Impact Circle Event
- Friday, February 13, 2026
- The Alpina Gstaad
Sustainable Alpine Real Estate Landscape:
Shaping the Future of Mountain Communities
Program
13:30 - 14:00 Welcome Coffee
14:00 - 15:30 Impact Gstaad - Project presentations & insights
- Context of the Alpine real estate market
Maciej Skoczek
CFA Senior Real Estate Economist, UBS
- Panel discussion: Shaping the future of the Saanenland
Patricia Matti
Councillor of the municipality of Saanen / Owner of Matti Management GmbH
Ann-Kathrin Brändle,
Head of Spatial Planning & Environment, Municipality of SaanenPatrick Bauer
Head of Destination Development & Sustainability, Gstaad-Saanenland-Tourismus
Jürg von Allmen
Chairman of the Executive Board Saanen Bank AG
Manuel Blanco
Managing Director, Head Private Banking Gstaad & Greater Bern Area EFG Bank AG
Claudio Thoenen
Member of the Board Ebnitmatte Association / Thoenen Bauunternehmung AG
- Wohnbaugenossenschaft Ebnitmatte
Claudio Thoenen
Board member Ebnitmatte Association
- Gstaad Concert Hall
Hans-Ueli Tschanz & Marcel Bach
Gstaad Concert Hall Foundation
- N³: More value with forest and wood
Gstaadas a pioneer: Innovative approaches to sustainable forestry
Marc von Niederhäusern
Project Manager, Planval
Prof. Dr. Christian Rosset
Lecturer in Silviculture and Forest Planning School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences HAFL
15:30 - 16:15 Networking break
16:15 - 17:15 Green Business Award 2025 - Award ceremony
- Welcome speech
Doris Leuthard
Former Federal Councillor, Jury President
- Presentations of the finalists
Three Swiss companies that combine economic success with ecological impact. Oxyle, Voltiris & Everllence - Award ceremony & laudatory speech
Reto Knutti
Professor of Climate Physics, ETH Zurich
17:15 - 18:00 Keynote Speech
- Thomas Rau
Architect, innovator & entrepreneur Pioneer of the circular economy in architecture and urban development
From 6 p.m. Flying dinner & networking at The Alpina Gstaad
Participation in this event is only possible by personal invitation from Impact Gstaad.
Green Business Award
The Green Business Award 2025 will be presented at our event. This prestigious award recognizes Swiss companies that successfully combine ecological innovation with economic success.
The three finalists
Advanced oxidation technology for treating industrial wastewater without chemicals. It enables the reuse of water and reduces the environmental impact.
Innovative solar panels designed specifically for greenhouse agriculture, optimizing light for both energy generation and plant growth.
Bringing emission-free heating to entire cities with large-scale heat pumps that utilize natural heat sources and replace fossil fuel heating plants.
Featured Keynote Speaker
Thomas Rau
Architect, innovator & entrepreneur
Experience an exclusive lecture by Thomas Rau, the pioneering architect and entrepreneur who is redefining sustainable building. As the founder of RAU Architects and Turntoo, Rau consistently advocates the principles of the circular economy in architecture and shows how managers can realign their companies’ relationship with nature and capital – for long-term economic success.
Through first-hand accounts and compelling case studies from global companies like Patagonia, Interface, and others, Thomas Rau presents a revolutionary template for balancing business success with environmental and social responsibility.
INFORMATION
Languages
- The event will be held in English and German.
- All speeches and presentations are translated into your preferred language in real time using the AI translation software Wordly.
- Please bring headphones to follow the live translation on your smartphone during the event. A QR code for the translation stream will be provided on site.
Arrival & Parking
By car
Please note: No parking spaces at the Hotel Alpina Gstaad. Please use the official public parking spaces in the village of Gstaad:
- Parking Ober-Gstaad(Google Maps)
- Cinema Parking(Google Maps)
By public transportation
Train to Gstaad station. Walking time from Gstaad train station to Hotel Alpina Gstaad: approx. 20 minutes(Google Maps).