On 5 March, a group of approximately 50 alumni gathered in Zurich for a panel discussion with Fabia Löw, founder of Löw Delights, a premium chocolate brand based in Zurich, Tanja Zimmermann-Burgerstein, CEO of Burgerstein Vitamins, and Prof. Henrich Greve, INSEAD professor of entrepreneurship.
Fabia Löw presented the captivating story of the journey she and her sister Laura started together 10 years ago, when they jumped into the cold water of entrepreneurship. The passion they feel for their product, as well as for the people working with them and the customers who enjoy their chocolates was palpable in the room. Luckily, Fabia brought a big basket of samples to allow everyone to sample her Löw Delights right then and there.
Tanja Zimmermann-Burgerstein is the third generation of her family to run the business. Her talk focused on how she transformed this family enterprise from a top-down, hierarchical structure, where one person decides everything, to a modern company where employees share responsibility, make decisions, and contribute to the success of the business. She completed the picture by sharing her vision on how the business can transition to the fourth generation.
Henrich concluded the panel by drawing out the main commonalities of these two entrepreneurial journeys, complemented by insights from his own research and knowledge of entrepreneurship.
Speakers
Tanja Zimmermann-Burgerstein, CEO, Burgerstein Vitamins
Fabia Löw, founder, Löw Delights
Henrich R. Greve, Professor of Entrepreneurship, INSEAD
Organizer
Tobias Vancura, MBA J’06, Entrepreneurship Club President