An interview with Alberto Bertoz

The new Excellence Line will be gradually introduced in the international markets. What feedback are you expecting?

We will be busy with the launch over the next few months, starting in June in Europe and closing in China in February ‘22. We are looking forward to launching the Excellence Line alongside the Supreme Line: with these two lines, we are positioning ourselves firmly in the upper-premium segment, supporting our objective to be the most aspirational brand in the industry.

And what does the launch mean for customers?

With these new appliances, we have enhanced opportunities to strengthen our voice in the markets. The new line combines several important advantages for our customers: the CircleSlider is a novelty that will attract a lot of attention, as the user interface is exceptional in allowing users to set priorities, thereby creating an individual experience. What’s more, the new colours will provide important alternatives to our iconic ‘black mirror’, while the harmonisation of the panel height will make for some perfect combinations. 

What do you personally like most about the new steamers and ovens?

The user interface is fascinating. I really believe that the way it’s designed now offers a lot of flexibility for our users, as the operating system can be fully personalised. The user can select recipes and set favourites right from the home page, using the same logic as a mobile phone. And with the V-ZUG App, we also have a digital experience that completes this amazing individual user experience.

To what extent will the new advertising campaign contribute to expanding international activities?

The new campaign is beautiful. But in International we do not rely on TV commercials, giving preference to a more individual approach. The result of the new campaign with beautiful videos and images will help us to connect with our partners, designers and influencers. The new campaign also proves that the company has grown, focusing more on the customer perspective and taking our brand to the next level.

Where do you see the biggest challenges for our company and for international business?

One of the biggest challenges is to be able to react to opportunities and problems. We come from a corporate culture that is focused on the Swiss market. Initially, we tried to sell the same products with the same business model abroad. Then we tweaked the model and the brand positioning and things started to move in the right direction. Now we are at a point where we should be closing gaps faster: we need to improve, be less process-oriented and more focused on problem-solving and meeting the expectations of our customers.

How would you like to contribute to the success of V-ZUG?

The long-term goal is to grow the international business at a similar dimension to the Swiss market, and in doing this we will naturally contribute more to diluting our fixed costs and hence also supporting our domestic market. I think we are done with the very difficult phase of getting things moving and I’m confident that this growth will continue. We have managed to attract some excellent people to our organisation and we have a good project pipeline. By growing internationally, I hope we will learn some lessons and go through some experiences that will also prove valuable in the Swiss market: in one way or another, I can see a lot of influences from our international practices in the current campaign. 

What is your vision and where do you see V-ZUG in the future?

Over time, I want us to keep building awareness and closing gaps so that we naturally become the brand of choice for designers around the world. Because we are a truly special Swiss brand, we have excellent products, we treat partners and customers personally and individually, and we care about sustainability. We have all the cards in our hand to stand out and become the brand of choice for the discerning customers seeking excellence and having the means to afford it.

Would you personally describe yourself as a visionary?

This word is way too big for me! But let me say that the reason I applied to work for V-ZUG was because I saw that the potential of the brand was way beyond what the company was doing at the time. I had the vision to build superior showrooms and set the brand up to succeed in the upper-premium market internationally. I was lucky enough to find people who shared this vision and were willing to jump in, because it takes an entire team to really bring a vision to life. I would describe myself as an engineer by education, and a marketer by heart.

How would your best friend describe you?

I think there would be some people saying the word ‘crazy’. Sometimes I come out with strange ideas and not everyone can envision and digest them. I am the guy who comes up with ideas beyond all expectation. I’m a little bit extravagant. But the majority will also say that I am very fair and that I value people. I grew up in a small village in the north east of Italy where we only speak the local dialect. I didn’t grow up in a culture that praised diversity, but I was very lucky to live in different parts of the world, meet different people and appreciate different cultures. I would like to think that I have remained a village guy at heart while growing as a global guy in my head.

The view into the future shapes our daily endeavours. But let’s look back: What is the best moment in your V-ZUG career? The one you will always remember…

The opening of the V-ZUG Studio Shanghai in November 2014. I took over the responsibility for the market just a few months before. V-ZUG Studio was already close to completion. Everything worked out in time and we received a visit from Mr Buhofer in the October before. He said it was okay, but I didn’t see any excitement in his eyes – probably because he sensed I wasn’t excited myself. I called a couple of architects and asked: ‘Can we do something? It’s not staging the brand properly!’. I found an architect from Argentina, who may well be even crazier than I am. She said: ‘either we destroy everything and build it up again another way, or I’m out’.  I took a huge risk, but we started the drawings with pencil and paper three weeks before the opening, then having three different contractors working 24/7. It’s fair to say I didn’t get much sleep during this period! We built the entrance three days before the opening and we were still painting the day before. But we did it! This was a great feeling and a defining ‘can do’ moment for me. It was like after running a marathon: your body is exhausted, but your mind is full of energy. To me, that showroom was the first one showing respect to our brand and I believe that many things that we now consider ‘normal’ for V-ZUG are the consequence of that bold move.