Despite extremely difficult circumstances due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the MCH Group laid the foundations for a successful future. With the capital increases, the entry of Lupa Systems and the renewal of the Board of Directors, the capital structure, the shareholder base and the corporate governance have been strengthened. Parallel to the operational measures to deal with the Covid-19 situation, numerous innovative projects were developed and successfully implemented. The work to gradually ramp up business activities and the initiated implementation of the strategy approved by the Board of Directors are being intensively pursued. The strategic framework comprises numerous initiatives in all business areas. With the realisation of a clearly defined implementation plan, the MCH Group will grow again and increase its profitability.

Our goal is to sustainably ensure the success of the company for the benefit of all stakeholder groups. We achieve this goal by aligning our strategy with the future requirements of the markets and customers, which are changing significantly due to the profound changes in the live marketing business and the drastic consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic. We focus specifically on innovation, digitalisation and internationalisation.

Unique added value through future-oriented community platforms and experience marketing solutions

• We create future-oriented platforms for the communities of selected ecosystems. The platforms can be physical, hybrid or purely digital formats, with a commercial or communicative character, aimed at professional target groups or end consumers, with international or regional appeal.

• We support the stakeholders within the ecosystems with holistic experience marketing solutions – from strategy to creation to implementation. The stakeholders are institutions, organisers or companies in the fields of business, culture, sports. The services can be of a material, hybrid or digital nature and can be provided worldwide.

The Covid-19 pandemic and the restrictions and bans imposed by the authorities have slowed down and accelerated the implementation of the strategy in equal measure. They required stabilisation of the company through various immediate measures in the organisation and to reduce costs. At the same time, work on the development of important projects - especially in the digital area - must be intensively pursued, which have acquired additional importance and urgency. Preparations for the post-Covid 19 pandemic are in full swing.

The first Art Basel Online Viewing Rooms (OVR) were offered in March 2020 already and subsequently underwent further development in terms of their technology and content. Working on from this strong fundament for Art Basel, we can now press ahead with the next strategic step – the development of an Art Basel Marketplace to provide even greater support for galleries in their efforts to reach new groups of art lovers and buyers. Another example of the development of new platforms is the successful launch of the “Swissbau Innovation Lab”, a new community platform for the construction and real estate industry.

In the area of Experience Marketing too, work continued on the expansion of services and offerings that had been decided on prior to the outbreak of the pandemic. MCH Group is now in a position to offer its customers holistic experience-marketing solutions for both real and digital formats. 

International industry experience, innovative strength and management competence

In the light of the necessary transformation and strategy implementation, as well as the economic consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Board of Directors and the Executive Board implemented a comprehensive package of measures for structurally strengthening the company. This included the entry of Lupa Systems as a new investor, capital increases of more than CHF 90 million, the restructuring of debt capital and the partial renewal of the Board of Directors.

With Lupa Systems, a new anchor shareholder has been found who has agreed to a long-term involvement, supports the strategy – including the commitment to the Basel and Zurich locations – and will be accelerating its implementation. Lupa Systems is inputting valuable know-how into the company in terms of digitalisation and technology as well as content creation and media.

The reduction in the stake of the public-sector entities and the reduction in the public sector’s representation on the Board of Directors from six to three members highlights a clear commitment to the private-sector and the international alignment of the MCH Group – while not neglecting the interests of its locations.