Boston and New YorkBoston and NY

Swiss Alumni Night NYC

The NYC edition of our networking event for alumni and former affiliates of Swiss universities, in partnership with the Consulate General of Switzerland in New York.

Talented alumni from Swiss universities are everywhere in New York, driving change at the forefront of business, research, the arts, and sustainability.

The Consulate General of Switzerland in New York and Swissnex invite you to an evening of networking for alumni and former affiliates of Swiss universities. Taking place at the Climate Ring, Swissnex’s boxing-inspired pavilion at Climate Week NYC, the event will highlight Swiss alumni who are contributing to a more sustainable world. These speakers will share their journeys from studying in Switzerland to making an impact in the US, driving change in climate and sustainability initiatives.

Swiss Alumni Night is an exclusive pre-reception for Swiss alumni ahead of Climate Ring: The Fight of the Century, the opening night of the Climate Ring. If you intend to stay for the following event, please register for it as well.

Program

  • 4:30pm – Check-in
  • 5:00pm – Ambassador Niculin Jäger
  • 5:05pm – Benjamin Bollmann
  • 5:10pm – Nathalie Taiana
  • 5:15pm – Markus Schlaepfer
  • 5:20pm – Audrey Shiu
  • 5:25pm – Christelle Deillon
  • 5:30pm – Networking
  • 6:00pm – Climate Ring: The Fight of the Century introduction
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Event start time

  • New York

    4:30PM

Speakers

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    Bio

    Nathalie Taiana

    Press Photographer

    Nathalie Taiana is a photographer from Zurich, Switzerland, currently based in New York City, who gained recognition in 2012 when her work, “White Russian,” was featured at photoSchweiz, Switzerland’s largest photography exhibition. She graduated with a BA in photography and media art from Zurich University of the Arts in 2017, with her project “The Precious Present” showcased in the ZHdK Diploma Highlights. Nathalie has worked as a press photographer for Swiss newspapers Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) and Blick/Ringier, covering over 700 stories and contributing to advertising campaigns. In 2021, she became Head of Academy for Light + Byte AG. She moved to the U.S. in 2023 after receiving the ICP Director’s Fellowship to attend the Documentary Practices and Visual Photojournalism program at the International Center of Photography in New York.

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    Bio

    Markus Schläpfer

    Columbia University

    Markus Schläpfer is an Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics at Columbia University, specializing in data-driven urban science for sustainable infrastructure design. He utilizes large-scale human activity data to predict infrastructure demand and improve systems like transportation and energy, combining complex systems science, data analytics, and advanced infrastructure modeling. His work has been published in top-tier journals like *Nature* and has earned him numerous awards, including First Prize in the 2015 Data for Development Challenge. Markus holds an M.Sc. and Ph.D. from ETH Zurich, with postdoctoral fellowships at MIT and the Santa Fe Institute. Prior to Columbia, he held academic roles at ETH Zurich, Nanyang Technological University, and the University of Bern.

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    Bio

    Audrey Shiu

    Sustainability Consultant

    Audrey has over six years of experience leading digital advertising projects for Fortune 500 companies like Pfizer, AT&T, L’Oréal, and Nespresso. With expertise in project management and a passion for sustainable development, she advises businesses on strategies that foster environmental impact, social progress, and economic value, focusing on decarbonizing the beauty and personal care industry. An advocate for environmental justice, Audrey is a member of Beyond Plastics, working to end plastic pollution, while pursuing her entrepreneurial goals.

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    Bio

    Christelle Deillon

    Swiss Travel System AG

    Christelle Deillon is a marketing expert who worked for SBB and Swibeco in Switzerland before relocating to New York to become the Sales & Marketing Manager for North America at Swiss Travel System AG. This Zurich-based marketing company, co-founded by Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), Switzerland Tourism (ST), and five private railway companies, promotes Switzerland’s public transport network globally. Christelle holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Tourism from HES-SO Valais-Wallis.

Welcome Remarks

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    Bio

    Niculin Jäger

    Consulate General of Switzerland in New York

    Ambassador Niculin Jäger is the Consul General of Switzerland in New York since September 2022. He entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2002, where he worked first at the Integration Office, which is in charge of the relations with the European Union, followed by a posting as attaché in Mexico City. In 2004 he got promoted to the position of Deputy Head of Mission to Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, with residence in Tbilisi. In 2008, back in Switzerland he led the Section for Cultural Foreign Policy in Bern, followed by an assignment as Deputy Head of Mission in Maputo, Mozambique. In 2014 he was nominated Deputy Head of Mission to Brazil with the title of Minister. From 2018-2022 he was the Swiss Ambassador to Zimbabwe and Malawi, 2020 he became also the Swiss Ambassador to Zambia. Ambassador Jäger holds a Master degree in journalism and science of communication, Russian language and cultural philosophy of Eastern Europe of the University of Fribourg, Switzerland.

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    Bio

    Benjamin Bollmann

    Swissnex in Boston and New York

    Benjamin Bollmann is CEO of Swissnex in Boston and New York, Consul of Switzerland in Boston, and Interim CEO of Swissnex in Brazil. He is also Chair of Swissnex’s CEO Committee, which coordinates strategic priorities across the global Swissnex network. Under his leadership Swissnex has launched several long-term initiatives such as Project Quantum, which connects Switzerland and the world in quantum science and technology; Climate Collider, a startup exchange program powered by Swissnex and Innosuisse; and more recently Swissnex for the Planet, which explores the potential for a new planetary diplomacy. Benjamin Bollmann was previously Deputy CEO at Swissnex in San Francisco, where he led interdisciplinary programs spanning from science communication to humanitarian action and human rights in the digital age. Before joining Swissnex in 2015, he worked as a journalist and communications consultant at the interface of science and design in Switzerland. He is a graduate of ETH Zurich and has conducted neuroscience and AI research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Master of Ceremonies

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    Bio

    Josephine Erni

    Swissnex in Boston and New York

    Josephine is the Innovation Lead at Swissnex in New York, part of Switzerland’s global network for education, research, and innovation. She holds an MSc in International Economics from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and a BA in Business and Economics from the University of Basel. At Swissnex, she develops and runs entrepreneurship programs, supporting Swiss startups in expanding to the US by connecting them with partners, investors, and customers.

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