The Swiss Retail Federation has confirmed Patrick Erny as its next director, with the leadership handover set for 1 March 2026.
Erny will take over operational responsibility from Dagmar Jenni, who has led the organisation for around ten years. The federation said the transition has been planned to ensure continuity for members across the Swiss retail sector.
During her tenure, Jenni oversaw a major expansion of the federation’s membership base, growing it from a small group of retailers into an organisation representing more than 2,300 retail companies. This growth significantly strengthened the federation’s voice in policy discussions and industry negotiations.
The Swiss Retail Federation also credits Jenni with helping modernise the organisation by ensuring it represents brick-and-mortar, online, and omnichannel retailers equally. This approach reflects wider shifts in how supermarkets and retail groups now operate across physical and digital formats, a theme also shaping retail technology in supermarkets more broadly.
Jenni will step away from executive duties but is expected to remain active in the sector through non-executive board and advisory roles.
Patrick Erny has served as deputy director of the Swiss Retail Federation for more than two years and is already closely familiar with the organisation’s structure and member priorities. Before joining the federation, he held senior roles within regional business associations in north-west Switzerland, with a strong focus on political and economic policy.
The federation said Erny’s appointment supports its long-term goal of maintaining a level playing field for retailers of all sizes, particularly as competition, cost pressure, and category strategies continue to evolve across Europe. These discussions increasingly intersect with issues such as own-label development, a key topic for suppliers and retailers following private label trends across Europe.
Editor’s Note: This article is based on official information released by the Swiss Retail Federation regarding its leadership transition. It has been written for industry readers following supermarket, retail, and supplier developments across Europe.
