Strategy and AI Consulting in Switzerland
Switzerland is where WALVIS began and remains our priority zone. We work in French-speaking Switzerland first and foremost, and also in German-speaking Switzerland, to build our clients' strategy, deploy it and steer the results.
The local economy
The Swiss economy rests on a dense fabric of export-oriented SMEs alongside large international groups. Precision engineering, machinery, watchmaking, life sciences and medical technology sit next to a well-established financial centre, insurance, commodity trading and a highly developed business services sector. Around Lake Geneva, universities and research sites feed an ecosystem where innovation moves quickly into industrial activity.
This economy has its own demands: niche markets where quality makes the difference, high costs that call for rigorous execution, strong exposure to foreign markets, and organisations that are often family-owned or mid-sized, where decisions are made close to operations. The questions we are most often asked concern the clarity of the path ahead, discipline in implementation, control of margins, and a sensible use of AI to save time where it matters.
The regulatory context
Since 1 September 2023, the revised Federal Act on Data Protection (nLPD, or revFADP in English) governs the processing of personal data. Among other things, it requires transparency towards individuals, a record of processing activities, impact assessments in certain cases and notification of security breaches. Any project that touches customer or employee data, including an AI project, needs to account for this from the design stage. Regulated sectors add their own requirements, notably financial institutions and insurers supervised by FINMA, and healthcare players bound by professional secrecy. So far, Switzerland has favoured a sector-based approach to AI rather than a single law, and companies that export must also follow the European framework. We build these points into the design of each mission rather than treating them as a final step.
How we work here
For each mission, we compose a senior team: a dedicated contact, the WALVIS core team (strategy, finance, operations, data, AI) and, depending on the subject, sector experts from our network, presented by expertise profile. We work in French, German and English, which lets us work in French-speaking and German-speaking Switzerland alike. We come to your premises for workshops, steering committees and the moments that call for presence, and carry out the rest remotely to keep a steady pace. We work with your existing tools and sell no software, and we stay engaged beyond the recommendation: deployment and the follow-up of results are part of the mission.