Governance: The New Challenge for Swiss SMEs in 2025 – an article by Ivan Reusse, Director of the Leadership Development Activity at Grant Alexander Switzerland, for Le Monde Economique
28.08.2025
For a long time reserved for senior, often male profiles, SME boards must now diversify.
The world has changed, and so has governance.
Health crises, geopolitical tensions, inflation, soaring energy costs, supply chain disruptions, talent shortages: Swiss SMEs have not been spared in recent years.
Faced with this accumulation of shocks, one thing is clear: governance can no longer remain a mere formal ritual. It must become a strategic, agile, and visionary lever.
Why 2025 marks a turning point
Companies operate in an increasingly complex environment:
AI and digitalization are reshaping jobs.
Cybersecurity has become a survival issue.
ESG expectations (environment, social, governance) now structure reputation.
Generations in the workplace have different priorities, forcing a reinvention of dialogue and exchanges.
Operational challenges — recruitment, energy, inflation, new markets — are multiplying.
In short, the rules of the game are changing. SMEs that do not rethink their governance, often due to entrenched traditionalism, risk being quickly outpaced.
Switzerland is a demanding environment
Beyond global trends, Switzerland imposes specific challenges on its SMEs:
A multicultural country: balancing between Romandy, German-speaking Switzerland, and Ticino requires boards capable of understanding and integrating different sensitivities.
Strict regulation: transparency, cybersecurity, and ESG are now closely monitored. Boards must formalize and document their practices more rigorously.
A tight labor market: talent shortages force a reinvention of HR governance — continuous training, inclusion, flexibility.
International pressure: trade agreements, taxation, reputation — SMEs must demonstrate credibility to foreign partners.
Succession planning: many family-owned SMEs seek to prepare leadership transitions, balancing heritage and innovation.
Sustainability requirements: with carbon neutrality in sight, boards must reconcile profitability with the energy transition.