The municipal council of Saanen has elected 47-year-old Roman Gimmel as director of the municipal administration. He succeeds Thomas Bollmann, who will leave the municipality of Saanen at the end of August. Gimmel will take office on 1 January 2022.

Gimmel is a trained secondary and vocational school teacher. Since 2011, he has served as a 70% municipal councilor in Thun. He is currently studying part-time for an Executive Master of Public Administration at the University of Bern.

Expertise and leadership experience
As a municipal councilor of the city of Thun, Gimmel currently heads the Education, Sports and Culture Directorate. Prior to that, he was head of the Construction and Real Estate Department. With his further education and his experience as a municipal councilor, he has the ideal qualifications for the position of director of the municipal administration. Gimmel is also familiar with the concerns of tourism as president of Thun-Thunersee Tourismus.

Challenging transition phase
The appointment of Gimmel as of 1 January 2022 and the departure of Bollmann at the end of August 2021 will result in a transitional phase of four months, during which the position will be vacant. The management of the municipal administration, with the involvement of the president of the municipality Toni von Grünigen, is currently preparing for this period to ensure the best possible continuation of the work of the municipal administration.

BASED ON AVS/JENNY STERCHI