Swiss next-gen owner fuels her creativity in Singapore

Expanding a business and venturing into a foreign market is no easy feat, so much so that one may even liken it to scaling a mountain. Katharina Ueltschi has succeeded in both.

In 2022, Katharina conquered Piz Bernina, a 4,049-metre-tall mountain in Switzerland. More than just a physically and mentally demanding task that saw her overcome steep slopes and icy terrains, the experience was of great significance to Katharina as her mother and grandmother had stood on this very summit before as well.

Katharina is a fifth-generation member of Bernina, the international manufacturer of sewing and embroidery systems from Switzerland. The company was founded in 1893 by Katharina’s great-great-grandfather, Karl Friedrich Gegauf, who invented the first hemstitch sewing machine in Switzerland. Piz Bernina is also the inspiration behind the name of the company.

Katharina has always embraced her adventurous side and sought greater horizons outside of her comfort zone. She spent a decade carving her own career path in the luxury goods sector — intentionally unrelated to her family’s business, she says — before assuming a leadership role in Bernina. Doing so gave her the opportunity to learn about the ‘world outside’ on her own terms and it made her more confident about contributing her ideas and expertise to the company.

With her thirst for new experiences and her eyes set on reaching greater heights for her family’s business, Katharina and her family decided that she would relocate from Switzerland to Singapore to grow Bernina’s presence in Asia. Establishing the company’s Asia headquarters in Singapore, Katharina explains, was the right choice for Bernina due to the city-state’s political and economic stability, strong talent pool and commitment to research and development (R&D).

“Creativity plays an important role in education. It makes us think outside of the box and be more flexible in our mindset,” says Katharina. As the Managing Director of Bernina Singapore, Katharina has been spearheading collaborations with educational institutions and other like-minded organisations in Singapore to inspire creativity and entrepreneurship in the next generation.

In 2022, Bernina Singapore joined hands with meriSTEM@NIE, a multi-centric education, research and industry centre with a focus on enhancing the quality of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) literacy in Singapore, to develop a suite of STEM courses for primary and secondary school students. The curriculum aims to develop students’ computational thinking and problem-solving skills as they learn to operate a Bernina machine and create their own embroidered masterpieces.

Bernina has also worked with the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) to establish a Service Training Centre, where students are able to hone their digital sewing and machine servicing skills and prepare themselves better for the workplace. Investing in the development of skilled talents also supports Bernina in its expansion plans in the region.

In Switzerland, the company has longstanding partnerships with schools as well to teach children how to sew using a Bernina machine. On a broader scale, Katharina shares that the business will remain committed to improving the technology of its cutting-edge sewing machines to better serve the creative needs of its community.

Recalling her first impressions of setting up Bernina’s business in Singapore, Katharina says that her experience came with “zero challenges”. “I even dare say it only takes 30 minutes! All you need from there is a vision, a mission and execution”, she adds. She attributes her smooth-sailing experience to the Embassy of Switzerland in Singapore and the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) as both organisations have helped kick-start her journey of living and working in Singapore.

“For companies that wish to set up their businesses in Singapore, EDB supports you fully in your business. They’ve helped me with tax regulations; connected me to potential business opportunities, and so much more,” shares Katharina.

Katharina shares that Singapore’s network of business family communities has also helped her tremendously in integrating into the country’s business ecosystem. Opening up about her experiences of living in Singapore and assimilating into the country, Katharina reveals that learning ‘Singlish’ — the colloquial form of English that is used in Singapore — was an eye-opening experience for her. “Imagine me with my Swiss English, attempting to understand ‘Singlish’!”

Fast forward to the present, Katharina is comfortable with conversing in ‘Singlish’ and uses phrases such as “Can or not?” in her daily life. “I was also initially confused whenever my Singaporean colleagues would come up to me to ask if I’d eaten. Do I look malnourished?” Katharina later realised that it was an endearing way for Singaporeans to show concern for one another. 

On her days off from work, Katharina enjoys going on long-distance jogs from her residence to Sentosa, the nation’s resort island. Spending time under the sun and outdoors in nature, she says, clears her mind and helps her to navigate the day’s challenges a little better.

Reflecting on the seven years she’s spent working and living in Singapore, Katharina shares that the experience has helped her to grow significantly as an individual and as a business leader.

Katharina also firmly believes that the key to building a thriving family business outside of one’s home market is to be open to new experiences while keeping one’s ear to the ground. As such, she advises fellow European next-generation family business leaders to get their hands ‘dirty’ and work in an organisation or industry that’s unrelated to their family business — just like she did. “These experiences will shape your personality. Be curious, embrace change and develop an agile mindset too as these will help smoothen your journey as you step outside of your comfort zone. And regardless of where you’re headed, I recommend that you explore the world,” she shares.

The Singapore Economic Development Board introduces family businesses to a wealth of resources — from supportive networks to vibrant investment opportunities — to help them venture into Asia. Learn more here.