Dominique Gruhl-Bégin, who is a Swiss-Canadian dual citizen, has considerable experience in the field of innovation promotion. The 48-year-old is currently CEO of Serpentine Ventures, a subsidiary of the Swiss Ventures Group, which is involved in innovation funding and start-up support. She headed the Start-ups and Next-Generation Innovators division at Innosuisse between 2017 and 2022.

Ms Gruhl-Bégin graduated from the University of Montreal with a Master's degree in Economics. She went on to complete a further Master's degree in Art Gallery and Museum Studies at the University of Leeds.

She began her professional career as a research assistant at the University of Montreal before working as a management consultant and supply chain management specialist in the United States and Switzerland. She then worked for a renowned art gallery.

After time out raising her family, Ms Gruhl-Bégin held a number of managerial positions in public administration. Among other things, she worked at the Canadian Embassy in Bern as Trade Commissioner for Trade Relations and Innovation. In August 2016 she became deputy head of the Start-up and Entrepreneurship division in the secretariat of the then Commission for Technology and Innovation CTI. The following year she went on to head the Start-ups and Next-Generation Innovators division at Innosuisse.

Ms Gruhl-Bégin is a member of the following bodies:

Swiss Technology Award, prize for innovation
Swiss Economic Award at the Swiss Economic Forum
Cyber-Defence Campus at EPFL, the federal institute of technology in Lausanne

Annalise Eggimann is stepping down as director of Innosuisse at the end of July 2024. Until her retirement in spring 2025, she will continue in her role as delegate and chair of the Innosuisse 2024 presidency of TAFTIE, the European network of innovation agencies.

New Innosuisse director appointed