his core business, Pascal is an active investor in early-stage companies and a co-founder of several influential global communities, including the Entrepreneurs Roundtable, Club zum Rennweg, and WORLD.MINDS, fostering exchanges between leading business figures, thinkers, and innovators. In 1999, he and his wife Margarita established Fundación Avanzar, a foundation supporting women in Ecuador to become entrepreneurs, through education, mentoring, and financing programs.
He holds an MBA from the University of St. Gall and completed the Executive Masters program in Consulting and Coaching for Change from INSEAD.
In his personal life, Pascal is passionate about athletics and endurance sports, regularly competing in Hyrox events, swimming, and cross-country skiing.
Thomas Hochstrasser studied law in Bern and Chicago (Northwestern University) and obtained a business certificate at IE University in Madrid. He has worked at various courts and is today a partner and attorney-at-law at Niederer Kraft Frey AG, a leading commercial law firm in Zurich and Geneva. He advises private clients with a strong focus on the next generation. Furthermore, he is a leading expert in the field of sports law. In his practice areas, he has been ranked as a 'recommended key lawyer' by the market-leading lawyer ranking Legal 500 and won the Gold Award in the category 'Lawyer of the Year IFC' at the Citywealth Future Leaders Awards in London. He is a member of the Board of Directors of several companies and Chairman of a FINMA-regulated hedge fund. As a member of the Foundation Board of the Laureus Foundation Switzerland he is committed to helping socially disadvantaged children. In his private life, he enjoys endurance sports in the nature like Ironman, cycling and cross-country skiing.
Along with Thomas Ladner and Pascal Forster, he is a co-founder of ERT NEXT.
ERT NEXT ADVISORY BOARD
Rainer-Marc Frey
Hedge Fund Pioneer & Investor
Alfred Gantner
Co-Founder & Executive Board Member Partners Group AG
Daniel Gutenberg
Venture Capitalist
Georges Kern
CEO Breitling SA
Peter Spuhler
Chairman Stadler Rail AG
Board Member The Shyft Group Inc. (USA)
Board Member Allreal Holding AG
Board Member Rieter Holding AG
Board Member Robert Bosch GmbH (DE)
Prof. Dr. Joerg Wolle
Chairman Kühne + Nagel International AG
Chairman Klingelnberg AG
Board Member Kühne Holding AG
Board Member Olam International Ltd. (SG)
André Wyss
CEO Implenia AG (until 31.3.2025)
Designated Chairman SBB
CONTACT
ERT NEXT | Entrepreneurs' Roundtable AG
Grabenstrasse 25 • 6340 Baar • Switzerland
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