Stefan was fascinated by the early 90s and their multimedia achievements (personal computer, modem, VHS recorder). So he graduated as an audio/video electronics technician in 1995. This was followed by a stint in the then still manageable IT department of the Zurich city police. With a clear view to the future, he saw the proverbial “next big thing” in the field of computer software. Thus, in the millennium, he decided to train as a software developer at UBS, which was complemented by a part-time degree in business informatics (FH).
Everything is a big whole and everything counts, no matter how small.
Until 2007, Stefan worked as a software developer at UBS, including the well-known application “UBS Quotes”. He then followed the call for talent for the complete redevelopment of a well-known Swiss web search engine for telephone directory data. There he worked together with his long-time colleague Andreas Schacke. For four years, Stefan worked as a software architect and developer at Derivative Partners AG. His focus there was as tech lead for the best execution platform derivative.com, which was acquired by a Swiss private bank after a successful launch.
Together with a long-time colleague Andi Schacke, Stefan founded a boutique for sophisticated IT projects and coding in 2014. The company quickly made a name for itself and began to flourish. Among other things, Stefan was responsible for the technical management of the redevelopment of a well-known news platform (TX Group), where software had to be efficiently “modernized” on a large scale and the editorial systems were to be moved to the cloud. After three years the project was successfully completed with the final go-live. In addition to his IT development work for GGX, Stefan is responsible for the development and operation of a pricing platform in the area of structured products.
From his many years of IT experience, one motto represents Stefan Lüchinger's attitude particularly well: “Everyone said it couldn't be done! Then someone came along who didn't know that and just did it.” In his private life, Stefan takes time for his family and likes to leave the daily routine at home behind, even when sailing on salt water.
5 Questions for Stefan Lüchinger
Which areas do you cover at GGX?
I take care of the architecture and the development of the software systems of GGX. This also includes the development and operation of the infrastructure.
What were your ESG moments?
When I looked down from the Gornergrat to the glacier below not too long ago and had to realize the huge difference to before when I hiked over it with my father. Climate change is real and not an invention!
Where do you see the most potential for a more sustainable world?
I consider it important to move away from the petroleum economy toward a circular economy and renewable energy sources. With regard to Europe, the transformation of the current energy supply with large-scale plants to small-scale and local energy production with a high degree of self-sufficiency is very promising. Overall, we can show the world that sustainable living and economic activity does not have to mean a loss of prosperity, through innovation, but also by adapting our values. Ultimately - keyword throwaway society - a “quality is cool” mentality should also return instead of just clumsy “stinginess is cool” thinking.
What bothers you most in the ESG discussion?
Currently, “greenwashing” is one of the main problems why the acceptance of sustainability is still lacking. Nonsensical and partly useless labels are also responsible for this. I'm also bothered by the simply false information that interest groups spread about renewable energies and e-cars, for example. Financially, the worst thing I find is that we pump billions of subsidies into our agriculture, which then massively damages our environment with the use of chemicals.
What do you do in everyday life for more sustainability?
I support local small businesses, and not just when it comes to food. In addition, I try to resist the temptations of foodwaste when I go shopping. XL packages at discount prices, for example, don't help the issue of food waste. Last but not least, we teach our daughter to be mindful of our environment. This also means giving new ideas a chance.