From global companies to leading a startup

Former Aston Martin CEO Tobias Moers and ex-global head of Hyundai’s Genesis brand, Manfred Fitzgerald have been appointed co-CEOs of Swiss EV start-up Piech Automotive. Founded in 2017 by Toni Piech, the son of former Volkswagen Group Chairman Ferdinand Piech. The start-up plans to launch its GT electric sports car in 2024. Prior to Aston Martin, Moers led Mercedes-Benz’s AMG performance arm. At Piech Automotive, Moers will also be the chief technology officer. Fitzgerald, on the other hand, spent three years as head of Genesis after leading the role of director of the brand and design department at VW Group’s Lamborghini supercar division. Fitzgerald will also take over the role of chairman at Piech Automotive. Together the two co-CEOs will steer the Piech brand to long-term success.

Grownate appoints new CEO
Andrea Fritschi is the new CEO of Grownate, a new digital platform that will enable corporates to improve and leverage their sustainability initiatives and to engage and build trust with their consumers. The company has successfully finished the development phase of the technology infrastructure and App with support from existing investors and collaboration partners. Fritschi joins Grownate as the company enters the pilot and expansion phase. She has more than 15 years of combined experience in Private Equity and as start-up entrepreneur. She began her career at Swiss Re where she spent six years as risk manager and later Private Equity Investment Manager before joining Blackrock as Private Equity Senior Investment Manager. She has founded her own company and advises start-ups.

Acredius welcomes Chief Strategy Officer
Tareck Raafat has joined the crowdlending platform Acredius as its Chief Strategy Officer. Tareck is a veteran strategist with extensive experience in upscaling companies and growing their assets. He co-founded the company five years ago with Ghassen Benhadjsalah and Nada Chebli. Tareck holds a European PhD in physics and has worked in several leading roles on a global scale, leaving an excellent track record and building a wealth of experience. Before joining Acredius, he was a partner at PwC Switzerland in charge of developing the commercial and new product strategy business. He enjoys over 25 years of experience in international business strategies advising many Tier 1 biopharmaceutical and young innovative biotech companies on a global scale. He also founded and ran Stratas Partners, an international boutique strategy consultancy, for over a decade, which he then integrated into PwC. Tareck is focused on developing the fintech sector and driving a more substantial impact through alternative finance and innovative private equity growth strategies. Combining his interests with Acredius’ focus on the SME marketplace allows the company to provide unique solutions that help us grow and succeed.

GuestReady appoints Chief Growth Officer
Andreea Petrisor has joined GuestReady as chief growth officer to support the short- and mid-term rental property management company’s accelerated growth ambition to become the most trusted and innovative hospitality-as-a-service solution worldwide. In addition to supervising the group’s international expansion, Petrisor will lead GuestReady’s property management software [PMS], a software solution that optimises the operations behind the hospitality services and will also oversee other growth functions such as marketing and sales. Petrisor has a proven track record in project and team management. Upon graduating, she joined Roland Berger – one of the leading management consulting companies globally – and stayed with the company for more than eight years as a project manager. In 2019, Petrisor joined Foodpanda, a global food delivery platform, as the managing director for Romania. In less than three years, under her leadership, the number of Foodpanda partner restaurants increased by over 300 per cent, allowing the platform to expand its operations to more than 40 cities across the country.

(Press release/RAN)
Photo: Piech Co-CEOs, Tobias Moers and Manfred Fitzgerald, Andrea Fritschi (Grownate); Tareck Raafat (Acedius) & Andreea Petrisor (GuestReady)