Management team

Hans-Rudolf Wenger, vice chancellor Jörg De Bernardi, Federal Chancellor Walter Thurnherr and vice chancellor André Simonazzi (from left to right)

The members of the management team

• Walter Thurnherr (Federal Chancellor) 

Federal Chancellor Sector

Federal Chancellor Walter Thurnherr is directly responsible for the following sections:

Political Rights Section 

The Political Rights Section is responsible for ensuring that political rights are enacted, for preparing for federal ballots and for coordinating the introduction of electronic voting by the cantons.

• Jörg De Bernardi (vice chancellor)

Federal Council Sector

Extensive groundwork is necessary to ensure the Federal Council can convene for its regular weekly meetings. Vice-Chancellor Jörg de Bernardi is responsible for the following sections:

Federal Council Affairs Section

The Federal Council Affairs Section deals with government core business. Each year it handles more than 2,500 items of business that the departments and the Federal Chancellery present to the Federal Council. It plans the Federal Council meetings, draws up the agenda, runs the joint reports procedure and issues the decisions made by the Federal Council.

Legal Section

The Legal Section provides support to the Federal Council Affairs Section and is responsible for legislation on administrative organisation, the consultation procedure and publications.

Official Publications Centre

The Official Publications Centre plays a key role in the Federal Administration, helping the federal offices to prepare texts for publication in the Federal Gazette or the Official Compilation, and keeping law texts in the Classified Compilation up to date.

Central Language Services German Section

The German Section in the Federal Chancellery Central Language Services ensures the clarity of official texts and contributes to the success of multilingual official communication.

Central Language Services French Section

The French Section in the Central Language Services helps draft laws, translates and revises texts. It provides services to Parliament, the Federal Council, the federal departments and the Federal Chancellery.

Central Language Services, Italian Division

The Italian Division of the Central Language Services is the oldest language service at the Federal Chancellery. It comprises the Legislation and Language Section, based in Bern, and the Translation and Editing Section, based in Bellinzona.

Central Language Services, Terminology Section

The Terminology Section in the Federal Chancellery’s Central Language Services provides relevant and up-to-date terminology in the four national languages and in English for the whole of the Federal Administration.

• André Simonazzi (vice chancellor)

Communications and Strategy Sector

Vice-Chancellor and Federal Council Spokesman André Simonazzi is responsible for the following sections:

Communication Section

The Communications Section at the Federal Chancellery coordinates Federal Council communication with the media, public, cantons and Parliament.

Communication Support Section

The section advises and supports the Federal Administration in all matters relating to communication and creates a wide range of communication products.

Strategic Management Support Section

The Strategic Management Support Section has the task of drafting the Federal Council’s planning and activity reports and provides crisis management training to the Federal Administration.

Presidential Services Unit

The Presidential Services Unit, which has been part of the Federal Chancellery since 2015, supports the president’s department in carrying out the additional tasks arising in the presidential year. In particular, the Presidential Services Unit provides advice on matters of diplomacy and communication.

•  Hans-Rudolf Wenger

Internal Services Sector

The Internal Services Sector is the main resource and services hub for the Federal Chancellery. It is headed by Hans-Rudolf Wenger.

Integral security

The security and risk managers in the Federal Chancellery are responsible for logistics services, risk management and business continuity management.

IT Service Centre

The IT Service Centre provides IT and telecommunications support in the Federal Chancellery.

Personnel and Resources Section

The Personnel and Resources Section forms part of the resources hub in Internal Services and provides vital support to all sections in the Federal Chancellery.

Personnel Security Screening unit

Persons applying for senior management positions in the Federal Administration are required to undergo security screening. The Personnel Security Screening unit at the Federal Chancellery is exclusively responsible for conducting these checks, which include interviewing candidates (highest security level) – primarily those selected by the Federal Council.

GEVER & Log Section

The GEVER & Log section provides service support for records and process management and logistics in the Federal Chancellery and Federal Administration.

Last modification 07.09.2018