5 questions for Beatrice Stirnimann, CEO Baloise Session 

Beatrice Stirnimann has been shaping the world of live music and festival management for around 30 years. As an experienced professional in the music and sponsorship industry, she works with some of the world's most renowned booking and music management agencies. She was recently named "Ehrespalebärglemere 2024" and immortalized with a plaque on the Spalenberg in Basel's old town. But what exactly is behind the success of this impressive woman, who now runs the Baloise Session in Basel as a business owner?

This special kind of boutique music festival has been making music history since 1986. Legends such as Miles Davis, Nina Simone, Ray Charles and James Brown have performed on its stage. Today's stars have also transformed the intimate concert atmosphere in Basel into an unforgettable experience. Beatrice Stirnimann is one of the driving forces behind this success. Her flair and ability to put together a new, unique program every year make her a rare figure in the live music scene, as women in the role of festival director are few and far between. 

In this interview, Beatrice Stirnimann talks about the challenges she and her team face year after year - from the rollercoaster of emotions to the last-minute decisions they have to make in order to secure the perfect line-up. "It's a very intense time, and it takes a fine touch to balance everything," she says. And yet there is nothing more fulfilling for her than seeing the festival come to life and the whole team working towards the magical two and a half weeks. These moments can hardly be put into words, says Beatrice Stirnimann. 

"There is nothing more fulfilling for me than seeing the festival come to life and the whole team working towards the magical two and a half weeks. These moments can hardly be put into words."

Beatrice Stirnimann

There are many special anecdotes from her career. For example, the moment when Grace Jones - who Beatrice Stirnimann herself describes as a living work of art - invited her to her hotel room to watch a Gaël Monfils tennis match together. Another unforgettable encounter was with guitarist Chuck Berry, who was visibly moved when she told him that he would be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Baloise Session.  

Beatrice Stirnimann is an inspiration to all those who have tried different things in their lives until they discovered their true passion. "You can achieve anything if you have the right attitude. We women should have more confidence in ourselves and assert ourselves even in male-dominated industries." Their journey shows that you can achieve great things with the right vision and determination. 

Ms. Stirnimann, if you had taken a different path when you were younger, what would you have become?  

"As a young girl, I always wanted to run a hotel. Part of my family worked in the hospitality industry, so I started an apprenticeship as a hotel assistant. Office jobs were out of the question for me - I never wanted to be an office dummy. But at some point I realized that it wasn't the right thing for me after all and I dropped out of the apprenticeship. 

After a commercial apprenticeship and a degree in business administration, I then worked in various areas, for example as a product manager in the cosmetics industry or in key account management for a pet food company, but ultimately I had the chance to switch to the music festival industry after my experience as a concert evening assistant and that's where I became happy. If I were to do anything else now, it would probably be to create something with my hands, without the constant pressure to succeed. Something that is physically tangible and visual, like making cheese or harvesting grapes."  

What is your favorite way to start your day? 
"It depends entirely on the phase I'm in at the time. When I'm under a lot of pressure, I like to start with sport, preferably Crossfit in the morning - it gives me energy and clarity. At the weekend, on the other hand, I enjoy a leisurely breakfast in bed before I go into the office. During the festival, my mornings look completely different: My smartphone is always on, I'm online a lot and I'm constantly checking emails. Despite everything, I'm a morning person and love to start the day early and enjoy the peace and quiet." 

What does success mean to you personally? 
"Above all, the artists we hire are successful. We stand in the background and make sure that everything runs smoothly and that the artists deliver their best performance. This is a matter close to my heart. We create the stage so that people can experience unforgettable concerts. 

Of course we are proud of the program we create, but I don't see it as a personal success. It's not important to me to be in the limelight. What counts for me is the whole thing, the organization and the cooperation with the team. And ultimately, you can't be successful without having a strong team behind you." 

What would you work for free for a week? 
"I'm already active as a volunteer; with the Baloise Session, for example, we give concert tickets to people who are socially or healthily disadvantaged. The AMIE association, which supports young mothers who have become mothers too early, is also very close to my heart. It's just nice to give something back and do charitable work. These moments when you can help others are incredibly valuable to me." 

What was the best professional advice you ever received? 
"In my current business, the best advice I've ever received was: Never take anything personally. Especially in the event industry, where there are often cancellations and last-minute changes, it's important to stay professional and not let things like that get too close to you. You always meet twice in life and it pays to always do a top job. Because word of quality gets around very quickly, and that's what matters in the end."  

We would like to thank Ms. Stirnimann for her contribution to this article. 

This interview was conducted orally. 

Baloise Session from October 17 to November 8, 2024

Information on the line-up and tickets is available at baloisesession.ch