Federal Council appoints Daniel Frutig-Meier as chairman of the Board of Directors of RUAG International
Bern, 05.12.2025 — At its meeting on 5 December, the Federal Council appointed Daniel Frutig-Meier as chairman of the Board of Directors of RUAG International, the parent company of Beyond Gravity. He will first join the Board of Directors as a regular member in January 2026 and will take up his position as chairman of the Board of Directors at the 2026 Annual General Meeting.
In view of his qualifications, his proven track record and his many years of experience, 63-year-old Daniel Frutig-Meier fully meets the requirements for the position of chairman of the Board of Directors of RUAG International. The decisive factor was his longstanding and broad experience as CEO and chairman of the Board of Directors in global technology-driven manufacturing companies. This also includes a state-affiliated company (Swisscom Immobilien AG) and a company from the aerospace industry in the electronics sector (Cicor). He brings with him the necessary sensitivity in dealing with the political environment, as well as strategic leadership experience at the highest level, in-depth financial and M&A expertise, and many years of experience with far-reaching and complex transformations.
Many years of experience
Daniel Frutig-Meier completed his degree in Heating & Air Conditioning Engineering at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU) in 1987 and subsequently completed his Executive MBA at the University of St Gallen in 1994. He continued his education at the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Lausanne, INSEAD in Fontainebleau (France) and the University of St Gallen. He has held various international management positions in both privately held and publicly traded companies.
Among other things, he served as CEO of Swisscom Immobilien AG (2003–2005) and Group Director of Global Support Services at the British multinational Compass Group (2005–2011) before becoming CEO of Arbonia (2011–2014) and later CEO of Medela (2015–2017). Since 2020, he has been working as a professional board member and partner in the CYLAD Experts network.
Election at extraordinary general meeting
The Federal Council has instructed the DDPS to elect Daniel Frutig-Meier as a regular member of the Board of Directors of RUAG International at an extraordinary general meeting in December and to appoint him chairman of the Board of Directors at the Annual General Meeting in spring 2026. He will succeed Rainer Schulz, who is not standing for re-election. Mr Schulz stated that the decision paves the way for someone who can shape the strategic development of the company, which now specialises in space technology.
