Erik Wirz in an interview with Netzwoche
While Swiss companies have long been undergoing digital transformation, many boards of directors lack digital expertise. Those who remedy this shortcoming will give their company a clear competitive advantage.
The importance of digitalisation for boards of directors is undisputed today. 82 per cent of Swiss SMEs consider digital transformation to be vital to their survival. At the same time, many of them report that they have already suffered competitive disadvantages due to a lack of digitalisation. In the SMI environment, the average age of board members is around 60, while more than 80 per cent of young professionals will be digital natives by 2025. This clearly shows how big the gap between experience and digital expertise still is on boards. In practice, there is often a lack of strategic depth and targeted development of digital expertise in the Board of Directors (BoD) and at C-level.
Sound decisions require sound expertise
Nine out of ten board members state that their company is undergoing a digital transformation, but less than half feel truly competent to actively manage this. Delayed investment decisions or a lack of agility in the organisation are now becoming a competitive disadvantage. In order to be able to assess the consequences of decisions, the Board of Directors needs the relevant experience and expertise. There is a growing realisation that digitalisation is not just an IT issue, but a management task that must be anchored in the BoD.
This applies in particular to the topic of artificial intelligence (AI), which has long been a reality in Swiss companies. According to the Swiss AI Report 2025, 48 per cent of companies already use AI in business processes, but only 17 per cent systematically monitor the results. The potential is enormous: Generative AI can significantly increase efficiency. Nevertheless, there is often a lack of governance and clear responsibilities on the board of directors to properly manage the opportunities and risks of AI. Without digital expertise on the board, this potential remains untapped, as neither the right and important questions are asked nor can the consequences of ‘non-decisions’ be assessed.
Three key processes for more digital expertise
The demands placed on boards of directors today are significantly more complex than they were just a few years ago. Experience shows that companies with diverse and well-coordinated boards of directors implement transformations faster and more cost-effectively. Skills such as change management, innovation and conflict resolution are indispensable today. The age of the lone wolf is over - team performance and the ability to integrate different perspectives are the key to success.
A structured executive search process that focuses specifically on digital and leadership skills is a good way to find suitable members of the BoD. A targeted search for hybrid profiles, such as CFOs with BoD training and data literacy, is also worthwhile. It is helpful for SMEs to incorporate external perspectives, for example through temporary advisory boards or access to colleges or universities.
In practice, the following three steps are particularly worthwhile: Firstly, an honest assessment of the current status of digitalisation. Experience shows that only a few companies carry out regular digitalisation assessments. Secondly, reverse mentoring: young employees coach management, which promotes innovation and diversity of perspectives. And thirdly, temporary advisory boards with external digital experts. Digital expertise, leadership and team performance are the key factors for successful boards of directors in Switzerland today. Companies that tackle these issues early and in a targeted manner give themselves a clear head start and secure their competitiveness for the future.
