5 Questions for Thomas Hafen, CEO of BÜHLMANN Laboratories AG

Time and knowledge are among the most valuable resources in life. When you are younger, you have a lot of time at your disposal, but you only acquire in-depth knowledge and a wealth of experience as the years go by. Passing these on or volunteering is often not a priority during the most intense part of one's working life. A short-sighted way of thinking and a wasted opportunity for growth.

Commitment to honorary offices or other extra-occupational activities is worthwhile, as they become a strategic success tool and also benefit one's job. Those who think about their career and personal development in the long term use such sideline activities to broaden their horizons and develop relationships.

This is also how our interview partner of the month, Thomas Hafen, sees it: "After all, we don't just live from our work in the company, but also in a social network and are citizens of our country." Before Thomas Hafen joined BÜHLMANN Laboratories in 2004, he worked for ten years at the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs in various positions, including Head of Division for Export and Investment Promotion.

He has been Group CEO at BÜHLMANN Laboratories since July 2011 and a member of the Board of Directors since 2018. The internationally active and innovative production and trading company in the field of life sciences has its headquarters in Schönenbuch, employs more than 100 people and is globally active. The diagnostic kits and reagents developed and manufactured in-house are sold very successfully as in vitro diagnostics (IVD) to hospitals and medical laboratories worldwide.

Corporate management is a demanding and satisfying task, but by no means the only role of the experienced CEO: Thomas Hafen has been President of the Foreign Trade Commission (AWK HKBB) since 2019 and a member of the Board of the Basel Chamber of Commerce (HKBB) since 2021. He was board member and president of BioValley Basel (2010-2015), board member of Medtech Switzerland (2010-2013) and member and secretary general of the board of EALS / BASEL LIFE. This versatile extra-professional engagement reflects Thomas Hafen's personal interests, but always created synergies for his professional activities.

Roland Bühlmann, the owner and Chairman of the Board of BÜHLMANN Laboratories, shares his CEO's views on volunteering and solidarity. In earlier years, Roland Bühlmann had St. Bernard dogs, which he also took to customers or meetings. At the end of the year, this is often thought back to: BÜHLMANN Laboratories' Christmas cards have a traditional St. Bernard image as their subject, because the St. Bernard reflects the company's values: unique, Swiss, and customer-oriented.

For many years, BÜHLMANN has financed the medical care of St. Bernard dogs on the Grand St. Bernard Pass. A personal attachment to this animal that stands as a symbol of magnanimity, loyalty and commitment.

Perhaps this article will motivate you to reconsider your own extra-occupational activities or to support the voluntary commitment of your employees. True to the motto: Time you take is time that gives.  

Mr. Hafen, if you had taken a different path when you were younger, what would you have become?
"My mother said that when I was a boy I could spend hours watching the street workers. At that time, I wanted to become a "Schaffmann. In secondary school, I would have preferred to become a bookseller, but my parents convinced me that going to high school would give me more options. With the business high school and studies at the HSG, the path to an entrepreneurial career was then mapped out. However, I still took a long turn, with 10 years in the "academic world" and another 10 years in government service, before I found the task and challenge at BÜHLMANN that appeals and satisfies me the most, and remains exciting even now after more than 18 years."

What is your favorite way to start your day?
"With two cups of coffee and the NZZ."

What does success mean to you personally?
"Success creates the basis for setting new goals. However, you should never lose sight of the fact that success often also has to do with coincidences, with lucky circumstances or that you were in the right place at the right moment."

What would you work for free for a week?
"After all, we do not only live from our work in the company, but also in a social network and are citizens of our country. For us - Roland Bühlmann and me - it has always been a matter of concern that we also use part of our labor to work in society and try to make our voice heard in politics and society as well."

What was the best professional advice you ever received?
"I've always been fortunate to have had excellent bosses and mentors. And after so many years on the job, it's hard to pick out a single piece of advice. But if you insist: One important piece of advice was to set goals, not direct action. And to build on trust in leadership (although I've never forgotten the KKK from military service - command, control, correct - either). And that the fish stinks from the head. Whereby, in view of the "advice", one should probably rather formulate it the other way around."

We would like to thank Mr. Hafen for his contribution to this article.
This interview was conducted in writing.