Dear IMA Switzerland Chapter Members and Friends,
It is an honor to begin my term as Chair of the IMA Switzerland Chapter. I am grateful to our immediate past President, Daria, and to all former Board members for the foundation they have built. I also thank my fellow Board members, Hessel and Carlo, for their commitment to the chapter this year. As a co-founder of the Switzerland Chapter, I am pleased to return my primary volunteer focus to Switzerland after four years of actively supporting the IMA Japan Chapter, while continuing those valuable international ties. One principle championed by my mentor, Zenichiro Ishibashi of the IMA Japan Chapter, is to provide maximum service to members while minimizing unnecessary workload for volunteer leaders. Inspired by this, my priority for 2026–2027 is straightforward: to make chapter involvement meaningful, manageable, enjoyable, and sustainable.
- Meaningful means focusing our time and energy on activities that create genuine value for our members, the profession, and the wider community.
- Manageable means recognizing that volunteers balance demanding careers with family and personal commitments. We will simplify administration, clarify responsibilities, and offer flexible, project-based ways to contribute.
- Enjoyable means giving volunteers the freedom, once essential chapter responsibilities are covered, to lead initiatives that genuinely interest them. Success should reflect not only attendance or scale, but also the value created and whether the experience is rewarding for those involved.
- Sustainable means building a chapter that can thrive beyond any individual Board or Chair. We will share responsibilities and knowledge, involve more members through flexible roles, and create opportunities for volunteers to develop gradually into future chapter leaders.
At our June Annual Meeting, I was encouraged by the many participants who offered to support the chapter. Following this month’s IMA Global chapter training, we plan to begin matching volunteers with flexible roles from September. Thank you for your enthusiasm and patience. We will be in touch soon.I look forward to working with you to build a chapter based on these four principles.
Kind regards,
Nina Michels-Kim
Chair, IMA Switzerland Chapter