Kirsten Hammerich has taken over as Media Relations Manager with effect from 1 January 2018 and is now responsible for the Group’s relations with the media in Switzerland. She reports to Alexandre Schmidt, Vice President Owner Relations, who is now also responsible for RUAG’s external communications in Switzerland.

Kirsten, age 50, worked from 2003 onwards in various communications roles for the Swiss Armed Forces, most recently as Head of Communications for the Land Forces. Having started out as a journalist, Kirsten Hammerich has spent the past years developing an extensive network and building up a rich store of experience as a media spokesperson and more recently as Head of Communications for the Army.

Before starting to work for the Swiss Armed Forces, Kirsten Hammerich was a news reporter for SWISS TXT Schweizerische Teletext AG, where she led the news service and was deputy chief editor for German-speaking Switzerland. Outside work, she volunteers in her local community, serving as mayor of Diemerswil.

Her becoming Media Relations Manager alongside Clemens Gähwiler, External Communication Manager, and Daniel Makanec, Public Affairs Manager, completes RUAG’s external communications team for Switzerland. Alexandre Schmidt, Vice President Owner Relations, is already responsible for all relations with the Swiss government, RUAG’s sole shareholder, and with the federal authorities, and now also has overall responsibility for RUAG’s external communications in Switzerland. RUAG is delighted to welcome Kirsten Hammerich and wishes her a good start in her new role.

RUAG develops and markets internationally sought-after technology applications in the fields of aerospace, security and defense for use on land, in the air and in space. 57% of RUAG’s products and services are destined for the civil market and 43% for the military market.

The Group is headquartered in Bern (Switzerland). It has production sites in Switzerland and in 13 other countries in Europe, the USA and Asia-Pacific. Around 8700 employees - of whom 430 are trainees - represent 48 nationalities and generate sales of some CHF 1.86 billion.