"Business Partnering" will be more and more important for controllers

Financial leadership in saturated markets

  • The telecommunications industry in transition: from pioneering products to "commodity"
  • Different business models require differentiated financial management tools
  • Digitizationand Artificial Intelligence: tools to handle the increasing complexity
  • How does the role of the controller change in this environment?

Mario Rossi
CFO
Swisscom AG, Bern

3 questions for Mario Rossi

1. Is the telecommunications sector a special setor in terms of financial leadership in mature markets?

Rossi: The sector is characterized by very high investments, and the demand for bandwidth is steadily increasing. From this you could theoretically conclude that these high investments can be passed on to the customers at least partly. The market saturation in terms of subscribers and connections leads to cutthroat competition and price pressure. In this respect, the telco sector is certainly a special feature partly.

2. "Artificial Intelligence" is a keyword in your presentation. How can it be helpful in the context of telecommunications?

Rossi: A telco company has enormous amounts of data. Proper application of Artificial Intelligence can generate a high benefit for both customers and the business, e.g. early detection of sources of error in the network, tailor-made offers for customers.

3. The changing role of the controller will also appeal to you - what is the most massive change for you in the job?

Rossi: The activities will focus more and more on business partnering.

About Mario Rossi

Education:

Commercial apprenticeship, dipl. auditor

Career:

  • 1998 to 2002: Swisscom AG, Head of Group Controlling
  • 2002 to 2006: Swisscom Fixnet AG, CFO
  • 2006 to 2007: Swisscom AG, CFO and member of the Executive Committee
  • 2007 to 2009: Fastweb S.p.A., CFO
  • 2009 to 2012 Swisscom AG, CFO
  • Since January 2013: Swisscom AG, CFO and member of the Executive Committee

Außerdem: 

  • Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees at comPlan, Bern
  • Member of the Board of Trustees at Hassler Stiftung, Bern
  • Member of the Sanctions Committee at SIX Swiss Exchange AG, Zürich