The Power of Connection: Why Networking Is Essential for CFOs in Switzerland

What smart CFOs are doing—without making it look like networking and some of Soren's experience.

If you're working in Switzerland as a CFO—especially a fractional one—you already know: this market runs on reputation, not advertising. The most valuable conversations happen off-record. Clients don’t find their CFOs on job boards—they ask someone they trust. Which is why, if you're not intentionally cultivating your network, you’re leaving long-term opportunity on the table.

But let’s be clear: we’re not talking about generic “networking.” We’re talking about relationship-driven positioning, the kind that deepens trust, broadens influence, and makes your name come up in rooms you’re not in. I'll use some of the principles from Keith Ferrazzi's excellent book "Never Eat Alone".

Here’s what that looks like—for CFOs who already know the lay of the land.

1. Move Beyond Peers—Curate Your Circle Strategically

Yes, CFO forums are useful. But real leverage comes from cross-pollination: founders, legal counsel, tax experts, wealth managers. The goal isn’t visibility—it’s relevance. From my experience, it's the eco-system that counts, not only each individual connection.

→ Ferrazzi Principle: "Be the connector."Put two people together who need each other, and you become indispensable to both. That’s how reputations grow quietly but powerfully here.

2. Keep Investing in Low-Ego, High-Trust Relationships

Switzerland doesn’t always reward self-promotion—it rewards consistency and discretion. But staying too discreet can make you invisible. The key is subtle presence: regular lunches, thoughtful intros, relevant content shared directly, not sprayed across LinkedIn. So let's help each others here.

→ Ferrazzi Principle: "Don’t keep score."The people who give without expecting always end up with more opportunity. In Switzerland, where referrals often happen behind closed doors, that goodwill pays off tenfold.

When I do something for a new connection, they often counter with, "I'll do x or what can I do for you?", and while this is nice, it is not neccesarily the right response, because creating value happens in the network and not only on 1-to-1 interactions.

3. Treat Networking as Risk Management

Client cycles change. Boards shuffle. Strategies shift. Having a strong network isn’t just about growth—it’s insurance.

If your name is known across legal, banking, and executive circles, you’ll always have optionality—new mandates, partnerships, or roles before they’re public.

→ Swiss Reality: The best mandates aren’t published—they’re whispered.

For a long time in my career, I treated networking as something I did internally in my company, with peers outside and with collaboration partners like auditors, banks, certain advisors etc., but I realised that this was narrow minded, because most of these were in far away places like in the USA and Asia.

4. Build Reputation Through Invitation-Only Value

Want to deepen trust fast? Create something exclusive. A breakfast roundtable for CFOs and fund managers. A curated dinner for tax and legal advisors. Not branded. Not salesy. Just smart people talking shop.

→ Ferrazzi Principle: "Never eat alone." But make it count: two coffees a week > one noisy networking event a month. Here is where I struggle. I am a volume guy, meaning quantity and activity builds momentum and I feel I am doing something. I need your recommendations for focus here.

Final Word: Play the Long Game, Quietly

The Swiss ecosystem rewards consistency and discretion. The strongest networks are invisible from the outside—but very active within. You don’t need hundreds of contacts. You need the right 20 people who know exactly how you think, work, and add value.

For fractional CFOs, your network isn’t just your backup plan—it’s your pipeline, your brand, and your best source of long-term resilience.

And this is why I would like to stay in touch with you. To create a community, to build our networks and to make an impact in the business world.