Many not-for-profit organizations are based in Switzerland. Unlike for-profit organizations, they do not pursue economic profit goals. However, like any business, they rely on well-trained professionals and experienced managers to represent their respective causes and manage them professionally. Non-profit organizations are also expected to meet the demands of their diverse contacts and to be innovative in their approach.
Such an NPO is also the foundation TbB Switzerland, led by Mrs. Béatrice Kirn for more than 10 years. On December 15, 2017, the non-profit "Foundation TbB Switzerland" was formally established, which previously existed as an association since its foundation in 1897. The purpose of the foundation is to ensure the operation and existence of the animal shelter in the region of Northwestern Switzerland.
NPOs often have to achieve maximum impact with scarce resources, optimize their services to this end and pursue novel approaches to solutions. Ms. Béatrice Kirn has also made this experience, especially in recent years. In June of this year, the Basel-based foundation inaugurated its new building on the Birs River. Originally, the new animal competence center should have been opened in 2016, but there were delays due to financing and construction work. But this, too, is part of the everyday work of a CEO in an NPO: developing strategies, competently leading a motivated team and committed volunteers, managing future-oriented projects, and using financial resources efficiently in the process.
As part of our "5 Questions to..." series, we spoke with Ms. Béatrice Kirn about her career, her beliefs and her inspiration.
You are both a qualified animal keeper and a business economist. If you had taken a different path when you were younger, what would you have become?
"I only obtained my diploma as a federally certified animal keeper after training as a business economist and after taking over the management of the current foundation. I found it important to build on my business know-how and management skills. As the CEO of a non-profit organization, I feel that the relevant technical knowledge is part of the leadership task, in addition to a very deep knowledge of organizational culture and management in the non-profit sector. So that's how it came about that I completed the diploma to become a federally certified animal caretaker. My original career aspiration was to be a physiotherapist."
What would you work for free for a week?
"For animals in a foreign shelter or a cat neutering campaign. The foundation TbB Switzerland is confronted daily with the problem of unwanted and feral cats. In northwestern Switzerland, numerous feral cat colonies live in the settlement areas, especially in allotments, factory areas, near restaurants and in single-family house neighborhoods. There, the animals can multiply uncontrollably. We are committed to castrating healthy animals, marking them and releasing them back into their territory. Such measures enable free-roaming cats to enjoy a good quality of life."
What was the best professional advice you ever received?
"A supervisor advised me to get involved with numbers and to see accounting as something creative. That's how I discovered for myself that accounting doesn't necessarily have to be boring."
What event in your career do you remember most fondly?
"To my first promotion."
Who or what inspires and excites you?
"Discussions about all kinds of topics. I like to exchange ideas with very different people, because it often gives me new, unexpected ideas."
We would like to thank Ms. Kirn for her contribution to this article. This interview was conducted in writing.
Editor: Neslihan Steiner
Batterman Consulting Basel AG
Executive Search,
Byfangweg 1a, CH-4051 Basel
T +41 58 680 55 55
basel@batterman.ch
